Mendocino Magic's reflective lake and winding trails lead you to an apex overlooking the water, where you can feel the presence of something greater at work. You begin to see how the current stewards are preserving the past for the present and the future. As echoed in the spirit of Expedition 33, it's "for those that came after," much like the selfless legacy of the Greek proverb: "A society grows great when old men plant trees whose shade they know they shall never sit in." read more

Mendocino Magic - Fishing Near Me - Laytonville, California

Mendocino Magic is a fantastic getaway from the city's hustle and bustle. Mackenzie is extremely accommodating and we're well taken care of the entire time we stayed. I don't fancy sleeping on the floor, so we stayed in the Stage House. The cabin was very well stocked with kitchen wares and fire wood, so all you need to bring is food! We loved to go into the woods and forage for the local coastal mushrooms (think King Boletes and chanterelles). The stars are also incredibly beautiful and visible at night. Plus it's dog friendly! Our stay was my platonic ideal of glamping for sure. read more

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Oh Mendo Magic, you're so sweet and magical. Mackenzie and staff work hard with what they have. Super kind, super attentive. There's a private reservoir where you have full access to kayaks, row boat, etc. Be forewarned, there's a bit of a hike to get there, and in the heat of the day, it can be hard if you have little ones or folks that don't do well with heat. This is a porta potty only facility. A few outdoor showers with hot water. There are RV electrical hook ups, but no dump site. Plan accordingly. Perseid events are very cool and amazing and as long as you're chill and flexible, you'll have a grand time. If you're looking for ultra-scheduled and specific, this probably isn't the best option for you. Transport to the observatory will vary anywhere from a pick up, to the back of a pick up, to a Polaris, to the back of a Polaris. Or you can hike it. We loved all of it. Absolutely stunning bortle 2 location for all you stargazers. Super dog friendly. We will be back for the great vibes and people read more

Mendocino Magic - At the Observatory at Mendo Magic...taken only with a lowly iPhone 13. - Fishing Near Me - Laytonville, California

Cool piece of property to camp on. The stars at night are worth it alone. Chuck and Mackenzie are super nice, sometimes very blunt, but hey that's how some people operate. Some areas were a little overgrown, which made searching for ticks a daily habit. Make sure to watch your speed coming through the gate because you will get yelled at. read more

Mendocino Magic - Fishing Near Me - Laytonville, California

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Pros: great staff, very helpful, interesting concept, nice lake. They shuttle your stuff back and forth to the site at checkin and checkout and will provide iced water jugs. Cons: very expensive given the amenities. We rented the lakeside camp at $200 a night. It was next to the lake and was supposed to come with 2 kayaks according to the description on hipcamp. When we arrived we were told that this was not true. They do have a lot of vessels available but we specifically rented that site to have kayaks ready to go for our own use. It's a hike to and from the parking lot which isn't a big deal except if it's 100+ F and you're carrying a lot of stuff. I guess you could ask them for a ride but I think they would charge for it. Lots of wasps in July but if you eat next to a hot propane stove they will stay away. If you kill one of the wasps and leave the body, the other wasps in the wasp gang get the message and will leave you alone for a bit. Best part is that you can see a lot of stars at night. read more

There are way better places to camp in the area!! Give your money to the California state parks instead of the totally inept owners of this place. The owner McKenzie was super rude, not helpful, and literally told me to go jump in the lake when my $200 a night campsite was not set up yet. Huh? I'm honestly shocked at the positive reviews here - my experience was totally lacking in amenities and positive attitude from the employees. Not only was my campsite not ready as promised, but no one was making an effort to get it ready and I had to wait five hours, in the heat, while they tried to make a filthy tent into a glampsite. I understand these things happen, but the owner should at least own up to it and apologize - maybe NOT tell paying customer to go jump in the lake...just saying. On top of the above debacle, the showers didn't work, and the Porta potty's were either locked or overflowing. Disgusting and a health hazard. Oh, did I mention they left a huge pile of dirt and limbs in the middle of our campsite and expected us to clear it? Rude. read more

we had such a great night here. such a beautiful area. pretty good price. just pretty warm but that's obviously nobody's fault. super super welcoming and friendly group. very dog friendly as well. free kayaks to borrow to play in the lake. i only have great things to say!! read more

Mendocino Magic - Fishing Near Me - Laytonville, California

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Wow, what a special place. We stayed over Memorial Day weekend and loved it. Great for families and the campgrounds have a lot of fun activities. We will defiantly be back. read more

