beaches list

Mendocino Beaches - Mendocino Headlands State Beach Park is located in the town of Mendocino in Mendocino County, California. Parking is available near Ford Street and Heeser Drive.  Mendocino Beaches include three miles of trails at Mendocino Headlands State Park, a rugged coastal landscape of rocks formations, many appearing as small islands and some stretching like claws from the mainland. Grassy headlands within this beachfront park include walking paths where seasonal wild berries grow. Below at the beach are small sandy reefs accessible at the mouth of Big River south of Mendocino. From photography and plein air painting to whale watching and nature hikes, this state park is designated under the California State Parks as a park more than a beach because of limited beach access and dangerous beach conditions. 

The northern California coast is known for rogue waves that catch you off guard as you stand on the edge of rocky cliffs, unaware that you can be washed away.  Use caution when standing on the rocks at the ocean edge—even on the calmest days, a huge wave will crash ashore and engulf anyone at the waters edge. In this section of the coast, there's a word of advice provided again and again by locals. They tell you to never turn your back on the ocean.  wind along the cliffs, giving the casual explorer spectacular views of sea arches and hidden grottos.

Mendocino's Headlands State Park has been in operation over 30 years. It was opened in 1974 to stop development on the highly desirable view property that would offers some of the most spectacular scenery along the West Coast. Now designated as open space, the park is one of the most unique "city" parks (Mendocino is a community, not an incorporated city), preserving the town's historical look and feel seen in buildings overlooking the headlands.