Two miles north of Mendocino
and seven miles south of Fort Bragg lies a paradise of beauty
called Russian Gulch. Named after the Russian fur trappers who
founded
Fort Ross fifty miles to the south. Some say a deserter from
Fort Ross came to Russian Gulch, thus the name. History's
reality has a way of escaping us but however it got its name, it
is a spellbinding place. San Franciscan Harry Meiggs in
1852 built a sawmill at Big River at began the booming business
of cutting down the irreplaceable redwood forests. Schooners
traveling from San Francisco to Humboldt Bay stopped at places
such as this, leaving freight and passengers on trips between
the giant redwoods of the north and San Francisco to the south,
which even at that time, was the center of commerce for the
area. Many ships were lost during these trips and the
ghosts of the sea are remembered in legend and story.
Russian Gulch Park, which
extends approx. three miles in length, was founded inn
1933. The entrance is on the
west side of Highway 1, north of a bridge which connects the
eastern part of the park via a one lane road. The smaller,
western portion of the park consists largely of headlands with a
blowhole and picnic areas, while the larger eastern portion of
the park includes a campground, the park headquarters, and
several trails for bicycles, hikers, and horses. A 2.5 mile hike
from the trailhead at the east end of the campground to a
36-foot waterfall largely follows an abandoned logging road
along the creek. A small beach has a bathroom and outdoor
shower to rinse off the salt water from swims, diving, and dirt
from the trail.
Russian Gulch is
considered one of the most bucolic parks on the Mendocino
Coast, especially in spring when wildflowers in the headlands
and the lush fern canyons spread their color. It's great for
taking photos! Devil's Punch Bowl (a collapsed sea cave about
100 feet wide located on the headland,) Frederick W. Panhorst Bridge, and
the 36 foot high waterfall are some highlights to your visit or
vacation. The "blow hole" was made by the constant beating of
the waves against the headlands, eventually forming a 200 foot
tunnel.
An underwater park is popular with abalone divers, but wetsuits
are recommended for the chilly waters which range between 50 and
55 degrees throughout the year.
See chart.
12 miles of trails lead through a fern canyon to the waterfall,
and are open in places to horseback riding, plus biking on a paved bicycle trail
that runs approx. 3 miles.
Camping in the redwood forested valley delights tourists seeking
affordable beach vacations. Camping is so readily available
along this portion of coast that vacationers are quite
disappointed to arrive in Southern California and discover scant
tent camping at beaches.
The park has 7,630 feet of ocean frontage. With its rugged
headlands thrusting out into the blue Pacific, the park is
thought of by many as the north coast's rival of Point Lobos.
Guests talk about the park freely and share their experiences
ranging from comments such as, "Amazing and probably the
nicest park I've ever found," to "What a great hike!
One traveler penned this
thought: "Redwoods, irises, hawks, blackberries, nettles, moss,
scurries in the grass, bridges, beaches, rhododendrons, lizards,
lichen, glowing fungi, waterfalls, fern fronds, grass snakes and
an oasis of escape from my urban prison!"
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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