This is the best place ever! Mackenzie is the nicest person you'll ever meet. She went beyond the call of duty when I got hurt and ended up in the ER. She watched my dog and even came to pick me up. The Pond House was just perfect for me and my kid and our dog. Clean. Comfy beds. Cozy. Great view. The lake is gorgeous ! Omg !!! Definitely will be spending a day there next time. Such a huge place. Trails. Lots of walks. Quiet. Safe. Fun. Cannot wait to go back !!! read more

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I am not one to leave many reviews, but I found a little magic in Mendocino. Was welcomed by the host, who gave us a tour and went above and beyond to accommodate our desire to park our motorcycles on pavement - which was in limited supply. But if you're camping the more remote the better, and this is where you get a sense of how cool this place is. 100s of acres and an amazing lake. Can't speak to the overnight experience, but would pay double for the day-use opportunity to stretch my legs and swim in the amazing lake again. Did I mention it's easy to find right off 101? read more

I had a great time here-not only do they host unique and fun events at an affordable cost, but I liked the grounds and LOVED the staff-everyone was so nice! Only next time, I would love to spend more time there. read more

Lovely grounds and features in secluded area with lots of options to keep you busy. I would recommend, impressive place...

This is a fantastic property with great places to swim, hike, and unwind in nature. The facilities aren't super new or shiny, but the beauty of the property totally makes it worth a visit. Good facilities for group camping for a long weekend or for events. I've been out with friends to camp several times. I could totally see doing an awesome country wedding out there too. The owner is very helpful and invested in supporting your good time on the property. Five stars! read more

The people (Mackenzie and Sophia) at Mendocino Magic were MAGIC. They are the nicest people and very accommodating. We showed up needing a place to camp b/c our campsite at another hipcamp wasn't working out. Mackenzie and Sophia welcomed us with open arms. The property is insanely gorgeous. The lake was a short walk from our site. It was warm that day so we packed and lunch, some beers and went for a swim. We had our 18 month old with us and she LOVED it. There was potable water brought to our site and a warm shower run with propane on-site, KILLER! We will definitely be back. Great bunch of people. Can't wait to see what they do with the place! read more

Doesn't look like much fire suppression has been done. The place feels pretty dirty with a lot of work materials exposed. There was no toilet paper in some of the toilets and the water they dropped off for drinking had a yellow tinge to it. The boats provided were gross and filled with water. One had a dead fish in it. I think it's way overpriced. Standish Hickey up the street for $35 with running water bathrooms, clean water, and watering hole is a much better value. read more

I really enjoyed Medocino Magic the weekend of the meteor shower (Aug 11-13). We reserved the stay up at Bear Mountain Camp and the scenery was lovely. Mackenzie allowed me to drive up in my explorer to unload everything then park down the hill in a gravel spot, which was so helpful! There were about three (two good and one slanted) spots for pitching tents. The two flattest spots were a larger flat area, then a smaller one (1-2 person tent). You can always have the option of setting up on the platform itself for the flattest area, but we set up our kitchen there instead. This spot was real camping the nearest port-a-potty was about a 5-10 walk down near the lake. So be prepared to go in the woods (bring your mini shovel), we just walked up the hill into the trees and bushes, and watch for the random spots of poison oak! There is also no running water, so we brought 3 five gallon containers of water for 4 people. We had plenty remaining after a two night stay for both drinking and cleaning, we probably could have lastest another day and half on what we had left - just an idea of perspective on how much to bring if you stay here, or I believe they have drinking water station if you need to refill them. On bear mountain you aren't allowed to have a camp fire, due to the very dry surround grass - so be safe, and SMART and use your camp stove with little to no winds on the platform. Also, bring a machete, our friend lucky brought his and we were able to cut back the pokey star thistle and other dry weeds with pesky stickers. Bring a large trash bag and know that you will have to dump it in town. No there aren't any bears, Mackenzie warned us of birds/squirrels taking things if left unopened so we brought an ice chest and then a large sealed bin to store food. Didn't have any issues at all with critters. Just mosquitoes, bring your repellant, they are the worse at night! The only Con to medocino magic was the price. $30 PER person PER night really did shy people away from joining our group unfortunately. The rate seems a bit extreme in my opinion for this type of camping. Yes you get your own nice secluded spot, and access to the lake, both wonderful. I just wish the price was lower and would be more of a flat rate per night, with a max amount of people instead of being based on a head count. What if I just wanted to go by myself one night? This drops my rating a little. Overall had a great time, be prepared for some very windy afternoons, we had to tie down our shade structure, as gusts (from the coast we assume) started around 11am and latest till about 6pm we did all our cooking morning and evening when it was died down, thankfully. The temp for us dropped into the mid 50s at night and was a mid to high 80s in the afternoon. The lake water temp was absolutely perfect. They have (rather well used) kayaks and paddles and paddle boats to borrow while on the lake. They only had three paddles for about 5-7 kayak/canoes though so be prepared to wait for one to return or paddle with your hands. A paddle board would have been awesome!!! There was a small dock island to swim to and jump off in the middle of the lake, it was very clear and clean water (except the start of the muddy edges of course). Wear your sunscreen though, the slight elevation (we were from east of Sacramento) makes an impact of the sun rays. At night, be prepared to experience some of the finest star gazing. The milky way is very milky and bright here! Give it a shot, we will be back - hopefully they have a returning discount, and don't be afraid to contact the property owner Mackenzie, she was SO helpful answering any concerns/questions. read more

