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    Big River State Park

    4.9 (11 reviews)

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    View of Big River Beach from the scenic Byway
    Shayla B.

    It's not often that you find an area where the river meets the beach. And let me tell you; it's an absolutely wonderful experience. Is it a river?! Is it a beach?! Who really knows. But what I can tell you is that it's stunningly gorgeous. Like many others, I stumbled across this park while driving past it over the shoreline highway bridge. The Big River State Park unit is a small subsidiary of the larger Mendocino Headlands State Park and incorporates the wetlands of Big River Beach. The Big River Unit stretches from the mouth of the Big River and passes through parts of Jackson Demonstration State Forest, Jug Handle State Reserve, Mendocino Woodlands State Park, and ends near Russian River Gulch State Park. It's actually a pretty large corridor that measures over 7,400 acres. The area near the bridge seems to be a hot commodity with both locals and tourists alike. The Westside of the bridge is the "beachy" side whereas the eastside of the bridge presents more of a river or lake. What's nice about this river is how incredibly clear it is. I love bodies of water where you can literally look down and see the bottom. This water is as clear as day. On top of that, the hue is this astonishing aqua color. I rarely ever see lakes or rivers this color in California. But here it is. Big River State Park and all of its' glory. This is an excellent place to just lounge around and chill. It's not crowded like the bigger Mendocino beaches, and the waves are super light and minimal. The water temps during the fall are just perfect. If you enjoy water activities like kayaking and paddleboarding, then this is the perfect place to do it. I saw lots of people enjoying these kinds of activities on the water here. And of course, a picnic is always fun! I enjoyed a wonderful picnic here while overlooking the pretty colors of the water. Sidenote; if you're looking for an excellent spot to grab sandwiches for a picnic, hit up Mendocino Café. I enjoyed a delicious rock cod sandwich and clam chowder here right near the water. Also got my nap on which was super relaxing. I honestly didn't wanna leave, but I had to drive 3.5 hours back home. I really enjoyed hanging out on this gorgeous beachy river. The next time that I'm back in Mendo, I will definitely be making a pitstop here.

    Where river meets ocean

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    18 days ago

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    5 months ago

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    6 years ago

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    4 years ago

    Big River hike was amazing. Along the river the whole way. Very nice hike into the redwoods away from the wind

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    Review Highlights - Big River State Park

    On our way home from Mendocino we made a pit stop here at big river beach.

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    Russian Gulch State Park - Seastar in tide pool

    Russian Gulch State Park

    4.5(121 reviews)
    1.9 mi

    One of the most iconic bridges on the Mendocino coast. This state park is below the route 1. There…read moreis a large parking lot with direct access to the rivers mouth, sandy beachs and open nature. Also, a maintained restroom. We stopped for a while to take in the incredible views, walk on the waters edge and get a better look at the gulch bridge overhead. This special place is unique in its direct access to the river and area, and most just drive over the bridge without ever realizing the park is just below. This is a hidden gem on the Mendocino coastline and worth seeking it out and exploring a bit. 4.5 Stars rounded up for the direct water access 01190

    I get up to Mendocino about every 5 years and always make a point to hike in Russian Gulch State…read morePark. The fern canyon and waterfall loop is a favorite and depending on the season, you can see various mushrooms, wildflowers and foliage. In the spring, the kiosk is staffed and the gate to access the campgrounds and the small lot for Fern Canyon is open. There are a few spots closer to the trailhead but more in the main lots outside the campground (which adds about half a mile to your hike.) See my previous review for more about the Fern Canyon, waterfall loop hike. You can also head down to the beach to get a view of the bridge that traverses Highway 1 and some beautiful rocky shoreline. It's pretty special that you can visit the redwoods and the coast all in one beautiful park. A must do when visiting Mendocino.

    Photos
    Russian Gulch State Park - Sunset at the beach in Russian Gulch Cove

    Sunset at the beach in Russian Gulch Cove

    Russian Gulch State Park - Lovely bridge over a cute little beach.

    Lovely bridge over a cute little beach.

    Russian Gulch State Park

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    Catch A Canoe & Bicycles Too

    Catch A Canoe & Bicycles Too

    4.7(121 reviews)
    0.2 mi
    $$

    Decided to rent some bikes while we were staying in Mendocino. The shop is cute with it being right…read moreon the water. Definitely debated renting a canoe as well but we just didn't have enough time. The bikes were perfect to get us around town and down a trial close by. We had them reserved for 3 hours but they weren't worried about our time limit as long as we got them back by 4:30. The owners of the shop are super chill and relaxed. We felt very welcomed in their space. It was easy to book online and they're very responsive and flexible. I will say the breaks on the bike were a little worn but didn't pose any issues for us. We felt safe riding around and had no trouble.

    We got the outrigger canoe for three adults and one pet and it was such a fun experience doing this…read morewith our dog! I was a little bit nervous because our pup doesn't exactly love water nor do we canoe often, but Rick via email and the staff on site were so helpful in answering any lingering questions. Rowing away from site was easy and smooth, and we floated off the side for a bit to take in the view. Once the wind picked up, rowing back was harder since we were going against the current, but still manageable! Everyone had a great time. We didn't use up the full three hours we were booked for, but nonetheless made it quite the way before turning back. We also respectfully from a distance, saw many seals! Our pup ended up enjoying her time on the canoe, and was all smiles. She was so relaxed that she actually fell asleep on the way back while we worked to paddle against the current. I'd say totally add this to your itinerary and make sure you bring a hat, sunscreen, and water for hydration!

    Photos
    Catch A Canoe & Bicycles Too - Entrance

    Entrance

    Catch A Canoe & Bicycles Too
    Catch A Canoe & Bicycles Too - Outrigger canoe

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    Outrigger canoe

    Big River State Park - hiking - Updated May 2026

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