MacKerricher State Park
is located near the town of Cleone in Mendocino County
three miles north of Fort Bragg on Highway 1. A strip of beach
between Fort Bragg and Ten Mile River is part of this state
coastal park and beautiful grassy headlands area with 8 miles of
beaches, rolling dunes and lowland forests. A freshwater lake is
icing on the cake. Hiking, bicycling, surfing, canoeing,
fishing, horseback riding and pure escape are a few things you
may want to envision before you pack your bags and head for this
Mendocino coast beach. Pine shade offers a scented home for your
campsite (there were 140+ sites last time we checked). Three
miles north of Fort Bragg in Mendocino County, there's a
visitors center where you can see a skeleton of a gray
whale--kind of a fitting tribute to the whale watching
opportunities available here from December through March
primarily (though migrations of whales do occur much longer). A
seal population and rookery means that you must stay at least 50
feet distance from the big creatures with the lovingly innocent
faces from March through June each year (this is a federal law).
Laguna Trail is a 1.25 mile trail that surrounds Lake Cleone. It
is has a boardwalk platform to walk on, for wheelchair access.
Cattails, pines, alders, and migrating ducks from Mono Lake who
find this great spot all are part of the unique landscape worth
exploring.
Seal Point Trail extends south from Laguna Point Day Area. You
can see cormorants and the seals on rocks offshore. Tidepooling
is superb on the beach.
MacKerricher State Park offers a variety of habitats; beach,
bluff, headland, dune, forest and wetland. Tidepools are along
the shore. Seals may be seen on the rocks off the park’s
coastline. More than 90 species of birds visit or live near
Cleone Lake, a formal tidal lagoon. During winter and spring,
the nearby headland provides a good lookout for whale watching.
The park is popular with hikers, joggers, equestrians and
bicyclists. Fishing is also popular at Cleone lake. The park has
a wheelchair accessible nature trail.
Factoid: This is the only park in the state park system that was
part of the Mendocino Indian Reservation. The park opened in
1952 and the Ten Mile beach holdings were added in 1977.
MacKerricher State Park was part of the Union Lumber Company'
timber and shipping holdings with logging and shipping
operations eventually absorbed by a larger corporation.
MacKerricher was Cleone at one time.
AT&T Wi-Fi Service allows
guests to access the Internet. Park visitors will be able to
gain Wi-Fi access when they use a wireless device within about
150 to 200 feet of the Visitor Center in the park.
The water temperatures at
the beaches here range between 50 and 55 degrees year round.
See chart for nearby ocean and beach water temperatures
Mendocino State Parks & Beaches
List:
Admiral William Standley (State Recreation Area)
Caspar Headlands (State Natural Reserve)
Caspar Headlands (State Beach) Mendocino
Greenwood (State Beach) Mendocino
Hendy Woods (State Park) Mendocino - You can book a campsite
reservation for Hendy Woods State Park
Jug Handle (State Natural Reserve) Mendocino
MacKerricher (State Park) Mendocino - campsite reservation for
MacKerricher State Park available
Mailliard Redwoods (State Natural Reserve) Mendocino V
Manchester (State Park) Mendocino - Campsites reservation for
Manchester State Park
Mendocino Headlands (State Park) Mendocino
Mendocino Woodlands (State Park) Mendocino
Montgomery Woods (State Natural Reserve) Mendocino
Navarro River Redwoods (State Park) Mendocino
Point Cabrillo Light Station (State Historic Park) Mendocino
Reynolds (Wayside Campground) Mendocino
Russian Gulch
(State Park) Mendocino - has campsite & reservation for
Russian Gulch State Parks
Schooner Gulch (State Beach) Mendocino
Sinkyone Wilderness (State Park) Mendocino
Smithe Redwoods (State Natural Reserve) Mendocino
Standish-Hickey (State Recreation Area) Mendocino - Campsites
are available by reservation for Standish-Hickey State
Recreation Area
Van Damme (State Park) Mendocino - Campsite reservation for Van
Damme State Park available
Westport-Union Landing (State Beach) Mendocino
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