Mendocino Magic - On the platform after breakfast! Bring shade :) - Fishing Near Me - Laytonville, California

My wife and I like doing the cabin thing. I found the Pond House on HipCamp, and we will likely not be back to either. For what we spent to stay at the Pond House we could have stayed at a very nice B&B with all the amenities. This was nothing of the sort. The trailer (that's what it actually is) is pretty much falling apart. Entering the door, which was blocked by a poorly-installed curtain rod, said curtain and hardware fell on top of us and nearly broke a nearby glass bowl. On that same step, the rotted subfloor at the entryway gave a good bit (we avoided stepping there for the rest of the weekend). The sink for dishes was outdoors, the toilet barely drained. At least the water heater worked, as did the propane space heater. Mackenzie (the owner) had really sold me on this over the phone. Yes, the pond is picturesque. Notes in the registry book were overflowing about the beauty of the place. Indeed, we were persuaded by photos online and my discussion with Mackenzie. After all the research it seemed like a great place to take my kids to catch their first fish, and they could do it right out the back door off the dock. Big. Fat. Nope. I am a fish biologist for a large park system in the Bay Area. The main reason we chose to fork over the money for this opportunity was because it's pretty hard to find an accessible fish pond in California, let alone one with a cabin right next to it. This one, Mackenzie explained, was once the site of a bait shop when the property was a trout farm (about 30 years ago, a local later told me). Mackenzie said it still had fish in it for catch and release, and from my own experience and the photos online it looked like it should be brimming with bluegills, perfect for a first fish opportunity. Indeed, there are some great reviews about fishing at the reservoir (a short walk uphill from the pond), so I had high expectations. Once we were there, though, it became apparent that I'd been duped. After a full day of trying to catch a single fish, the truth about the pond was relayed by the caretaker, Jo: It was drained two years ago and all the fish were moved into the reservoir. Lovely. We made the most of the weekend. We hunted for worms, practiced casting, went for a hike, and looked for birds. Other than that, the kids don't know what they missed. But I do. If there had been fish I might say otherwise, but this place was not worth nearly what we paid. I feel had. read more

Last Memorial Day, I had the itch to go camping, but hadn't thought ahead to reserve a spot at a national or state park so everything was obviously booked. Then I remembered someone telling me about HipCamp so I decided to check that out. Mendocino Magic was a great place to enjoy nature, escape city life, and relax. I especially liked taking walks and kayaking in the reservoir. read more

