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South Cape Mendocino State Marine Reserve, Sugarloaf Island Special Closure, and Steamboat Rock Special Closure

two basket stars - a kind of sea star with long branching arms

Overview

Located along northern California’s Lost Coast (one of the largest stretches of undeveloped coast in California) South Cape Mendocino State Marine Reserve (SMR) and the adjacent Sugarloaf Island and Steamboat Rock special closures lie between the towns of Petrolia and Capetown. The SMR protects around nine square miles of ocean habitat and spans more than a mile of remote coastline. Sugarloaf Island is a rocky offshore sea stack that juts out of the rough Pacific waters to the north of the SMR. Steamboat Rock is about two miles south of Sugarloaf Island at the southern edge of the SMR. South Cape Mendocino SMR reaches depths greater than 270 feet and features sandy and rocky seafloor habitat, and black sand beaches. The beach is a short walk from Mattole Road.

The Lost Coast is known for a beautiful ruggedness enjoyed by hikers and visitors. The rough offshore waters along this isolated stretch of coastline protect invertebrates such as abalone, acorn barnacles, California mussels, and ochre sea stars, and provide resting and hunting grounds for marine mammals including orcas, sea lions, and seals. Binoculars will help visitors enjoy a sea stack filled with local wildlife at Sugarloaf Island Special Closure. Steamboat Rock Special Closure is a great place to watch Steller sea lions and any of the estimated 10,000 seabirds that live on Steamboat Rock, including common murres, pigeon guillemots, and Brandt’s cormorants.

Regulations

South Cape Mendocino SMR

It is unlawful to injure, damage, take, or possess any living, geological, or cultural marine resource.

California Code of Regulations Title 14, Section 632(b)(11)(opens in new tab)

Sugarloaf Island Special Closure

Boating and access are restricted. Except as permitted by federal law or emergency caused by hazardous weather, no vessel shall be operated or anchored at any time from the mean high tide line to a distance of 300 ft. seaward of the mean lower low tide line of any shoreline of Sugarloaf Island, year round.

No person except employees of the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, United States Fish and Wildlife Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, or United States Coast Guard during performance of their official duties, or unless permission is granted by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, shall enter the area.

California Code of Regulations Title 14, Section 632(b)(10)(opens in new tab)

Steamboat Rock Special Closure

March 1 to August 31 only:

Boating and access are restricted. Except as permitted by federal law or emergency caused by hazardous weather, no vessel shall be operated or anchored from the mean high tide line to a distance of 300 ft. seaward of the mean lower low tide line of any shoreline of Steamboat Rock.

No person except employees of the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, United States Fish and Wildlife Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, or United States Coast Guard during performance of their official duties, or unless permission is granted by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, shall enter the area.

California Code of Regulations Title 14, Section 632(b)(12)(opens in new tab)

Quick Facts

South Cape Mendocino SMR

MPA size: 9.08 square miles

Shoreline span: 1.4 miles

Depth range: 0 to 277 feet

Habitat composition*:

  • Rock: 5.33 square miles
  • Sand/mud: 5.03 square miles

Sugarloaf Island Special Closure

Special Closure size: 0.02 square miles

Depth range: 0 to 10 feet

Habitat composition*:

  • Rock: 0.04 square miles
  • Sand/mud: less than 0.01 square miles

Steamboat Rock Special Closure

Special Closure size: 0.02 square miles

Depth range: 0 to 22 feet

Habitat composition*:

  • Rock: 0.05 square miles

*Habitat calculations are based on 3-dimensional area and may exceed the total MPA area listed above.

Photo Gallery

3 OCT
2023

Olympic gull in South Cape Mendocino SMR

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photo © J. Shank, CC BY-NC 2.0

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Related Information

About South Cape Mendocino State Marine Reserve, Sugarloaf Island Special Closure, and Steamboat Rock Special Closure

Natural History

view from shore of an island shaped like a boat
Steamboat Rock Special Closure lies just offshore of Black Sands Beach. photo © C. Allison, MPA Collaborative Network

Cape Mendocino, just to the north, is the westernmost point on the California coast. This region is one of the most seismically active in the contiguous United States. Just offshore, three tectonic plates meet in what is know as a geologic triple junction. The black sand beaches prevalent along this stretch of coast are derived from greywacke, a type of dark sandstone. There are prominent rock outcroppings along the north and south ends of the SMR, including two sea stacks protected by special closures: Sugarloaf Island and Steamboat Rock.

