The TRAVELER'S JOURNAL: July ninth, basking on America's most deserted beaches.

This month millions of Americans will descend on beaches across the country. But too often beating the heat means enduring huge crowds. Fortunately, the U.S. has many accessible beaches that remain relatively people-free. Here are seven.

In the east, there is Swim Beach on Monhegan Island, Maine. Actually, the water's too cold for swimming, but sea kayakers will be in heaven here. The ocean at North Carolina's Bear Island is more temperate. Its Hammonds Beach is a three-mile stretch of barrier dunes ringed by salt marsh where loggerhead turtles lay eggs in the sand.

Just off the coast of Corpus Christi, Texas, in the Gulf of Mexico, Matagorda Island's 37 miles of densely packed sand offers all the privacy anyone could ask for. Sleeping Bear Point is on Michigan's northwest shore. The six-mile strip of wilderness features a 130-foot-high-sand dune.

On the west coast, the Ozette Triangle in Washington's Olympic National Park is a three-mile stretch of cobble-strewn sand teeming with birds and sea life. Five hours north of San Francisco, Lost Coast Beach in Shelter Cove is a long strip of black sand and off- shore rocks inhabited by seals and sea lions. And Little Harbor, a crescent-shaped beach on the far side of Catalina Island off the coast of Los Angeles, offers excellent fishing, snorkeling, and surfing. Seven beaches where you can still get away from maddening crowds.

Back to July 2002 Main

Look through the list of fascinating places and off-beat features we’ve covered. Search text versions of past episodes and articles in our archives.