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Mendocino is a small village on a headland above the Pacific, roughly three hours' drive north of San Francisco on the rugged Mendocino Coast. Founded as a lumber town in the mid-1800s, it kept many of its New England–style wooden buildings and water towers, and today it is known for galleries, inns and dramatic coastal scenery. The whole town is listed as a historic district.
Mendocino Headlands State Park wraps around the village with bluff-top trails above sea caves, arches and crashing surf. The Ford House serves as a visitor center, and the Kelley House Museum covers local history, while the small Temple of Kwan Tai recalls the town's early Chinese community. North of town, Point Cabrillo Light Station is a restored lighthouse, and Russian Gulch State Park has a fern canyon trail to a waterfall. To the south, Van Damme State Park offers a pygmy forest and fern-lined trails. Paddlers explore the estuary of the Big River by canoe or kayak, and the Mendocino Coast Botanical Gardens spread down to the ocean near Fort Bragg. In Fort Bragg, Glass Beach is covered in sea-smoothed glass from old dumps, and the Skunk Train runs into the redwoods.
The area suits couples and travelers seeking quiet and nature. The Anderson Valley wine region lies inland. Fog is common in summer, and winter storms draw watchers to the bluffs.
WiserMap travel guideMendocino California Headland Trails and the Skunk TrainPlan a Mendocino trip: headland trails, Point Cabrillo Light, Russian Gulch, the pygmy forest, Glass Beach, the Skunk Train, food, seasons and driving tips.Read the guide
Grassy bluffs that wrap around the village of Mendocino, with trails along the cliff edge past sea arches, blowholes and hidden coves. Look for gray whales in winter and spring. Paths start right from Main Street, and the bluffs are lovely at sunset.
A park just north of the village with a beach under the Highway 1 bridge, the Devil's Punchbowl collapsed sea cave on the headland and the Fern Canyon trail to a 36-foot waterfall. Bikes are allowed on the paved first part of the waterfall trail. A day-use fee applies.
A park south of Mendocino with a sheltered beach popular for kayaking and diving, plus the Fern Canyon trail along the Little River. A boardwalk loop nearby goes through the Pygmy Forest, where old cypress and pine trees grow only a few feet tall in poor soil.
A coastal park north of Fort Bragg with beaches, dunes, Lake Cleone and a long paved coastal trail on an old logging road. Laguna Point has a boardwalk overlooking harbor seals and tide pools. It is a great place to walk or bike along the shore.
The Ford House on Main Street, built in 1854, is the visitor center for Mendocino Headlands, with exhibits and a model of the town. The Kelley House Museum on Albion Street covers local logging and village history and runs walking tours. Check opening hours, which are limited.
A small red and green Chinese temple on Albion Street, built around the 1850s and one of the oldest Chinese temples in California. It recalls the Chinese workers who lived on this coast in the logging era. It is visible from the street and opens on a limited schedule.
A lighthouse from 1909 on a headland between Mendocino and Fort Bragg, still using its original Fresnel lens. A half-mile walk leads from the parking lot to the light, a museum and restored keepers' houses. The bluffs are a good place to watch for whales.
A reserve known for its Ecological Staircase, a trail of about five miles climbing a series of marine terraces, each about 100,000 years older than the one below, ending in a pygmy forest. A short loop around the headland gives ocean views. It is between Mendocino and Fort Bragg.
A tidal river that enters the sea just south of the village of Mendocino, with a long estuary through redwood forest. Rent a canoe or kayak at the mouth and paddle upstream with the tide, or walk the old logging road along its banks. Watch for seals, otters and ospreys.
Gardens of about 47 acres running from Highway 1 down to the ocean bluffs south of Fort Bragg, with rhododendrons, dahlias, heaths, a fern canyon and a coastal trail. Something is in bloom most of the year. Allow two hours, and dogs on leash are welcome.
Coves in Fort Bragg where decades of dumped garbage were worn by the waves into smooth colored glass pebbles. Much of the glass has been taken over the years, and collecting is not allowed. Visit at low tide, and walk the coastal trail above the beaches.
A historic railroad from Fort Bragg into the redwood forests along the Noyo River, running since 1885. Train rides and pedal-powered railbikes are offered on parts of the line. Book ahead in summer, and choose the open-air car for the best views.
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California, United States
California, United States
California, United States
California, United States
California, United States
California, United States
California, United States
California, United States
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