Hiking in Mendocino, California

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  1. Fern Canyon Trail to the Pygmy Forest, 12 km in Van Damme State Park (5kms south of Mendocino off highway 1 - the trailhead is to the east of the highway)
  2. Russian Gulch Trail to the Falls, 11 km in Russian Gulch State Park (3 kms north of Mendocino - turn inland and drive to the end of the paved road, park and look for the North Boundary trailhead)
  3. Ides Cove Loop Trail, 14 kms in Yolla Bolly-Middle Eel Wilderness (at the end of Ball Rock Rd in Paskenta, north of Mendocino National Forest, and alas, difficult to reach on county road A9, aka Corning Rd, 33 kms west of highway 5 in Corning)
  4. Ten Miles Coast Trail, 16 kms in MacKerricher State Park (5 kms north of Fort Bragg on highway 1)
  5. Traveler's Home Trail, 25 kms in Mendocino National Forest at the border with Yolla Bolly Wilderness (drive 18 kms northeast from Covelo on Road 24N21)
  6. Mendocino Headlands State Park (in Mendocino by the beach)
  7. Southside trail in Big River Park (1 km south of Mendocino, turn inland on Comptche-Ukiah Road and drive a few minutes to a small turnout by an old logging road on the left)
  8. Ecological Staircase, 8 kms roundtrip hike in Jug Handle State Reserve (located just north of Caspar, 7 kms north of Mendocino and south of Fort Bragg)
  9. Jackson State Forest (from Fort Bragg go south on highway 1 and turn left/east on highway 20)
South of Mendocino the coast offers plenty of photo opportunities. One of the best excursions is in Elk/Greenwood. About 150 meters south of the churches, look for a trailhead. It leads to a promontory overlooking the bay. Before the promontory there is a steep ravine. A rope helps you get down to the beach. The place is called Wharf Rock Beach.
Mendocino National Forest:
  • Camping in Jackson State Forest (but closed till may)
    Other places to camp away from the crowds if you are coming from south: Manchester State Park, Navarro River State Park (Paul Dimmick campground off 128 by the creek).
    As of 2022, there are still first-come, first-served campgrounds on the north shores of Lake Pillsbury, one hour east of Ukiah.