Fort Bragg’s newest 104 acre park is situated atop Fort Bragg’s bluffs overlooking a very dramatic coastline and ocean. The park includes 5.6 miles of multi-use trails with many stunning ocean views and dynamic views of the town and mountains beyond. Various stages of the park were opened between 2015 and 2018, and the park is now fully connected with access points at Cypress Street (south) and Elm Street (northern side of town). The park includes many community favorites such as the beautiful Otsuchi Point overlook, the stunning Johnson Point and Johnson Rock, Glass Beach, and the Crow’s Nest Interpretive Center, brought to you by the Noyo Center for Marine Science. The trail also connects to the North, across the Pudding Creek Trestle, to MacKerricher Park and south across the Noyo River Bridge to Pomo Bluffs Park: all together a distance of 7.5 miles. The multi-use trail provides the first public access to Fort Bragg’s rocky coast since the 1800s. Views are spectacular, and Noyo Headlands Park has already gained the enviable reputation of being one of the best places anywhere to view stunning sunsets. The park includes 18 unique hand crafted artist benches and five stunning murals. Dogs are allowed off leash in the dog park (near the Cypress Street parking lot), but otherwise must be kept on leash. The park was reclaimed from an industrial mill site formerly owned by Georgia-Pacific. Before the restoration, much of the site was covered with asphalt, which was removed, and the entire area was restored to its natural state. You can still see remnants of the old Mill Site to the east of the park. The $12 million project was funded through a combination of Prop. 84 funds, California State Coastal Conservancy funding and ATP funds from Caltrans. WHERE: Access to the park is via Elm Street at the north end and Cypress Street at the south. Parking and admission are free, and the park is open 24 hours a day. MORE INFO: Noyo Center for Marine Science, 707-733-NOYO (6696)

Much more than a swimming pool, fitness center, community center and outdoor activity area combined, the C.V. Starr Community Center offers people of all ages a wealth of wonderful, exciting things to do and magnificent facilities to do them in. The physical infrastructure is a 4-acre campus that hosts an off-leash dog park, a 10,000 square foot skate park, sun deck, BBQ and picnic area, two petanque (an ancient Roman game) courts, and a 43,000 square foot aquatics and fitness facility. Inside that facility they have a full waterpark-style pool complete with a 146 foot water slide, zero depth entry warm water leisure pool, lazy river, eight lane lap pool and a 1 meter diving board. In addition to the pools there are two group exercise studios, a wellness center with a full range of weight and cardio equipment, and multipurpose rooms for meetings and an incredible variety of enrichment classes for everyone from pre-schoolers to senior citizens. Visit their website for information on hours, fees and class schedules. WHERE: 300 S. Lincoln St., Fort Bragg MORE INFO: 707-964-9446

Since 1885 California’s renowned Skunk Train has been transporting passengers along the world-famous Redwood Route. The views on this scenic stretch of track are nearly the same as they would have been more than a century ago — the result of visionary forest stewardship and a dedication to the natural wonder of the redwoods. Some of the trees along the route are more than 1,000 years old, and reach more than 300 feet tall. They have awed passengers both young and old riding on the back of the Skunk for generations, and remain as delightful today as they were for those first riders. The train offers two points of departure — from the iconic fishing town of Fort Bragg on the stunning Mendocino Coast, and from the inland city of Willits, nestled among the redwoods and sweeping hills of the 101 corridor. From Willits you’ll travel up to the summit of the line and through a historic tunnel, then down miles of curving track deep into the heart of the Noyo River Canyon. Here you’ll be surrounded by towering redwoods, and will make a stop at historic Crowley, underneath the shade of the iconic Wolf Tree. Wherever you choose as your point of departure, you’ll experience the same great connection with a living, breathing piece of history, and discover the majesty of the California redwoods in a way unlike any other. The Skunk Train operates year-round, is child- and dog-friendly, and offers snacks and beverages (alcoholic and non-alcoholic) on board the train. Throughout the year there are seasonal event trains, and for most of December it transforms into the Magical Christmas Train, an experience featuring caroling, hot cocoa, an interactive story, and a visit from Santa Claus. WHERE: (Depot) 299 E. Commercial St., Willits MORE INFO: 707-964-6371

