Scattering Ashes in California — A Complete Guide

Everything California families need to know about the state's strict ash scattering laws, the Pacific coast, national parks, verified cemetery scattering gardens from the Bay Area to Los Angeles to San Diego, and cremation options across the Golden State.

Author's Note: I actually visited California for the first time in 2026. I flew in to visit a former student who was doing great things in the aeronautical industry in Los Angeles. As a farm wife, I pride myself on being able to drive almost any vehicle in any situation. I have to say, driving possibly the smallest car I have been in on a busy 8-lane highway was getting my adrenaline up. It was super fun! Then we took a very windy road down to the beach. It was beautiful!

If you are thinking of scattering ashes in the state of California, it may be helpful to know the official symbols:

  • State Flower: California Poppy 🌸
  • State Tree: Coast Redwood & Giant Sequoia 🌲
  • State Bird: California Quail 🐦
  • State Rock: Serpentine 🪨
  • State Gemstone: Benitoite 💎
  • State Mineral: Native Gold 🥇
  • State Song: "I Love You, California" 🎶
  • State Motto: "Eureka" (I Have Found It) ⭐

Note: California has two official State Trees — the coast redwood (Sequoia sempervirens), the world's tallest tree, and the giant sequoia (Sequoiadendron giganteum), the world's largest tree by volume. Both were designated by the State Legislature in 1937 and 1953. California also separately designates serpentine as its official State Rock (Gov. Code § 425.2, 1965 — California was the first state in the nation to designate a State Rock), benitoite as its State Gemstone (§ 425.3, 1985), and native gold as its State Mineral (§ 425.1, 1965).

How Prevalent Is Ash Scattering in California?

California has one of the highest cremation rates in the country. As of 2024, California's cremation rate reached approximately 69%, and the National Funeral Directors Association (NFDA) projects it will climb to over 81% by 2035. Ash scattering has become the leading final disposition preference among California cremation families — the NFDA's 2024 Consumer Preferences Survey found that 44.5% of people who choose cremation prefer to have their ashes scattered in a meaningful place.

California's geography makes it one of the most extraordinary states in the world for meaningful ash scattering ceremonies. Over 800 miles of Pacific coastline range from the rugged clifftops of Big Sur and the sea stacks of the Lost Coast in the north to the broad sandy beaches of Los Angeles and the harbor and peninsula of San Diego in the south. The Sierra Nevada stretches 400 miles along the spine of the state, crowned by Mount Whitney at 14,505 feet — the highest peak in the contiguous United States. Yosemite National Park's granite domes and waterfalls, Sequoia & Kings Canyon's ancient forests, Joshua Tree's surreal desert landscape, Point Reyes National Seashore's windswept cliffs, Redwood National and State Parks' cathedral groves, Death Valley's salt flats and sand dunes — all are within reach for California families planning a final farewell.

Important note: California has the strictest ash scattering laws in the nation. Unlike most states, California has specific statutes, permit requirements, and criminal penalties for violations. All California families should familiarize themselves with Health & Safety Code §§ 7054.6, 7116, and 7117 before any scattering ceremony.

California Laws on Scattering Ashes

California's ash scattering regulations are the most detailed in the United States. Key statutes from California Health & Safety Code (HSC):

  • HSC § 7116 — Written permission is required before scattering on any property not your own. You must obtain written permission from the property owner or the controlling government agency. This applies to all public and private land in California.
  • HSC § 7117 — Scattering at sea must occur at least 500 yards from the ocean shoreline (stricter than the federal 3-nautical-mile rule, which also applies; the more restrictive rule governs). Scattering is expressly prohibited from bridges or piers, in any lake or stream, or within 500 yards of the ocean shore. The disposition permit must be filed with the local registrar of births and deaths within 10 days of scattering.
  • HSC § 7054(a) — Violation of the written permission requirement is a criminal offense. Individuals face fines of up to $500 and/or six months in county jail. Licensed funeral professionals who violate the same statute face fines up to $10,000 and up to one year in county jail.
  • HSC § 7054.6 — Cremated remains must be removed from their container before scattering and must not be distinguishable to the public (no visible bone fragments or piles of ash). If recognizable bone fragments are present, they must be collected and removed.
  • California Government Code § 4331 — Commercial ash scattering services (mortuaries, businesses) must receive a separate authorization or agreement from the California Department of Parks and Recreation before scattering in state parks.

