We knew we were in for some rain when we left home on Monday and headed for the Mendocino coast; but we didn’t realize we had an “atmospheric river” bearing down on us. Earlier storms had already left the coastal areas saturated, and our first clue was the detour on the Valley Ford Road west of Petaluma due to flooding […]
When I stopped along Highway 1 to check out the Moat Creek beach access in December 2023, it was not my first visit. But it was the first time I followed the trail up onto the bluffs above the beach. What I found was a neat little loop trail, although at the time I was slightly disappointed that it wasn’t […]
Two locations in Mendocino County, near the town of Point Arena — Stornetta to the north, and Moat Creek to the south. Stornetta has become a favorite fishing area for the Big Guy, and I’ve enjoyed exploring the trails there, where occasionally you may encounter grazing dairy cattle. In early December 2023, I visited both sites on the same day. […]
Wandering the trails I’ve found all along the Mendocino coast never fails to make me feel good. I’m sure there are many more paths to be discovered, and I may never get to hike them all. But even returning to one that’s already familiar, it’s impossible to feel bored, surrounded by all this natural beauty.
The last set of images from our walk along Manchester Beach and back to our rental house on the Mendocino coast, November 2024.
We walked from the house where we were staying over to Manchester Beach via an unpaved road cutting through what was once private property but is now part of a State Park Nature Preserve. I’m hoping to get a chance to explore this area further; both times I walked out this way it was late afternoon and I ended up […]
Mendocino County has such a beautiful coastline that it can be frustrating when we often find access blocked by private property and “No Trespassing” signs. I’m really grateful that the California Coastal Commission is always working to protect the state’s coastal habitats and to improve access to beaches and bluffs. Whenever we get over to the coast for a few […]
Our mid-November trip over to the Mendocino coast was short but very sweet — just what was needed after our trip in September caused more stress than it eased. Even though our November stay started off with a jolt from a minor earthquake (with the epicenter only a few miles away from Point Arena) and we lost part of one […]