Seven Devils State Recreation Site, Merchant Beach

The Seven Devils State Recreation Site provides some of the best access to the long sequence of beaches that runs between the Cape Arago headland to the north and Bullards Beach State Park to the south. The wayside was formerly the site of the Merchant family farm, and the lush valley carved by Twomile Creek opens out onto the generous beach that bears the family’s name. It would have been an incredible place to homestead, with plenty of room for beach walks if any downtime came up. Walk north from the wayside to access Sacchi Beach, named for a local midwife, or south around Fivemile Point to Whiskey Run Beach, which became a popular spot during the area’s gold rush in the 1850s.

Much less of a destination than the popular beaches in the Bandon and Cape Arago area, Seven Devils State Recreation Site doesn’t receive the same kind of crowds. If you find yourself itching for a little solitude on a peak summer weekend, Seven Devils may be the perfect fit.