Rules by location type:

  • Private Property: Permitted on land you own. Written permission from the landowner is required under HSC § 7116 for any land you don't own.
  • California State Parks: Written permission from the District/Sector Superintendent of the specific park is required. Submit a written request to the park's Cultural Resource Supervisor. The California Department of Parks and Recreation allows individual scattering but prohibits commercial services without a separate authorization. Prohibited locations include archaeological sites, Native American burial sites, and areas where incompatible activities are planned. Contact California State Parks for the specific park's contact information.
  • National Parks (Yosemite, Sequoia, Death Valley, etc.): Each park has its own permit process under NPS regulations (36 CFR 2.62). Contact the specific park's superintendent office for a permit or letter of authorization before any ceremony.
  • Golden Gate National Recreation Area: Contact the GGNRA at (415) 561-4700 or via nps.gov/goga.
  • Pacific Ocean (Burial at Sea): Both California and federal rules apply. California requires scattering at least 500 yards from shore; federal Clean Water Act requires at least 3 nautical miles from land. The more restrictive federal rule (3 nautical miles) is the practical standard. The EPA must be notified within 30 days. All boats used for scattering must be registered with the California Department of Motor Vehicles or a federal agency (HSC § 7672.3).
  • Inland waters (rivers, lakes): Scattering is expressly prohibited in any lake or stream under HSC § 7117(c). The only permitted inland water scattering is in "inland navigable waters" that are not lakes or streams.
  • Aerial Scattering: All aircraft used for scattering must be FAA-certified (HSC § 7672.3). Ashes must not be scattered while still in their container; the container must not be dropped from the plane.
  • Disposition Permit: A disposition permit from the local registrar of births and deaths is required. Your funeral director will typically obtain this. The permit must be filed with the local registrar within 10 days of scattering.

Cemetery Scattering Gardens and Cremation Memorial Options in California

Chapel of the Chimes — Oakland (Bay Area)

Location: 4499 Piedmont Ave., Oakland, CA 94611 Phone: (510) 379-5200

Chapel of the Chimes is one of the most architecturally extraordinary memorial facilities in America — a historic crematory, columbarium, and mausoleum at the entrance of Mountain View Cemetery in the Piedmont neighborhood of Oakland. Founded in 1909 as the California Electric Crematory, the present building was largely redesigned and expanded between 1926 and 1930 by Julia Morgan — California's first licensed female architect and the designer of Hearst Castle. Morgan's Spanish Gothic-Moorish vision created a labyrinthine complex of small rooms, cloisters, terraced indoor gardens, fountains, mosaics, and alcoves constructed in white concrete with Romanesque and Gothic detail, designated Oakland Landmark No. 80 and widely regarded as one of the finest examples of American funerary architecture.

The interior is a marvel: thousands of tiny niches holding urns, many shaped like books, surrounding winding gardens with plants including banana palms and prehistoric cycad trees. Illuminated medieval manuscripts, a Gutenberg Bible page, and a balustrade originally intended for Hearst Castle are incorporated into the design. The annual Garden of Memory concert, held on the summer solstice since 1996, fills every corner of the columbarium with avant-garde musicians — one of San Francisco Bay Area's most beloved cultural events. Notable residents include Rickey Henderson, John Lee Hooker, and other Bay Area luminaries.

Chapel of the Chimes explicitly lists Scattering of Ashes among its services. Customized tributes integrate the site's unique architectural and natural features, enabling personalized remembrances including garden scatterings in the peaceful outdoor areas. Contact the Chapel at (510) 379-5200 to discuss scattering options, garden services, columbarium niches, and memorial planning.