Beneath the surface, sandy and rocky seafloor habitats extend from the shoreline to deeper offshore waters. These support many species including bull kelp, red abalone, rockfish, and lingcod. This SMR is especially important as a rookery for sea lions and seabirds. Many different species of birds including Brandt’s cormorants, tufted puffins, common murres, western gulls, and black oystercatchers can be found here. Depending on the season, you may see gray, blue, and humpback whales pass along this stretch of isolated northern California coast during their long migrations.

Cultural History

a gumboot chiton shell - an oblong shell with a lumpy porous texture
The original inhabitants of this area, the Mattole people, collected mollusks, like this gumboot chiton, from the rocky intertidal zone. photo © pretzelle, CC BY-NC 2.0

For centuries, Native American Tribes in California have relied on marine and coastal resources. Many Native American Tribes in California continue to regularly harvest marine resources within their ancestral territories and maintain relationships with the coast for ongoing customary uses. The road that runs along the SMR was named after the Mattole Tribe, the indigenous people of this area. The Mattole people harvested food from the sea, including salmon and mollusks. Many Native Americans were displaced when European settlers arrived, but the deep cultural roots of the Bear River Band of Rohnerville Rancheria remain in this region near Cape Mendocino.

In 1867, a ship ran aground along this unforgiving stretch of coast while attempting to deliver building materials to build a lighthouse. Despite setbacks, the lighthouse was completed in 1868. The 43-foot tower was one of the tallest lighthouses in the U.S. at the time, extending 422 feet above sea level. However, in the 1960s the lighthouse was abandoned, and began deteriorating and slipping down the hillside. Later, the lighthouse was moved thirty miles south to Shelter Cove, where it was opened in 2001 and remains an often-visited historical landmark today.

The MPA coastline remains a relatively isolated region that receives little foot traffic, and as such can be appreciated as a preserved example of northern California’s natural beauty.

Recreation

Bicycle on Mattole Road overlooking ocean and island
Mattole Road rewards those who make the trek with stunning views of the Lost Coast. photo © J. Palmer, CC BY-SA 2.0

The coast around Cape Mendocino is a great place to visit for those willing to make the journey. The SMR and adjacent Black Sands Beach can be accessed from Mattole Road, one of the few roads on the entire Lost Coast and the only road that winds along the coastline here. Steamboat Rock is directly offshore from Black Sands Beach, which is typically devoid of people and dotted with driftwood and small rocks.

The road yields stunning views of this desolate coastline, including cattle and horses grazing on the coastal grasses, waves slapping the black sand beaches, and birds flocking to rocky outcroppings like Sugarloaf Island. Though the take of any marine resources is prohibited within the SMR, visitors can still enjoy the breathtaking landscapes and witness large populations of sea lions basking on the shore.

 

Coordinates

South Cape Mendocino SMR

This area is bounded by the mean high tide line and straight lines connecting the following points in the order listed except where noted:

40° 26.100′ N. lat. 124° 24.340′ W. long.;
40° 26.100′ N. lat. 124° 31.958′ W. long.; thence southward along the three nautical mile offshore boundary to
40° 24.900′ N. lat. 124° 31.084′ W. long.; and
40° 24.900′ N. lat. 124° 23.800′ W. long.

California Code of Regulations Title 14, Section 632(b)(11)

Sugarloaf Island Special Closure

A special closure is designated from the mean high tide line to a distance of 300 feet seaward of the mean lower low tide line of any shoreline of Sugarloaf Island, located in the vicinity of 40° 26.326′ N. lat. 124° 24.827′ W. long.

California Code of Regulations Title 14, Section 632(b)(10)

Steamboat Rock Special Closure

A special closure is designated from the mean high tide line to a distance of 300 feet seaward of the mean lower low tide line of any shoreline of Steamboat Rock, located in the vicinity of 40° 24.919′ N. lat. 124° 24.241′ W. long. during the period of March 1 to August 31.

California Code of Regulations Title 14, Section 632(b)(12)

Downloads for South Cape Mendocino State Marine Reserve

Map

Map of South Cape Mendocino State Marine Reserve - click to enlarge in new tab

Facts, Map & Regulations

MPA fact sheet - click to enlarge in new tab

Downloads for Sugarloaf Island Special Closure

Map

Map of Sugarloaf Island Special Closure - click to enlarge in new tab

Facts, Map & Regulations

MPA fact sheet - click to enlarge in new tab

Downloads for Steamboat Rock Special Closure

Map

Map of Steamboat Rock Special Closure - click to enlarge in new tab

Facts, Map & Regulations

MPA fact sheet - click to enlarge in new tab