**Noyo Headlands Park**, home to the famous Glass Beach, offers 4.5 miles of trails along the bluff top overlooking spectacular ocean views. This is the crown jewel of the city’s park system, and its newest park. The trail, part of the California Coast Trail, provides the first public access to Fort Bragg’s rocky coastline since the 1800s. Access is via Elm Street to the north and Cypress Street to the south. Open 24 hours. **Pomo Bluffs Park** offers gorgeous views from the southern bluffs above Noyo Harbor. This 25-acre park offers outlook points and benches, coastal pedestrian and bike trails, and interpretive exhibits. From Hwy 1 take Ocean View Drive to Cliff Way to get there. Open dawn to dusk. **Otis R. Johnson Wilderness Park** is located at the east end of Laurel Street, southeast of Fort Bragg Middle School. This 7-acre park offers shady walking trails and a close-up experience with nature, including old-growth and second-growth redwood trees. Charming wooden footbridges cross a stream that has undergone extensive aquatic restoration. Open 7am to 8pm May through October and 7am to 5pm November through April. **Harold O. Bainbridge Park** is designed for the whole family to enjoy. The park offers tennis courts, a basketball court, and open space to play or spread a blanket and enjoy an afternoon picnic. Its Wiggly Giggly Playground is located on Laurel Street, between North Harrison and North Whipple Streets, across from the Fort Bragg Library. It offers swing sets, slides and equipment of all shapes and sizes to climb, hide in, run around and hang from. The park is open 7am to 10pm. MORE INFO: City of Fort Bragg Public Works Dept., 707-961-2824

Here at the “gateway to the tall trees country,” weary travelers can refresh themselves with a dip in the South Fork of the Eel River, a quiet picnic, or a stroll through the beautiful redwoods. One of the last remaining stands of virgin, old-growth redwood in the area can be found on the Grove Trail. There is great fishing here, too. Standish-Hickey also offers three campgrounds, with over 150 campsites available on a first-come, first-served basis. Standish-Hickey State Recreation Area began as a Save the Redwoods League campground in 1922, and, in the 1950s, 500 additional acres were donated by descendants of Miles Standish, one of the original pilgrims. The 1,200-year-old Captain Miles Standish Tree named after him is one of the park’s premier attractions. Additional acreage was acquired over the years, and now the park is over 1,000 acres. The second part of the park’s name was chosen in memory of Edward Ritter Hickey, the son of a local lumberman, who died of the Spanish influenza in 1918 while caring for victims of the pandemic. His family also donated some of the land. WHERE: 1.5 miles north of Leggett on Hwy 101. MORE INFO: 707-925-6482

