Sunday, September 2, 2012

Mendocino Headlands State Park


View Mendocino Headlands State Park - September 2012 in a larger map

What
  • Hiking
  • Abalone Diving
  • Big River Beach
  • View of Mendocino Bay
  • View of Pacific Ocean
  • Natural grottos

More Info
  • Free parking
  • Free admission

Mendocino Headlands State Park is a treat to people of all age groups and interests. Whether you are a casual explorer or a hiker or an abalone diver or a photographer or somebody who simply wants to relax in the beach, this state park will satiate you.

There are a few parking lots in the state park, where one can park the car and walk on the coastal trails. It all depends on you, whether you want to simply get out of the car and capture gorgeous views or hike the ~5 mile coastal trail. The plethora of natural grottos along the coastal bluffs amazed us and there are a few places where one can safely walk on top of the grottos.

Natural grottos

We walked on the rugged coastal terrain and simply sat there for a long time enjoying the beautiful waters, unique rock formations and the thunder-storm like sounds of the water hitting against the rocks. To the far right was the family friendly Big River Beach emptying into the Mendocino Bay. The Mendocino Bay Overlook, a spectacular viewpoint of the Mendocino Bay can also be seen from the trail.

Mendocino Bay to the far left

While walking on the coastal trail, we noticed a couple of folks going abalone diving in the ocean. We spent over an hour here and took off to our next destination, Mendocino Bay Overlook which is less than a mile from the Mendocino Headlands State Park.

Tips
  • Excellent viewpoint to see the sunset
  • Mendocino Music Festival is held here in July; check out more about the music festival here   

Useful Resources

Nearby Locations

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