Website: oakland.chapelofthechimes.com

Hollywood Forever Cemetery — Los Angeles

Location: 6000 Santa Monica Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90038 Phone: (323) 469-1181

Hollywood Forever Cemetery is the most famous cemetery in Los Angeles — a 52-acre full-service cemetery, funeral home, crematory, and cultural events center in the heart of Hollywood, adjacent to Paramount Pictures studios. Founded in 1899 as Hollywood Cemetery, it is one of the oldest cemeteries in Los Angeles and the only cemetery actually located within Hollywood proper. Hollywood Forever holds the remains of hundreds of entertainment legends: Judy Garland, Cecil B. DeMille, Rudolph Valentino, Douglas Fairbanks, Mickey Rooney, Tyrone Power, Dee Dee and Johnny Ramone, Chris Cornell, Mel Blanc, Peter Lorre, and thousands of others who shaped the film, music, and cultural legacy of the 20th century.

The cemetery hosts a celebrated annual Día de los Muertos celebration — one of the first cemeteries in the nation to do so — as well as outdoor cinema screenings and live performances throughout the year. Hollywood Forever is certified as a Hybrid Cemetery by the Green Burial Council, offering natural and green burial alongside traditional services.

Hollywood Forever's own cemetery page explicitly confirms its Rose Garden scattering option: Cremated remains may be scattered in their Rose Garden, with memorial plaques available at the garden's edge. The cemetery can also arrange for cremated remains to be scattered at sea with trusted providers, with or without an accompanying memorial service. Columbarium niches, mausoleum crypts, Buddhist cremation and stupa gardens, a Jewish burial section (Beth Olam), green burial, and ancestral forest tree burials round out an extraordinary range of cremation memorial options.

Website: hollywoodforever.com

El Camino Memorial Park — San Diego (Sorrento Valley)

Location: 5600 Carroll Canyon Rd., San Diego, CA 92121 Phone: (858) 535-1600

El Camino Memorial Park is San Diego County's premier memorial park — a 220-acre park-like cemetery in the Sorrento Valley neighborhood, founded in 1960 by Paul Trousdale and serving the San Diego community for over six decades. The park is maintained entirely with reclaimed water, making it a designated green space, and features sweeping canyon and coastal views that make it one of the most scenic cemetery settings in Southern California. Notable residents include polio vaccine pioneer Jonas Salk, McDonald's founder Ray Kroc and his wife Joan Kroc, Coors Brewing Company founder Joseph Coors Sr., and singer Patti Page.

El Camino Memorial Park confirms designated scattering areas within its cremation gardens, alongside a wide range of memorialization options. The newest addition is the WindanSea Garden — California's first cremation garden constructed on a mausoleum rooftop, perched above the Pacific in both spirit and elevation, with sand-colored walkways painted to resemble incoming tides, wave-shaped cremation niches and benches, and sweeping views of La Jolla. The park also offers burial and scattering at sea through affiliated providers, a veterans garden with three stately flags, family estate sections, and a full-service funeral home and crematory on grounds.

Website: dignitymemorial.com/funeral-homes/california/san-diego/el-camino-memorial-sorrento-valley/9555

Fernwood Cemetery & Funeral Home — Mill Valley (Marin County)

Location: 301 Tennessee Valley Rd., Mill Valley, CA 94941 Phone: (415) 383-7100

Fernwood Cemetery is one of California's most exceptional and forward-thinking memorial landscapes — a 32-acre green cemetery and funeral home in the Tam Valley area of Mill Valley, Marin County, bordering the Golden Gate National Recreation Area. Founded in the early 1890s as a resting place for local lumbermen and Portuguese dairy farmers, Fernwood has evolved into a national pioneer in environmentally conscious burial practices. It is one of the country's first green cemeteries, a National Wildlife Federation Certified Habitat, and home to Gan Yarok — America's first green Jewish cemetery, consecrated in 2010 in collaboration with rabbis from Orthodox, Conservative, and Reform congregations.

Fernwood's main building is an architectural masterpiece built by Skidmore, Owings and Merrill (the firm behind New York's One World Trade Center), housing the Remembrance Room — an open, contemporary space for memorial celebrations, backed by a patio waterfall. The grounds are blanketed by heritage oak and bay laurel trees, sword ferns, and native grasses. Engraved natural fieldstones replace traditional headstones throughout the green burial sections, creating a landscape that feels entirely wild and alive.

