We had a group of 15 - ranging in age from 4 to 54, and every one of us had a fabulous time! It was…read morefun, informative, thrilling, and safe all at the same time! Thank you, Skunk Train! We will be back!

The Excursion: We did the Skunk Train Rail Bikes, and it…read moreended up being such a memorable experience. This is a 24-mile ride--about 12 miles out and 12 miles back--on electrically assisted rail bikes. There are several trip options, and we chose the longer one. The route winds through the forest, alongside and over the Noyo River, with beautiful views of redwoods, pines, and peaceful stretches of nature. You cruise at a comfortable 9-12 mph pace, which feels just right: not too fast, not too slow, and perfect for taking in the surroundings. The bikes let you provide the level of effort you want to put in as the peddle assist is simply amazing. It all depends on how much effort you want put in, so don't let the peddling intimidate you. Our tour was full, meaning all available bikes were booked, but it never felt crowded. The team spaces each bike out, so every group gets its own personal experience, and that worked really well. You do travel together in a few spots, but there is still plenty of room to enjoy the ride at your own pace. There are several stops along the way where the guides share history, point out interesting details about the trees and plant life, and give everyone time to enjoy the forest. There is also enough time to step away briefly and enjoy the quiet, whether by yourself, with your partner, or with your group. Our guides were incredibly friendly, helpful, and happy to answer questions. They shared great information and personal experiences that made the tour even more enjoyable. The lunch provided was also better than expected: a deli-style lunch with a good-sized sandwich, chips, water, soda, and a snack. They even let us keep the reusable lunch bag, which was a nice touch. It did not feel like an afterthought. You meet at what first seems like a random location, where the group checks in with one of the guides. From there, everyone hikes down a switchback trail to the railroad and rail bikes. The trail is narrow but manageable for most people going down. Just keep in mind that you will hike back up the same trail at the end of the tour, so anyone with physical limitations should plan accordingly. Once you reach the starting area, the guides give a quick overview of how to operate the rail bikes and make any needed adjustments before heading out. When the tour begins, a lead guide starts out front while each bike leaves at timed intervals to keep everyone comfortably spread out. A second guide follows from the rear. Along the way, you stop several times, including at a railroad crossing and at the final destination where everyone has lunch before heading back. The return ride feels just as special as the ride out. It is a great time to relax, settle into the ride, and enjoy the quiet sounds of the bike and forest. If the tour is full, plan for it to take up most of your day. In my opinion, a larger tour actually makes the experience even better because you get the privacy of your own ride while still having chances to chat with the guides and other visitors at each stop. Our guides were Atlas and Travis, and they were absolutely wonderful. They were friendly, helpful, and made the whole experience feel easy and welcoming. We cannot say enough good things about them. Talk with them for a few minutes and you will know exactly what I mean. Overall: There is simply no better way to enjoy this environment than by rail bike. The experience was even more enjoyable than we expected, and I genuinely think everyone should try it. I have seen other rail bike tours that travel through open hills, but the Skunk Train offers something truly unique. Riding beneath the canopy of trees, following the Noyo River, crossing old bridges, and feeling immersed in such a beautiful setting made this tour unforgettable. Atlas and Travis really put the cherry on top. They kept everyone engaged, entertained, and comfortable throughout the day, and their friendly approach made the tour feel less like a business transaction and more like spending time with good company. They worked hard, made the experience special, and absolutely deserved more than the standard tip. We highly recommend this tour and would happily encourage anyone visiting the area to give it a try.

Been coming here for the past 10+ years and love it more and more every year. The scenery and vibe…read moreis so beautiful and relaxing. Amenities are clean and abundant. Staff is the best and there to help with anything and everything. Camp NOYO hosts our annual Labor Day Weekend event where we actually do a live music event on their stage and a dance party in a hollowed out tree trunk.... Yes, sounds amazing, right?? This place has been made officially one of my most memorable and happy places on earth. Feel blessed to have this place to come to every year!

I am a big fan of this park it's got great facilities and great parking even though it's a small…read morepark I think it's worth the trip

We had an absolutely magical time camping here last weekend. The park itself is rather easy to get…read moreto as soon as you get to the coast coming from the Bay. The Rangers were lovely, the site host was very kind, we stayed at site 27 which was shielded from the wind, they had clean bathrooms and showers, a camp fire program on Friday night and sold wood onsite. We got to do a lovely hike, hang out at the beach, go to the Noyo fish Company in Fort Brag... it was great! We were also warned about a black bear who had been visiting recently. But alas did not have an encounter. However, we did find raccoon hand prints all over our table cloth and bear box. So do use your bear box!!

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.

A rest stop with red woods…read more Serving only northbound traffic on the 101, the Irvine Lodge Rest Area was named after an early auto camp and lodge owned by the Irvine's. It became a rest area in the 50's and contains a forested picnic and dog area with some old growth redwoods (hundreds of years old). It is located far enough back from the highway to have large trees in between block out the cars zipping by (though one can still hear the noise).

