Mendocino Magic's reflective lake and winding trails lead you to an apex overlooking the water,…read morewhere 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."

Mendocino Magic is a fantastic getaway from the city's hustle and bustle. Mackenzie is extremely…read moreaccommodating 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.

Lake Mendocino offers something for everyone: Swimming, hiking, wildlife, cycling, boating,…read morecamping, RV spaces, and even new friendships if you play your cards right! If you plan on camping, Lake Mendocino offers a safe and family-friendly campground environment with kind park rangers to answer questions if needed. Be sure to bring the entire family's bicycles for hours and hours of fun! Good to know: When camping next to large groups, expect to hear music, laughter, and good times being had late into the evening hours.

My first time here, went with family members that come here to fish & hike and meet up with local…read morefriends. I was SHOCKED by the water level! I mean I have been born & raised in California so why on earth would I be shocked by drought conditions?! Well... We just came out of a drought and it's still early in the year w/o enough rain or snowpack but DAMN I really didn't expect it to be soooooo bad! Saying that I follow the news very closely so I have heard it is Lakes Mendicino, Sonoma and Folsom are drying up fast. Along with most of our reservoirs... I cannot comment on how beautiful this lake would be when full, I can't wait to come back in a few years after this drought and see this place in its glory! I do know people are still catching fish and enjoying the beauty of nature here. We met a couple of very friendly geese and an old fisherman who lived near here and shared fishing stories as well as facts about the lake and some of the rocks I was finding... All in all it was a nice stop on our roadtrip!

going to fuller camp ground was the best idea ever. This is a family camp ground only 16 dollars…read moreper night.Family friendly, hiking, fishing and a good card game at the camp site, then the camp fire stories and finding stick for roasting marshmellows. they have a boat launch for only 5 dollars per launch. water like glass and clean. even the kids said this camping trip was the best and they did not have cell phone service ---

Funny that there are no Check In because there is no phone service out in the middle of nowhwreread more

Good camping reservoir for kayaking…read more The camp sites are kind of hot in the summer because of the scarcity of shade trees. Bringing your own shade structures is recommended. A picnic table is located at each campsite. There are portable potties at the campsite. There are a limited number vault toilets, also. The reservoir has a lot of wildlife in the vicinity. This includes a lot of bird life, fish, and a herd of elk.

Absolutely beautiful. First time going and will definitely be making a return trip. The friend that…read moreI met there has been fishing there for many many years. I can now understand why.

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.

Returned to Van Damm State Park for a second time and already looking forward to future visits…read more I've yet camped at the upper campsites. Only experienced the two lower loops closest to the entrance as well as the beach across the highway. It's an overall great campground. The only concern would be your neighbors and the mosquitos at sites that are along the creek. Most if not all sites are RV friendly. Anything larger than a mid-sized travel trailer, you might want to be selective. For trailers that are low profiled, stick to the lower loops to avoid scraping. Opted to never pull a trailer here because I'm not a fan of towing on highway 1. Typically, the host would drive around the campground delivering firewood at 12 dollars a bundle. Otherwise, they are available at the host's designated site.

Gorgeous easy to follow trail that takes you along the river, up through old growth and enormous…read moretrunks, then to a Pygmy forest. All well maintained with adorable bridges along the way!

Lisa was very welcoming we were able to choose any open campsite which was nice. We went bass…read morefishing for 2 days in cache Creek and never even made it to the lake. We caught so many nice Bass we didn't need to fish lake!

Just came back from a couple day trip here. Overall it's a nice place. Unfortunately it's just not…read moremaintained. I'm sure there's not a lot of money and business going on right now. All it really needs is someone to go through and power wash it it doesn't even make a difference if certain things need painted and so forth but the power washing every few days is a no-brainer when everything is dirty or cobwebs on it. The bathrooms need to have seat covers and locking doors. It's a pretty easy fix to lock or fix a lock on a door. Other than that the management was nice even though years after covid the lady is paranoid and if you walk into the office makes you wear a mask which is really bizarre. You can't help the water is awfully green has nothing to do with the campground . Again just power wash everything would be good I will probably come back either way if I'm in the area although that would be my suggestions

Muti-termer here. This KOA is cool. Great base camp when visiting area. Nice, clean, convenient,…read moreand comfortable. Getting here was super sketchy (Mountain View Rd). Point Arena and the lighthouse is nearby. Funner during summer months when camp is packed w/ activities. Staff is cool. I'm a fan of KOA.

Thank you for the needed escape from the rainstorm. Naele (spelling?) was nice and accommodating…read morefor the last minute, no reservation check in process and Guy was great at getting us propane and helping with questions regarding our site (#55 right next to the trail for the beach). Nice and quiet KOA, clean showers, good wifi and store was stocked with supplies. Definitely would recommend this place.

3 of us stayed in the B loop Sept 19-22 2024. The spot was large, and well distanced from…read moreneighbors. The site was mostly shaded, and, slightly sloped. There were a couple of leveled spots for tents. There was a little road noise from the highway behind and above us, but not too bad. Since we were at the top of the loop, everything was below us so we had a nice view. The bathrooms have running water, and flush toilets. There are showers on the other side of the building. The bathrooms were decently clean, but, since we were staying AFTER the main season, the showers had become a back burner item. Wear your flip flops in there !!! The rangers drove by several times a day, but were basically useless. The people next to us had 6 cars parked in and near their campsite, sometimes partially blocking the road. The ranger just drove right by. Overall a pleasant stay, but I hope the open up Bushay next year!

I have stayed at this campsite over 5 times. if you have the choice, stay on the side of the road…read moreclosest to the lake. Why you ask? 1. Sites are much more level for the most part. 2. If you have a boat you can both keep a closer eye on it and also save your lazy ass some walking. WATCH OUT FOR POISON OAK!!! Its not an epidemic or anything, but it is most definitely there.

We stopped here briefly to use the bathroom and found a cool whale skeleton. This day they had…read morefree day use. They also have camping grounds. I didn't check out much else but definitely seems worth exploring more if im in the area again

Free access day today…read more Beautiful, well maintained, clean restrooms, accessible to all levels of mobility, leashed dogs welcome, gift shop. Plenty of trash receptacles. Wood sidewalk/path plus smooth trails. Cool whale skeleton and information. Something for a everyone whether you want to camp or day use. Clean beaches, flowers, plants, birds, greenery, deer. Friendly staff members