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    Little Darby Nature Trail

    4.0 (1 review)

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    12 years ago

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    Big River State Park - Spring flowers

    Big River State Park

    4.9(11 reviews)
    28.9 mi

    I've visited Mendocino many times and somehow have never spent time at this wonderful (and free)…read morestate park. The entrance is off Highway 1, just outside Mendocino's shopping district and headlands. There are big wide beaches where the river meets the ocean which are visible right away. However, if you make a left at the bottom of the hill and drive a short ways to the end of the lot, there's a wonderful trail that meanders alongside the river. This former logging road is wide and gently graded (at least for the first 2.5 miles I walked on it.) It's great for bikes and more casual "hikes." It goes, I believe, about 7 miles inland so you can go as far as you'd like and turn around. It's a mellow journey and one more about the sites and sounds along the trail and the general peacefullness of the area, rather than a specific destination. You weave along the river and eventually in to the redwoods, where the water views become filtered through the trees. Along the way, we saw a few banana slugs and enjoyed a mostly shaded trail. I would love to come back with my bike and do the whole trail, end to end. The start of the trail had more people, which then tapered to just a few bikers and runners after the first mile or so. Seems to be a local's spot and they're very lucky to have it!

    Easy access, great park, huge area with huge parking lot. The path to the Big River is sandy, drift…read morewood and logs, grass, rocks and clean, free of trash. There are disability sized portable toilets with access to people in wheel chairs. Tide was down walked way out into a sandy bar like area. Found some jelly fish. Great place for dogs, they are supposed to be leashed even though some were roaming free. You can walk under the bridge when the tide is out, out to the ocean and beach.

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    Big River State Park - Some banana slugs on the trail

    Some banana slugs on the trail

    Big River State Park
    Big River State Park - Beautiful blue water on the river

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    Beautiful blue water on the river

    Pelican Bluffs Preserve - Signage on April 6, 2023.

    Pelican Bluffs Preserve

    4.5(2 reviews)
    42.9 mi

    Diamond in the Bluff…read more Nice coastal trail located about one-mile south of DT Point Arena along Hwy 1. Keep an eye out for a sign that says "coastal viewpoint," as the parking lot isn't specifically mentioned. The Good: *Amazing views of the coastline and bluffs *Entire trail is an easy 3¼miles from start-to-finish *Dirt trails are in pretty good shape w/ minimal poison oak *Free parking The Meh: *Small parking lot with officially four parking spots and one handicapped spot--which doesn't make sense because the trails aren't really handicap accessible, but I digress... The Ugly: *The first 1/2mile heading north in the Pelican Bluffs Trail is noisy and far from serene as you parallel the freeway until you start to turn west. You can avoid this and cut right to the chase by taking the "return" trail and go directly west to the Blufftop Trail. TLDR: Nice trail with amazing views and worth a trip if you're staying in the area and looking for a quick hike, but not worth seeking out as a destination hike.

    One of my favorite Coastal Walks…read more Pelican Bluffs is a great little loop (~2.5 miles round trip if you do the full loop) that is dog-friendly with a small, shady parking lot just off highway one. This trail provides epic views. For those will limited mobility, or injured knees, there is a flat option that provides gorgeous views along the meadow a top the bluff. For those who do not mind a bit of elevation gain, you can complete the loop down to a lower overlook where you can spot pelicans (hence the name), whales, and neighboring cows (those are fun too)! Just remember, what goes down must come back up ;) Can get windy in the later afternoon, so recommend mid-morning strolls for optimal weather!

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    Pelican Bluffs Preserve - Pelican Bluffs Preserve

    Pelican Bluffs Preserve

    Pelican Bluffs Preserve - Pelican Bluffs Preserve

    Pelican Bluffs Preserve

    Pelican Bluffs Preserve - Pelican Bluffs Preserve

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    Pelican Bluffs Preserve

    Little Darby Nature Trail - hiking - Updated May 2026

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