Northern California
Get out early for the best of it — 4-6ft waves on WNW swell at 9s and gentle S breeze.
Get out early for the best of it — 4-6ft waves on WNW swell at 9s and gentle S breeze.
Best window·Friday 6AM–9AM·7-8ft·Good
Here's how the next 5 days are shaping up at Fern Canyon Beach, Northern California. Each day is rated based on breaking wave height, swell period, and wind — updated hourly from the latest NOAA GFS run.
Thu, Sep 3: 7–8ft, 11s period, rated Good. Early morning is your best window — 4-6ft waves on WNW swell at 9s with light winds out of the S. The S wind kicks in by afternoon — 9mph and fair by then.
Fri, Sep 4: 7–8ft, 10s period, rated Good. Dawn patrol is the move — 7-8ft on WNW swell at 10s with moderate S wind around 11mph. Things get a bit scrappier as the day goes on.
Sat, Sep 5: 4–5ft, 9s period, rated Good. Dawn patrol is the move — 4-5ft on WNW swell at 9s with light winds out of the ENE. Things get a bit scrappier as the day goes on.
Sun, Sep 6: 3–4ft, 8s period, rated Fair - Good. Early morning is your best window — 3-4ft waves on WNW swell at 8s with light SE winds. It gets a bit messier later in the day.
Mon, Sep 7: 3–4ft, 8s period, rated Poor - Fair. First light looks cleanest — 2-3+ft on NW swell at 8s with gentle ESE breeze. Things get a bit scrappier as the day goes on.
Two days at a glance. Swipe for later hours.Five days at a glance. Drag for later hours.
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Check Fern Canyon Beach from the lineup
Forecasts, surf alerts, and live conditions in the Swell Intel iPhone app.
Fern Canyon Beach in Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park is a remote, rarely-surfed stretch of coast accessed by a rough unpaved road. The NW-facing beach receives powerful Pacific swells that create dangerous shorebreak and unpredictable conditions. State Parks warns that water activities are "unsafe" here due to large surf, cold water, sudden drop-offs, and pounding shorebreak. This is not a recreational surf spot.
Wave heights shown are breaking wave heights — the actual rideable wave size at this spot.
The current wave height at Fern Canyon Beach is 4-6ft with a 9.1s swell period. Wind is S at 4mph. Conditions are rated Good. The forecast updates hourly so you can plan your session around the cleanest windows.
The current breaking wave height at Fern Canyon Beach is 4-6ft, produced by a 5.7ft WNW primary swell at 9s, a 2.6ft SW wind swell swell at 6s, a 0.9ft SW tertiary swell at 14s. Breaking wave height is the actual rideable wave size at the shore — calculated from offshore swell data using this spot's coastal bathymetry — not the raw buoy reading.
Based on the current 5-day forecast, the best window to surf Fern Canyon Beach is Friday from 6 AM to 9 AM with 7ft waves, a 10.3s swell period, and conditions rated Good. Check the hourly forecast for updates as conditions can shift.
Fern Canyon Beach works best with a NW swell and SE winds. Offshore winds groom the face of the wave, while onshore winds turn it sloppy. Cross-offshore conditions usually produce the cleanest shape.
Tide plays a big role at Fern Canyon Beach. Mid tide works for most beach breaks, while reef and point breaks often prefer higher or lower stages. Use the tide chart above to line up your session with the swell peak.
Fern Canyon Beach is a beach with a sand bottom, suited to advanced surfers. Fern Canyon Beach in Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park is a remote, rarely-surfed stretch of coast accessed by a rough unpaved road. The NW-facing beach receives powerful Pacific swells that create dangerous shorebreak and unpredictable conditions. State Parks warns that water activities are "unsafe" here due to large surf, cold water, sudden drop-offs, and pounding shorebreak. This is not a recreational surf spot.
The prime season at Fern Canyon Beach is fall, when swell direction, wind patterns, and water temps line up most consistently. Outside the peak season you can still score, but you'll need to watch the forecast closely for the right windows.
Common hazards at Fern Canyon Beach include dangerous shorebreak, cold water, sharks, extreme isolation, rip currents, no facilities. Always check conditions before paddling out, respect local etiquette, and never surf alone if you're unfamiliar with the break.
Our Fern Canyon Beach forecast uses NOAA GFS and other weather models combined with spot-specific bathymetry to calculate breaking wave heights. Short-range (1-3 day) forecasts are most reliable; extended forecasts show general trends. We also verify our offshore swell predictions against NOAA buoy measurements daily — see our accuracy page for those swell-verification metrics (buoys measure open-water swell, not breaking surf size).