Beautiful small rest area on a dead-end road. Larger RVs and trucks will need to park in lot and…read morewalk a short distance to rest rooms.

After a long night of driving I was desperate to find somewhere to sleep. This place had good…read morereviews and felt safe so I decided to come. A LOT SMALLER THAN EXPECTED. only a few spots but has clean bathrooms you can use. Picnic tables if you wanna eat outside and seems safe enough for a quick night of sleep. 8 hour parking limit.

Southbound reststop is so ridiculously tiny, only 6 car spots and 3 spots for rvs and trailers…read more One way entrance, no room to back up or circle around.... only off 101. And of course you have the entitled drivers who felt it was ok to park their cars in the rv only spots

We arrived shortly after 9:00am and paid the $10 day use fee. It was a short drive on a one lane…read moreroad to get to the parking lot. EV parking was available, which was nice. There was another small parking lot closer to the trail. We walked past the camp sites to get to the trail. The sites were on the smaller side, but all of them seemed to have a spigot. I used the flushing toilets before starting the hike. We did the Fern Canyon Trail to Falls Loop Trail- 6.2 miles. The first part was mostly flat, but there is some elevation gain for the loop. We went counterclockwise, but you reach the waterfall quicker if you do the loop clockwise. The 36-foot waterfall might not be the most impressive, but it was nice. There's a fallen tree trunk in between the two streams for you to sit and take some photos. We sat on a bench afterwards and enjoyed the views while having some snacks. I guess we got there at a good time, right before a crowd of people descended. Overall, the forested hike was nice and peaceful, and we also spotted a banana slug. There are some muddy parts though. I wished I read a bit more about the park before going. I would've wanted to do the short trail for Devil's Punchbowl which also has views of the bridge. Darn...

Serene quiet park…read more great photo spots! There's the iconic bridge but in order to get on that beach you have to walk on a narrow wobbling log in the water. Pretty scary for me. I finally did it, with the help of a very kind stranger who held my hand and it felt all better. Interesting how a lot of the fear is in your head. Why is there not a better safer path to get there? Watched many groups try and about half the people said nope and left

KNOW BEFORE YOU GO: This place is on another level…read more My wife and I have stayed at plenty of RV resorts, and I can confidently say this is the best one we've ever visited... hands down! If you're traveling through Northern California, put this place on your list. In fact, we'd go out of our way just to stay here again. What makes it so impressive is that they've thought of everything. There's a dog park, mini golf, a kids' fun zone, a train pickup location, a hot tub, incredible views, and even dedicated areas that are perfect for taking photos, shooting content, or capturing some seriously cool social media shots. But the amenities are only part of it. The entire property is beautifully maintained, the grounds are incredible, and the staff couldn't have been more helpful, knowledgeable, and welcoming. You can tell there's a real attention to detail here that separates this place from your typical RV resort. We originally planned this trip around visiting the Redwoods, but after staying here, our next Northern California trip might be planned around the resort itself. It's the kind of place where you could easily park the RV, forget the itinerary, and spend a few days doing absolutely nothing except relaxing and enjoying everything the property has to offer. And did I mention the hot tub, the views, and all the ridiculously cool amenities? Seriously... what a place! If you're anywhere near this part of Northern California, stay here. And even if you're not exactly nearby, it's worth the detour. 10/10. We'll absolutely be back.

I stayed here a week in a Class A motorhome. I had a wife, teenager, an 8-year old, and a Corgi…read more Everyone liked the experience. We plan to come back next year. Suggestions for improvements would be to just keep things maintained. Don't put a sign on something if it is broke, fix it. Way too many signs about everything. Make a disc golf map. Post the Skunk train schedule so we know when to go to the depot. Keep the mini-golf area nice. Make improvements. Actually put up a basketball hoop. Put up a volleyball net and weed the court.

Ford House Visitor Center in Mendocino is a fantastic stop in town, set inside a beautiful historic…read more1854 home with a lot of character. It immediately feels special just walking in. Inside, there's a great mix of exhibits and local history, from a detailed scale model of Mendocino as it looked in 1890, to displays on early logging, native plants, and coastal wildlife. They also have helpful maps, brochures, and friendly staff who really know the area and share great insights. A perfect place to get oriented, learn the history, and appreciate the roots of Mendocino before heading out to explore the coast.

This is a small house on the Mendocino coast. California poppies line the pathway leading up to the…read moreentrance. This is also some kind of plant museum. I love love loved the display that identified the local flora. There were banana slug magnets and stickers and plushies. They are only open 11 AM to 4 PM every day. I recommend stopping by to take a look inside. There is information about hikes and trails. The public restrooms are to the left of the Ford House. There are water fountains and a water bowl for pets.