Fernwood offers natural burial, green burial, traditional burial, and cremation services — including scattering options consistent with California law. Their Yelp listing confirms "Scattering Ashes" among their services. Fernwood weaves natural burials and cremation services together with land restoration and preservation, bordering 200+ acres of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area, and is the premier green burial cemetery in California.

Website: fernwood.com

Are There Mail-In Options for Ash Scattering Services?

Yes. California families — or families anywhere honoring a loved one — may choose Farmstead Scattering Garden in Cambridge Springs, Pennsylvania. Cremated remains are mailed directly to the working farm, where they are scattered respectfully according to the family's chosen preferences. No travel required — and no California-specific scattering regulations apply to Pennsylvania scattering.

Visit our service page at farmsteadscattering.com/collections/services, or call or text us at (814) 450-5432 to learn more.

Frequently Asked Questions About Scattering Ashes in California

Does California have strict ash scattering laws?

Yes — California has the strictest ash scattering laws in the nation. Under HSC § 7116, written permission from the property owner or governing agency is required before scattering on any land you don't own. Violating this requirement is a criminal offense under HSC § 7054(a), with fines up to $500 and possible jail time for individuals, and fines up to $10,000 and up to one year in jail for licensed professionals.

How far from shore must I scatter at sea in California?

Both California state law and federal law apply, and the more restrictive applies: HSC § 7117 requires at least 500 yards from the ocean shoreline; federal Clean Water Act requires at least 3 nautical miles. The practical requirement is 3 nautical miles (the federal rule). EPA Region 9 must be notified within 30 days of any ocean scattering.

Can I scatter ashes in a California lake or river?

No. HSC § 7117(c) expressly prohibits scattering cremated remains in any lake or stream in California. Scattering in "inland navigable waters" (not lakes or streams) may be permissible with written permission and a valid disposition permit.

Can I scatter ashes in a California state park?

Yes, with prior written permission. Submit a written request to the District/Sector Superintendent (or Cultural Resource Supervisor) of the specific state park before any ceremony. The California Department of Parks and Recreation allows individual scattering but requires a separate authorization for commercial services. Certain areas are off-limits (archaeological sites, Native American burial sites). Contact the park directly through parks.ca.gov.

Can I scatter ashes in Yosemite, Sequoia, or other national parks?

Yes, with a permit. Each national park requires advance contact with the park's superintendent and a permit or letter of authorization under NPS regulations (36 CFR 2.62). Requirements vary by park. Contact the specific park's visitor services office directly.

Does Hollywood Forever Cemetery have a scattering garden?

Yes. Hollywood Forever's own website confirms that cremated remains may be scattered in their Rose Garden, with memorial plaques available at the garden's edge. The cemetery can also arrange for remains to be scattered at sea. Contact (323) 469-1181.

What is serpentine — California's State Rock?

Serpentine (technically serpentinite) was designated California's State Rock in 1965 under Government Code § 425.2 — making California the first state in the nation to designate a State Rock. It is a shiny greenish-blue metamorphic rock found throughout California from central to northern ranges and has historically been associated with gold deposits. California separately designates benitoite (§ 425.3, 1985) as its State Gemstone — a rare blue mineral found only in San Benito County — and native gold (§ 425.1, 1965) as its State Mineral.

Does California have a "State River"?

No. California has no officially designated State River in its Government Code. The Sacramento River appears in California's state seal imagery as depicted by the Constitutional Convention of 1849, but it has never been enacted as a "State River" by the legislature.

Can I mail ashes for scattering from California?

Yes. Cremated remains may be legally mailed within the United States via the U.S. Postal Service using Priority Mail Express. Farmstead Scattering Garden in Cambridge Springs, Pennsylvania accepts mail-in remains for private farm scattering. Scattering in Pennsylvania is not subject to California's strict HSC rules. Call or text (814) 450-5432 or visit farmsteadscattering.com.

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