Driving to Interstate 5 Through the Mendocino National Forest

Experience the Scenic Beauty of the Redwoods

## Getting There To reach Interstate 5 from Hwy 101, travel east on Hwy 162 north of Willits, past Covelo and through Mendocino National Forest. The journey is approximately 85 miles over both paved and dirt roads, and can take over three hours to drive, but the beautiful scenery and sweeping vistas will turn the chore of reaching the interstate into a delight. The route through Mendocino National Forest is usually closed until mid-May due to snow. Closures are possible at other times of the year and road conditions may vary; for more information on conditions and closures before departing call the Covelo Ranger District at 707-983-6118 or the Grindstone Ranger District at 530-934-3316 ## More About Mendocino National Forest The Mendocino National Forest, just to the east of Covelo, covers an enormous area and is perfect for outdoor recreation. Of all of California’s 18 national forests, it is the only one that is not crossed by a paved road or highway. It is especially attractive when seeking tranquility and solitude. Approximately 65 miles long and 35 miles across, Mendocino National Forest consists of one million acres of mountains and canyons that offer abundant recreational opportunities. Elevations in the forest range from 750 feet in the Grindstone Creek Canyon in the Sacramento Valley foothills on the forest’s eastern edge, to 8,092 feet at South Yolla Bolly Mountain in the northern part of the forest. The average elevation is about 4,000 feet. Four wilderness areas are located in the Mendocino National Forest: Yolla Bolly-Middle Eel, Yuki, Sanhedrin and Snow Mountain, running north to south respectively. The forest is also home to two federally designated Wild and Scenic Rivers: the Eel River received its designation in 1981, and the Black Butte River in 2006 ## Camping The camping experience in Mendocino National Forest is outstanding, with developed campgrounds offering facilities from backcountry camping to dispersed campsites (which are not as developed as the regular campgrounds and will usually have one or two primitive vault toilets, one or two picnic tables and fire rings). For up-to-date information contact the Covelo Ranger Station located just north of Covelo on Hwy 162 or phone 707-983-6118. Getting there is easy. Take Hwy 162 North of Covelo for 1.5 miles; there you will find the ranger station. From the station turn east on Hwy 162 for 11 miles to Eel River Work Center, where Hwy 162 arrives at the Mendocino National Forest. As the roadway enters the national forest it becomes Forest Hwy 7 (FH 7) and changes from a paved road to a dirt road. From there all the campsites are accessible. Some of our favorites are listed below. <b>Eel River Campground</b> is adjacent to the Eel River Work Station with river access. <b>Hammerhorn Lake Campground</b> is 18 miles north of Eel River Work Center via Road M1 (Indian Dick Rd.), and offers a 5-acre lake for trout fishing in a mixed conifer setting. <b>Little Doe Campground</b> is 12 miles north of Eel River Work Center via Road M1 (Indian Dick Rd.). No piped water here, but a beautiful mixed conifer setting at 3,600 feet. <b>Howard Meadows Campground</b> is great for picnicking with fishing and nearby boat launching ramp. At 3,500 feet this campground is within walking distance of Howard Lake. <b>Howard Lake Basin Recreation Area</b> is a popular primitive experience. The 20-acre lake is accessible; however, it is recommended that vehicles with good clearance be used, such as a 4WD pickup truck, since the access road is not improved. Several nicely dispersed camp sites include <b>Atchison Camp</b> on Forest Hwy 7, Section 24; <b>Surveyor Camp</b>, off Forest Hwy 7, 7 miles east of Eel River Station; <b>Green Springs Camp</b> and <b>Rock Cabin Camp</b> are trailhead camps and popular jumping off spots to the Yolla Bolly-Middle Eel Wilderness. <b>Georges Valley</b> and <b>Soldier Ridge Camps</b> are located at the northeast terminus of the Indian Dick Road. (M-1); both camps are at trail heads accessing the wilderness. ## Recreation The diverse geography of this forest offers numerous recreational opportunities, including hiking, backpacking, boating (no motors), fishing, hunting, nature study, photography, and off-highway vehicle travel. The Mendocino National Forest supports an extensive resident trout fishery as well as salmon and warm-water fisheries. Rainbow trout are found in over 300 miles of streams and 2,000 acres of lakes and ponds. The varied terrain of the Mendocino provides endless challenges for mountain bikers. Wilderness areas are one of the few places in the Forest where bicycles are not permitted. Mendocino National Forest offers one of the finest opportunities for OHV recreationists in Northern California, with designated routes and facilities. Free OHV maps are available at the Covelo Ranger station.

Laytonville & Leggett

South of the Redwood Curtain

## Laytonville Named after Frank B. Layton, a blacksmith who settled there in 1875, Laytonville sits at 1,670 feet above sea level, giving it the highest elevation of any town along Hwy 101 in Mendocino County. Small yet lively, it is a federally designated Frontier Community and has a warm and friendly “Old West” feel to it. Home to the “Best Lil’ Rodeo Around,” the area also hosts the annual Kate Wolf Music Festival at a ranch 5 miles north of town. At one time a center of both the logging and ranching industries, today Laytonville’s economy relies primarily on service occupations and educational, community service and arts employment, along with some remaining ranching and agriculture. Surrounded by beautiful mountains, dramatic redwood forests and rich prairie land graced with beautiful, gnarled valley oaks and canyon live oaks dripping California Spanish moss, this is a sleepy little hideaway where the frantic pace of modern city life gives way to the measured cadences of nature. ## Leggett Approximately 25 miles north of Laytonville is the town of Leggett, located at the junction of Hwy 101 and Hwy 1. The former logging town attracts campers and travelers during the summer months, and hordes of fishermen when the salmon swim upstream to spawn in the late fall. The population of Leggett fluctuates between 350 and 500 depending on the season. Summer temperatures can hover in the 90s, but the Eel River is always nearby for cooling off. Piercy, about 9 miles northwest of Leggett and located on the South Fork of the Eel River, is an unincorporated area immediately below the MendocinoHumboldt County line.

