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at the Pacific Ocean .]] Goat Rock Beach is a sand Beach in northwestern Sonoma County, California , United States . DESCRIPTION This landform is a sub-unit of Sonoma Coast State Beach , owned and managed by the State of California . At the northern terminus of Goat Rock Beach is the Mouth of the Russian River and the southern end of this crescent shaped expanse is the massive Goat Rock , an Iconic Outcrop of the Sonoma Coast, which is barely attached to the Mainland by a narrow Isthmus . Goat Rock Beach is frequented by beachcombing visitors, but usually not in high numbers except in mid-summer; there is some wading and surfing activity, although these uses are moderated by the legendary Rip Current generated by a steep gradient into the water that leads to an underwater trench parallel to the waterline. The beach is also a regular resting ground for Seagull s, Harbor Seal s, and Sea Lion s, the latter two Species sometimes hauling out of the Pacific Ocean . The state of California recommends a fifty yard distance be preserved between human visitors and the seasonal Marine Mammals , especially in the Pupping season. VICINITY FEATURES The Russian River, with its mouth at the north end of Goat Rock Beach, is Sonoma County's largest Watercourse both in flow rate and lineal extent. Immediately beyond the Russian River discharge to the Pacific Ocean is the coastal town of Jenner . North of the mouth of the Russian River is Jenner Beach. Goat Rock protrudes into the Pacific at the south end of Goat Rock Beach. Visitors can access the base of Goat Rock via a low lying Isthmus of land which has been appropriated by the State as a parking area. The almost sheer Cliff s of Goat Rock are virtually impossible to scale or to circumnavigate; in fact, signage is posted prohibiting either activity. There is considerable sloughing of broken rock from these vertical surfaces of Goat Rock. Blind Beach is situated immediately south of Goat Rock Beach, the two Beach es being separated by Goat Rock itself. Along Goat Rock Beach and the adjoining beaches, massive rock Outcrop pings are found both on the shore and protruding from the Pacific Ocean as small Skerries . Among these rugged structures are Natural Arch es formed by powerful wave action selectively eroding weaker strata of the rock formations. Approximately seventeen miles to the south is another major Geological feature of the Northern California Coast known as Bodega Head . Goat Beach lies below and slightly west of California State Route 1 . GEOLOGY ]] Goat Rock Beach is subject to continuing marine above the entire extent of the beach. This marine terrace elevation varies approximately 30 to 150 feet above Mean Sea Level , which results in a steep Bluff directly above the Littoral zone, and a succession of terrace levels. The sea stacks along the coast at Goat Rock Beach consist of rocks from the . Vertical sea stack formations, a geological hallmark of this shoreline, appear standing out of the water or on the Beach resembling sculptures. Occasionally these stacks appear on the marine terrace, indicating their ancient genesis on the sea floor prior to uplift. These rock formations are characteristically composed of Sandstone with layers of Quartz . The active San Andreas Fault runs roughly parallel and near to the coastline of Goat Rock Beach. Soil s within the site are classified as coastal beach sands (where Rocky Shore line is not evident) and Escarpment group soils on the marine terrace; typically soils above the marine terrace are in the Rohnerville loam group.''Soil Survey, Sonoma County, California'', U.S. Department Of Agriculture , Soil Conservation Service , Government Printing Office, Washington DC, May 1972 Most of the beach sands consist of a medium coarse brown to gray Sand y materials, reflecting the high rate of erosion of Escarpment soils into the ocean; however, there are patches of dark gray smooth Pebble beach such as the approximately one hundred meter stretch lying immediately north of Goat Rock. AREA HISTORY immediately south of Goat Rock State Beach with rocks rubbed by Mammoth s and also arched rock formation as evidence that this terrace was once on the sea floor.]] The oldest Giants got Good Rub'', Center for the Study of the First Americans, Mammoths Series, Volume 18, Number 1, December 2002. Mammoth fossil remains have been found at Bodega Head at the south end of Sonoma Coast State Beach. The earliest known human settlement of this site was by the are thought to have begun logging the Old-growth Forest s directly above the coastal prairie in the early 19th century. The underwater delineation of the property is considered to extend to 1000 feet from the Shore line. While no Shipwreck s have been discovered, the literature indicates that there are at least 17 vessels which may have been lost in these waters. There are remains of numerous historic barns and other Agricultural buildings on the coastal prairie several miles south of Goat Rock Beach, indicating 19th century settlement by Europe ans; to the south, at Duncans Landing there are iron pins embedded in the sandstone bluffs as evidence of an active shipping industry here in the late 19th and early 20th century. In the era circa 1920, a sizeable Quarry ing was conducted at Goat Rock, which activity produced the apparent separation of Goat Rock from the mainland. Quarry products were transported to the mouth of the Russian River via a now abandoned Rail Line ; some of these materials were used to attempt the construction of a Jetty in the mouth area, but that project was eventually terminated. FLORA AND FAUNA above Goat Rock Beach supports a diversity of upland species.]] There are three distinct s as well as a multitude of fish Species and other marine Organism s; in fact, several species of Anadromous fish enter the Russian River Estuary and migrate for tens of miles up the Laguna De Santa Rosa and other Russian River tributaries.David Cook and Jessica Martini-Lamb, ''Copeland Creek Restoration Project Monitoring Plan'',Sonoma County Water Agency, April, 2001. Furthermore, a variety of Pelagic birds and Shorebird s are locally in evidence. Additionally there are modest Kelp beds and other marine Vegetation . The littoral beach environment has fewer organisms than more southerly zones of California, because of the colder temperatures here. The coastal prairie soils on the marine terrace above the beach are moderately well drained and granular with moderate soil permeability; these features manifest high erosion potential and moderately high bio-productivity. Acid ity of these loamy soils is medium to high, and thus some Vegetative Stunting and hospitality to Rare Plants is offered; however the tree stunting is not as pronounced as farther north along the Mendocino coast, which presents extensive and exaggerated Pygmy Forest s. The upland environment on the Coastal Prairie offers a range of Grass species and Wildflower s including varieties of Lupine , Thistle and Wild Oat s. The typical annual plant productivity is approximately 1500 kilograms per acre of air dried yield per annum in an abundant moisture year, and about half that amount in a very dry year. A variety of birds and mammals thrive on the coastal prairie including numerous California Mule Deer , ''Odocoileus hemionus californicus''. PRACTICAL MATTERS Due to these potential safety risks of the rip currents at Goat Rock Beach, swimming is strictly prohibited. There are restroom facilities, a parking lot, and picnic tables on site. Sonoma Coast State Beach: Goat Rock Highlights . Hang-gliding is performed from a 150 high launch point on a high marine terrace above the southern part of Goat Rock Beach, provided the participant is in possession of USHGA card, Sonoma Wings card and signed waiver card.[http://www.sonomawings.com/site/goat.htm Hang-gliding at Goat Rock State Beach]. POPULAR CULTURE
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