Mendocino Magic - Fishing Near Me - Laytonville, California

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I'm writing this review to provide potential visitors with a clear understanding of what they're renting. I'm giving two stars because the reservoir was nice, but I could easily only give one. A friend of mine booked everything, but he didn't have a clear idea of what the place was like. We rented the stage house. If you are looking for a step above camping, this place is for you! However, the price was not comparable for something just a step above camping. I expected a clean, cabin-like place by a reservoir. My expectations were NOT met. The stage house is the owner's home. Therefore, it had all their belongings (food, toothbrushes, toiletries, clothing, belongings, etc.). I was initially put off because it was unclear what belonged to the owners and what belonged to us. Her food was on the counter, her alcohol was on the shelves, her food was in the refrigerator. The room we had had no closet or drawer space because the owner's clothing was in it. I've never rented an Airbnb spot because I wasn't keen on the idea of renting someone's home. However, but my guess is that the even an Airbnb would've been more comfortable. My expectations continued not to be met over the weekend. It was dirty. There were ants in the kitchen. We had to put everything in containers or lifted up because the ants would take over. It's an older home so the floors are dirty. There were dead bugs on all the window sills. On the last day, I saw a frog in the bathroom. It was only about the size of a quarter, but it was frog, on the floor outside the shower. There is no air conditioning or air flow. There was one paddle fan one bedroom. There was one small, table fan. That was it. So it was hot and humid with no air flow or air conditioning. I would've brought my own fans for comfort, but of course this was not mentioned when booking the rental. The reservoir was nice. However, it was a substantial walk from the house. One of the people we went with had gone in the past and they were able to drive their vehicle up to the water. Apparently, we were no longer able to do this. So this was a disappointment. On a hot, humid day where you have no air conditioning in the place your renting and then you have to walk about half a mile, uphill in the heat, while carrying any water supplies and food, I was less than impressed. I have to mention another issue I had. The owner was on the property the entire time we were there. She took away the trash/recycling cans on the second to the last day and never replaced them. So we had piled up trash and recycling in the kitchen for the last two days. While having the owner on the property would've been nice to have someone clean up or do some housekeeping, this was not the case. In fact, it was made worse, because we couldn't dispose of the waste outside and were stuck with it in the house. Then one of the days she apparently knocked on the door, we didn't answer as we were making lunch and playing music. Then she just WALKED IN. We were in the house we rented and the owner just opened the door and walked in. This was incredibly unprofessional and impolite. I couldn't believe it. This may be a laid back place where people are okay with this kind of behavior, but we didn't pay hundreds of dollars to rent a place for a weekend to have a random stranger (owner) walk in as she pleases into the home we've rented. I would NEVER return but I imagine, that some people may be okay with this setup if they knew what they were getting. We did not know, so I want to make sure that anyone going in the future knows what they are renting/getting for their money. read more

Such an awesome spot...thank you Mackenzie, Rex and Mendocino Magic! We had an awesome time in Mendo. Came up with a group of 7 friends over Christmas. A few in our group had been to the property before and recommended going back. We stayed in the Jennifer Cottage, which easily fit our entire group. The kitchen is well equipped for cooking group meals. The cabin is heated (space heaters in each room, a wood stove, etc.) and we were super toasty, even in late December. The property itself is gorgeous. Huge, super rustic, and we spent a lot of time exploring the various meandering trails. There's a really beautiful reservoir on the property that you can swim in / kayak or canoe around when it's warmer, and we loved walking around the trails over there. Mackenzie and Rex (and Jeff, the sweetest dog ever!) are a great crew. They were really friendly and we loved hanging out with them at their bonfire set up in the evening :) One note is that Mendocino Magic is best enjoyed while unplugged since there's pretty much no cell service (or wifi) from the cottage. A few of the group had some work to do while were were up there, so we brought up a MiFi hotspot but it wasn't super effective. If you need service, Verizon works best (especially from the back deck), and surprisingly, the hiking trails around the reservoir had LTE. Pour Girl's Coffee in town is about a 10 min drive and had wifi, so if you're desperate, that's what I'd recommend. Overall, we had a great time and I'm hoping to be back up soon! read more

We had the wedding of our dreams come true! Mackenzie was our host, and she really came through for us. It was an amazing four days filled with love, dancing, sunshine, swimming, family, and friends. The reservoir was full of beautiful clean water and tiny fish. There are kayaks and canoes and other rad water adventure crafts. We swam and hiked and had a blast! We were married on a hill overlooking the reservoir. My friends and family all said it was the most beautiful and fun wedding they had been to. I just wish I could go back and do it all again. Can't wait till spring so we can return for another peaceful night under the stars. Thanks Mendocino Magic for the wonderful memories! read more

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McKenzie and her Ranch Foreman Charles we're so very friendly and nice. They hooked up my oxygen machine and my BiPAP machine, ran power to my tent for me. This place is just beautiful ,swimming, hiking , they have canoes and kayaks and swimming platforms on the lake. the place has it all, just so beautiful. read more

Mendocino Magic and Mackenzie are both awesome! Great swimming, beautiful forest, and a gracious host. Great spot for some camping and time in nature. read more

They where very accommodating!Had a great time!The owner took us on a walk and told use the history of this beautiful place.We where the only ones there because of a road closure.They had a fire lit for us.They let us use the house for just the tent camping price,because it was empty.Such a beautiful place!I would love to return someday and would recommend it to anyone!! read more

Beautiful property, and had a great time with friends. Would be 5 stars if it weren't for some rude treatment by the management. That made it somewhat less magical. read more

This is one of the most beautiful places I've ever been to. The lake is magical, the cabins are adorable, the campground is perfect. Mackenzie is a straight up super woman! read more

I had so much fun helping out for the annual Perseid meteor shower campout. It was a splendid nighttime adventure under the stars. Can't wait to go again!! read more