Mendocino, Little River & Albion

Small Town, Big Luxury

## Mendocino Village A trip to Northern California would not be complete without a stop in the quaint, charming Village of Mendocino. This historic town, which sits on rugged bluffs overlooking the Pacific Ocean, features dozens of shops, art galleries and bed-and-breakfast inns, and is host to a number of special events every year. These include the Mendocino Whale Festival in March and the Mendocino Music Festival in July. The beauty of the town is what first impresses visitors. The New England-style architecture is the influence of homesick pioneers who “came ’round the horn” in the mid-19th century to be a part of the town’s lumber boom resulting from the Gold Rush. San Francisco was a booming city in need of building materials, and harvesting the coastal redwoods abundant around Mendocino provided a source of prosperity for people in the small town. Then after the Great San Francisco Earthquake of 1906, timber from the Mendocino area was shipped south to help rebuild the city. The area’s history is evident in its buildings, and the town of Mendocino has been designated a National Historic Preservation District. Visitors will be delighted in and around this picturesque town. The area offers deep-sea fishing, whale-watching, canoeing, kayaking, hiking, biking and horseback riding. Trails lead from the headlands down to beaches where visitors can search for seashells or explore the numerous tide pools. However, beachcombers and hikers should always keep an eye on the ocean. Large “sneaker waves” are common, and can sweep unsuspecting hikers off the rocks and out to sea. The Mendocino Hotel on Main Street is an attractive inn that was built in 1878. It still serves the same function today that it did more than 100 years ago, and its rooms are furnished with antiques, fireplaces and historic memorabilia. The Kelley House Museum on Albion Street is another historic building popular with visitors. Built in 1861, the Kelley House has period artifacts and photographs, as well as a lovely pond and gardens. ## Little River Little River began life as a mill town. Its first lumber mill was built in 1864, and next to it arose the shipyard of Thomas Peterson, whose vessels won prizes for their design and craftsmanship, including first prize in San Francisco at the Fourth of July Regatta in 1876. On average, three prime trees were used to build each ship. The mill closed in 1893, then burned down in 1910. Little River Cove offers one of the most popular beaches on the Mendocino Coast. The protected cove is a great place for water recreation. The cove is also near the entrance to Van Damme State Park, one of the coasts most-loved parks. It offers beautiful hiking trails in the lush Fern Canyon trail system along the fern-carpeted floors of the Little River Canyon. You will feel like a giant in the Pygmy Forest with its mature cypress and pine trees that grow between 6 inches and 8 feet tall, or you might decide to follow your nose to skunk cabbage at the Cabbage Patch bog. Van Damme offers several camping options and year-round guided coastal kayak tours. ## Albion In 1853 Captain W.A. Richardson built the first lumber mill in the town of Albion, on the river flats below the high wooden trestle bridge that spans the Albion River. Albion, an ancient name for England, was chosen for the town in memory of Sir Francis Drake landing in Northern California in 1579 and naming it “New Albion.” Today the town features restaurants, lodging, a fully equipped grocery store and deli, and other amenities for the traveler. The area around Albion is rich with sheltered coves that are excellent for tide-pooling, hiking and exploring. Albion Ridge Road, which travels east of Hwy 1, affords the traveler panoramic views of the area’s rolling hills as they slope down to the ocean. It is an excellent place to watch red-tailed hawks, and in winter, the migratory tundra swans on their way to the Garcia River, south of Albion.

Westport

All About the Beach

The beautiful, laid-back village of Westport perches on bluffs 80 feet above sea level, approximately 28 miles west of Hwy 101 and 13 miles north of Fort Bragg. During the redwood lumber boom, for a while it was the fastest growing coastal town north of San Francisco. It served as a busy commercial shipping harbor, with two massive wharves loading lumber as well as wool, oats, tanbark, shingles and railroad ties into schooners bound for San Francisco. At its peak Westport boasted 14 saloons. Just south of Westport were two other bustling lumber towns, Newport and Kibesillah. They only existed for about 40 years, from 1867 to the early 1900s. During their heyday it was hard to imagine that their future would be anything but bright, but in the long run their harbors proved too difficult and dangerous to be viable. The beginning of the end for them came in 1885, when lumber operations moved to Fort Bragg. Today not even a ghost town remains to mark where they once stood. These days, residents settle in the Westport area seeking a strong sense of community and an escape from the harried pace of city life. Visitors find a charming windswept seaside village with a bluff-top park suitable for picnics, volleyball games and weddings, where a bustling shipping yard once sat.

