Just Dune It!

Camping at Manchester State Park in Mendocino

06.16.2016

Coastal wildflowers are still going strong at Manchester State Park in Mendocino County, where dune-top hiking trails colored in baby blue eyes and purple lupine dance across the nearly 5 miles of undulating sands. Go on a coastal hike and spend the night camping just down the road. First-come, first-served Manchester State Beach Campground has 41 sites nestled in grassland, making a perfect seaside launch pad for traversing the wildflower-speckled paths paralleling the sea. Distant farmland and flocks of sheep lend pastoral charm as views sweep south to Point Arena. Take the Davis Wetlands Trail north from the campground for a 5-mile (round-trip) coastal hike to the beach’s northern boundary at Alder Creek.

The path meanders through dunes and fields past Davis Lake Pond before monumental piles of shipwrecked driftwood mark the spot. Unleash your furry friend (dogs may roam free!), scan for steelhead lurking below, and wave goodbye to the northernmost section of the San Andreas Fault as it crosses from land into the sea.

manchestercamp4-image-jpeg

BONUS: A 6-mile drive takes you to Point Arena Lighthouse and its 145 spiraling steps that lead up to beautiful panoramic ocean vistas.

Manchester State Park Campground is on the Mendocino County coast, 6 miles north of Point Arena on Hwy. 1. It is open Friday through Sunday only on a first-come, first-served basis. No reservations. Camping $25/night; no day-use fee. Day parking located past the campground at the end of Kinney Rd. Dogs allowed on leash, and they can roam free at Alder Creek. Davis Wetlands Trail extends 2.5 miles north from the campground to Alder Creek.

Trending Stories NorCal

View all Stories

  1. Talk of the Town

    We're spilling the tea on this bountiful 5.5-mile loop to Gossip Rock in Hayward’s Garin Regional Park (currently whispering all the right springtime notes).

    View

  2. Swing into Spring

    Swing into this 7.1-mile hike in the hills of Half Moon Bay! It’s got gorgeous views, fields of spring wildflowers, and a hidden rustic tree swing.

    View

  3. The Carson Show

    Carson Falls is ready for primetime. This three-tiered, 100-foot stunner is hidden back in a canyon outside of Fairfax and reached on a 3.25-mile (round-trip) hike.

    View
  4. woman kneeling and signing peak book at Mount Olympia in Mount Diablo State Park

    Double Up on Diablo

    Set the tone for 2024 with this twofer summit hike at Mount Diablo State Park. Embark on a 7-mile out-and-back up Mount Olympia and Diablo’s lesser-known summit, North Peak.

    View

Trending Stories SoCal

View all Stories
  1. Hiker overlooking Bear Gulch Reservoir at Pinnacles National Park near Monterey

    Pinnacles of Spring

    Why hike at Pinnacles National Park? Spring's a beautiful time of year here. And you might spy the magnificent California condor soaring while you gain soaring views from the High Peaks Trail.

    View

  2. Caves in Mojave

    No one expects to see caves when they visit the desert, and that’s part of what makes Mitchell Caverns in the Mojave Desert such an interesting place. Go on a two-hour guided adventure tour through Mitchell Caverns in Providence Mountains State Recreation Area.

    View
  3. Hikers by the reservoir at Triunfo Creek Park near Thousand Oaks

    Triumphant in Triunfo

    Go on a hike with a peaceful reservoir, charming meadows, and beautiful spring blooms at Triunfo Creek Park near Thousand Oaks.

    View

  4. William Kenyon Overlook

    Some of the best vistas of Anza-Borrego Desert State Park are easily accessible via a short and sweet 1.25-mile (round-trip) hike just off the CA-78. Enter your next favorite desert viewpoint: the William Kenyon Overlook.

    View