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Mendocino County

The bountiful natural resources of Mendocino County's coastline have been drawing humans for centuries: The native Yuki and Pomo people harvested abalone, mussels, salmon, sea lions, kelp, and otters; later, European immigrants and their descendants cut redwoods for lumber and fished for salmon. Today, the coast's most valuable resource is its rugged natural beauty, which draws visitors from around the world.

In its southern reaches, Mendocino's coast consists largely of grassy marine terraces with rocky bluffs dropping sharply to the sea, punctuated here and there by river and creek inlets or a little pocket beach. Here you'll find the historic Point Cabrillo lighthouse, dramatically situated on a headland pounded by ocean waves, which has an accessible cabin available as a vacation rental; you can also hike through a pygmy forest and a lush fern canyon at Van Damme State Park, or through the ever-blooming Mendocino Botanical Gardens.

A little farther north, the trails through Pomo Bluffs Park overlook Noyo Harbor entrance and the mouth of the Noyo River, just south of the town of Fort Bragg. Past Fort Bragg you'll find MacKerricher State Park, with two accessible trail segments and opportunities for both bird- and whale-watching. North of MacKerricher there is very little that is accessible; the coast becomes increasingly forested and remote, and Highway One swings inland to avoid the rugged Lost Coast.
 

Site Overview	Accessible Parking	Accessible Restrooms	Picnic	Hiking	Fishing	Accessible Beach Access
Van Damme State Park
Point Cabrillo Light Station State Historic Park
Mendocino Coast Botanical Gardens
Pomo Bluffs
MacKerricher State Park