Hike Pelican Bluffs Preserve

Hike at Pelican Bluffs Preserve on Mendocino Coast

02.01.2023

Tucked just south of Point Arena, the 73-acre Pelican Bluffs Preserve is an ideal blufftop hike with expansive views of the dramatic Mendocino coastline. A 2.2-mile trail starts in a bishop-pine forest before breaking out to wide-open coastal vistas.

A 2.2-mile trail starts in a bishop-pine forest before breaking out to wide-open coastal vistas. Wind your way along the trail as it skirts the bluff’s edge, and witness stunning sheer cliffs formed from the geological impact of the San Andreas Fault.

The trail concludes at the bluff’s edge, where you can look for migrating gray whales. The return trip features more wowing views. 

The parking lot and trailhead for Pelican Bluffs Preserve is located just west of Hwy. 1 near the southeastern end of the property, at mile marker 12.9. Dog-friendly!

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