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This strip is 1.5 miles long and covers 13 acres but only about half of it is improved and accessible. The rest is being held in reserve, for when funds become available to improve it. A narrow sandy beach below a rather craggy bluff area, it is used mostly for swimming and surfing, although it does not have a big following. Surfers say the waves are lazy and inconsistent. The beach is never crowded, probably because it has limitations. Parking is on the roadside where permitted. Drinking water and restrooms are provided but there is no lifeguard service.

There is a story behind this beach and how it came into the public domain in segments. It has a horsey flavor and is named for the late actor who was one of the ''Bonanza'' boys on television. Blocker, who died in 1972, played the amiable, gentle giant role of Hoss Cartwright. But this was not his land, nor was he known as a beach lover. The name was the doing of ''Bonanza'' actors Lorne Greene, Michael Landon and others who were partners in Latigo Shore Properties.

Latigo owned three beach parcels totaling 4.6 acres and valued at $3 million, as determined by a 1977 court ruling in an inverse condemnation suit. The state as buyer had only $2 million at the time for purchasing parkland, so the Latigo partners accepted the $2 million and donated their other one-third interest. As part of the settlement, the partners specified that the public-use beach be named for Dan Blocker.

The strand's previous name of Corral Beach persists and shows up on some maps and guidebooks. The name stems from its location at the base of Corral Canyon Road, and Corral Creek empties into the ocean here.

The largest portion of this beach, 8.4 acres at the eastern end, was granted by the state Department of Transportation in 1983 at no cost.