In the distance off to the right, the empty house sits on a cliff overlooking the Pacific

I truly don’t think of myself as an adventurer or a risk taker; but every once in awhile something will grab hold of my imagination to the point where I just have to see what it’s all about — and especially if it offers the potential to use my camera. You may recall that back in early January I mentioned feeling deep curiosity after stumbling upon a number of empty houses on the Mendocino coast. I was hoping to be able to explore at least two of them on a return trip. On our most recent trip to the area, I actually did do some poking around, and I think it’s safe to say my enthusiasm for urban exploration has been satisfied for quite a long time to come.

Deserted driveway leading to the cliff house

One interesting thing to me is that these three sites range from being in generally good shape, with furnishings and decor remaining inside and doors locked, to completely derelict and basically open to the elements. The building I think of as the “farmhouse” lands somewhere in between, although it’s definitely the most creepy of the places.

I didn’t even attempt to enter this house

I should also mention that three of the four houses I explored were on state park property and were neither fenced nor posted with No Trespassing signs. The fourth site (the cliff house) did, admittedly, have private property signs, but since the place was clearly utterly deserted my curiosity got the better of me. I did do my best to be otherwise respectful and to tread lightly. And of course, exploring empty buildings can be dangerous and illegal. With all that in mind, let me tell you a bit about the cliff house, located in the general area of Fort Bragg.

It wasn’t very long ago that this house was inhabited by an older man who seems to have lived there alone. At some point, he left the house, and it still sits there, fully furnished, as if waiting for him to return. I was only able to look into a couple of the windows, but the place felt very poignant with its decaying roof and stylish interior.