Humboldt County

Legendary and Unforgettable

Humboldt County is a haven for travelers and residents alike. It boasts half of all remaining old growth redwoods, including the world’s tallest trees, 160 miles of unspoiled beaches, many of them along the fabled Lost Coast, and bustling seaports, quaint farming communities and historic fishing villages. Everywhere in the county, travelers will find exceptional accommodations, fine restaurants, a multitude of shopping opportunities and numerous campgrounds. The county is situated on the Northern California coast and begins about 50 miles south of the Oregon border. The largest towns are adjacent to Hwy 101. The southern end of the county lies about 200 miles north of San Francisco. Humboldt County has a variety of climates and terrain. Coastal Humboldt is wild, mostly rocky, and cool in the summer. Inland, Humboldt has small communities that get quite warm in the summer. Many sit next to scenic rivers such as the Eel, Trinity and Klamath. In northern Humboldt, Orick is the gateway to Redwood National Park, home of many of the world’s tallest trees. Many notable redwoods grow along the Newton B. Drury Parkway, a short stretch of old Hwy 101. Twenty miles south of the park is the fishing village of Trinidad, which overlooks a beautiful sheltered harbor. Another 10 miles further south along Hwy 101, McKinleyville has the California Redwood Coast - Humboldt County Airport, the county’s only commercial airport. A few miles south of there is Arcata, home to Humboldt State University and a unique marsh and wildlife area that serves as a natural wastewater treatment system. Arcata is a vibrant university town, with many businesses clustered around its historic central plaza. East of Arcata along Hwy 299 is the charming, sunny town of Blue Lake, home of the Blue Lake Rancheria Indian tribe. Curiously enough, there is no lake in Blue Lake. Further east is Willow Creek, known for outdoor recreation along the Trinity River, including whitewater rafting, and the site of many purported Bigfoot sightings. Eight miles south of Arcata is the Victorian seaport of Eureka. It’s situated on Humboldt Bay, which offers kayaking, fishing and wildlife-watching. There are harbor tours aboard the M.V. Madaket, and the Woodley Island Marina is a great spot to enjoy a panoramic view of the waterfront. Eureka is the county seat and contains many fine examples of Victorian architecture, particularly along the waterfront in Old Town. Most noteworthy of these is the ornate Carson Mansion, perhaps the most photographed Victorian in the United States. Eureka’s population of nearly 28,000 makes it the largest coastal city between San Francisco and the Oregon border. Eureka has many excellent restaurants, cafes, specialty shops and lodging facilities. The city is also known for its large and active arts community. In fact, Humboldt County has the distinction of having more artists per capita than any other of the state’s 58 counties. Further south and 5 miles west of Hwy 101 is the Victorian village of Ferndale. The entire downtown has been named a State Historical Landmark (No. 883) because of its outstanding preservation of its buildings. Eight miles east of Ferndale is the sunny inland town of Fortuna, known as the Friendly City. Right along Hwy 101, it has many newer hotels and an attractive community lodge overlooking the Eel River. East of Fortuna along State Hwy 36 is Grizzly Creek State Park, a favorite for hiking, camping and summer sun. South of Fortuna on Hwy 101 is Scotia, a historic lumber mill town just recently transitioned from “company town” to independent community. In southern Humboldt, Hwy 101 and nearby roads pass near some of the finest specimens of old-growth redwoods in the world. From Redcrest south to Phillipsville, motorists can detour along the renowned Avenue of the Giants, a 31-mile stretch of two-lane road that parallels Hwy 101 and winds through stands of huge redwoods along the Eel River. Humboldt Redwoods State Park, located along the Avenue of the Giants, covers more than 51,000 acres. The park includes the Rockefeller Forest, the largest single stand of virgin redwoods. After leaving the avenue, the traveler will once again be on Hwy 101. A jaunt west on side roads that exit Hwy 101 will lead travelers to the King Range National Conservation Area and the legendary Lost Coast. This adventure leads to several colorful hamlets and ultimately the picturesque resort town of Shelter Cove. Near the southern county line, 9 miles south of Garberville, Richardson Grove State Park is a magnificent 2,000 acres of redwoods. The state acquired the area in the early 1920s, making it one of the oldest state parks in California.