The proverb “one man’s trash is another man’s treasure” is a phrase that’s been used for centuries to convey the subjective perception of the value of art, household items and yes, even literal trash. In the case of Glass Beach in Fort Bragg, California, remnants of a trash dump have evolved into picturesque sea glass, drawing visitors to this stretch of Northern California.

Just like other treasures, the sea glass can be challenging to find — and that’s part of the fun. Here’s everything you need to know before hunting for your little bit of trash-meets-treasure at Glass Beach. 

Glass Beach is about three hours north of San Francisco in picturesque Fort Bragg, which sits in the heart of Mendocino County. The entire city of Fort Bragg is considered a California Historical Landmark: it was a military garrison prior to the American Civil War, and then a notable logging and fishing town. Long before that, it was home to the Pomo Native American tribe for thousands of years, who relied on the area for fishing and gathering. Nowadays, Fort Bragg is known for its coastal views, local art galleries and MacKerricher State Park, where Glass Beach is located. 

Even though Fort Bragg is almost 200 miles north of San Francisco, the small town still suffered major damage from the earthquake. Fires destroyed its lumber mill and damaged the entire downtown area, while frame homes were knocked clear off their piers. At this time, many coastal communities used the ocean as a convenient dumping site for trash of all kinds. To deal with the rubble, locals bulldozed debris off the headlands and onto a small beach below  —  an area that is now commonly referred to as Site 1.

Long after the earthquake, locals kept dumping, everything from glass bottles and appliances to unwanted cars and machinery. In 1943, Site 1 eventually filled up, so Site 2 was developed further up the coast, then used until 1949, when it it also filled up. The third and final site, which is the most famous of the three, eventually became a toxic, rat-infested spot, often on fire from the combination of harmful waste. In 1967, the North Coast Regional Water Quality Board stepped in and closed the dump for good. A few years later, in 1972 Congress, enacted the Marine Protection, Research and Sanctuaries Act (MPRSA), also known as Ocean Dumping Act, to protect one of the Earth’s most precious resources.

Cleanup efforts began after Site 3 was shut down in 1967. Around this time, locals realized the rocky coastal area recirculated the trash, bringing it back to shore. Although for decades residents of Fort Bragg tried sending their garbage to the ocean, it seemed Mother Nature had other plans. 

Over the years, larger materials and debris were physically removed from the coasts. But the discarded glass was naturally broken down by decades of relentless waves and transformed into the smooth, colorful sea glass tourists can spot today. 

While combing this spectacular coastline for treasure may be a bucket-list experience for travelers, we wouldn’t include swimming as part of the experience. The terrain is rocky and rough, and while the glass shards are mostly smoothed, you’re taking the risk of encountering some garbage that may still be sharp.

It’s also important to note that the tides come in and out rather quickly, so it’s much safer to walk the beaches than going for a swim.

Now, the big question: Is collecting sea glass illegal? This is where things can get a little complicated. There are signs on Site 3 within MacKerricher State Park that claim collecting sea glass is illegal, but locals and tourists have been collecting from the three locations for decades to create art, jewelry and to pay tribute to the legacy of the beaches themselves. That includes Captain Cass Forrington, owner of the Sea Glass Museum in Fort Bragg. Forrington is a local legend: He’s passionate about the local community and the artists, students and tourists who come for the tiny marvels that dot the coast.

SFGATE recently reached out to Forrington and asked about the practice of collecting local sea glass and he wrote, “It is perfectly legal to collect here in Fort Bragg and there is no ticketing going on. Everything saying it is illegal is a lie put out by the city and park rangers and they know it.”

Upon further clarification, Terry Bertels, district superintendent of the Sonoma-Mendocino Coast District of the California Department of Parks and Recreation told SFGATE, “The bottom line is that sea glass should not be removed from the site. Doing so would not necessarily result in a citation, but it could.” Bertels added, “I believe that is true of the State Parks portion of the beach as well as the City of Fort Bragg portion of the beach.”

And the MacKerricher State Park brochure appears to side with Bertels as it notes: “All park natural and cultural features are protected by law and may not be removed or disturbed, including glass found at Glass Beach.” 

Beyond just discussing the legality, Bertels makes a larger point: holding back means you’ll help Glass Beach stick around for longer. “There are hundreds of thousands of visitors at the glass beaches each year,” he noted. “If each person took what they wanted in the way of glass then the presence of glass would be greatly diminished for subsequent visitors. We at California State Parks are charged with safeguarding the natural treasures of the parks that we manage so that they can be experienced and enjoyed by all and for future generations.”

Perhaps, like other natural wonders in the world, the best thing to do is admire its splendor, snap your pictures and leave the remaining sea glass for others to enjoy, too. If you want to see the sea glass up close without risking a citation, you can visit Captain Forrington’s Sea Glass Museum to see what he’s done with some of the 150,000 pieces of sea glass he’s collected over the years. 

Many would-be visitors wonder if Glass Beach still lives up to its name. While decades of eager collectors have diminished the abundance of glass on all three sites, and while tourist reviews over the last few years online claim it’s not the treasured spot it once was, this stretch of Fort Bragg remains something to behold. The waves still churn up smooth, colorful remnants of the past, which glisten under the sunlight, particularly during low tide. Forrington hopes the city will replenish the beaches to ensure the local community can benefit from the tourism. “All the city needs to do is get a law passed that would allow us to resume recycling through our beaches, but they refuse to even consider it,” he wrote. 

While there may not be as much sea glass at Glass Beach as decades prior, its history and surviving remnants still make it an alluring spot to visit. 

This story was edited by Hearst Newspapers Managing Editor Kristina Moy; you can contact her at [email protected].