Headlands Trail and Sink Hole at Russian River State Park

It was six months ago, when we were at the Mendocino coast in late October 2023, that I finally got a chance to visit Russian Gulch State Park (not to be confused with Sonoma County’s Russian Gulch Beach). The clouds threatened rain and even delivered a few scattered showers; still, the day seemed perfect to me. While the Big Guy set off in search of a good fishing spot, I was hoping to check out the sink hole on the headlands. With a rustic rail fence completely surrounding it, I did have a little trouble shooting pictures through the thick tangle of plant growth — and being short didn’t help! But after walking the entire perimeter I did manage to get a peek or two at the Devil’s Punchbowl.

The village of Mendocino visible to the south