MacKerricher State Park
High Traffic Alert
This park experiences heavy crowds, especially on weekends.
Check out the similar parks below for a better experience
Popular destination, arrive early for parking
Best: Weekdays before 10am
Just north of Fort Bragg, MacKerricher offers 9 miles of pristine coastline with sandy beaches, rocky coves, and excellent tide pooling. Lake Cleone provides freshwater fishing and bird watching, while the coastal bluffs host seasonal gray whale watching from December to April. Harbor seals haul out on the rocks year-round. The former logging haul road now serves as an accessible coastal trail perfect for biking and wheelchair access. Windswept cypress trees frame dramatic ocean views.
* State park fees vary by park, season, and residency. Confirm current rates on the official website.
Accepted Passes
Try These Instead
These parks offer similar experiences with fewer crowds
Sonoma Coast State Park
Seventeen miles of dramatic Sonoma coastline with beaches, bluffs, and seal colony.
Why go: Similar coastal scenery, hiking, wildlife viewing experience
Around 82 miles away
