Navarro River Redwoods State Park: Redwoods With ZERO Crowds!
If you are driving down Highway 128, minding your own business, and suddenly the sun is obscured by a thick tunnel of towering redwoods, you’ve made it to Navarro River Redwoods State Park!
Although scenic drives and forest-filled hiking will be a big part of your visit, you’ll also be able to enjoy camping and picnicking, canoeing, fishing, and wildlife watching.
If you ever find yourself in Mendocino, here’s what to do in Navarro River Redwoods State Park.
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The small but scenic beach of Navarro River Redwoods State Park is worth a visit.
Huge driftwood logs have washed up on the shore, some of which have formed spectacular shapes. The beach juts out into the Navarro River mouth and is the perfect place for a stroll or to explore the estuary on a kayak.
At the beach, you’ll be able to witness the “Inn by the Ocean”, a rather famous old structure built in 1865 by Captain Fletcher.
The inn was used for men transporting timber and once had 12 little rooms for people to stay in. Alternatively, head to the north bed of the beach to seek out the Arch of the Navarro, a unique rock arch.
The hikes in Navarro River Redwoods State Park tend to be more of just a stroll. Here are our favorites.
Distance: 0.8 miles
Type of Trail: Loop
Difficulty: Easy
Elevation Gain: 29 feet
Starting at the campground, this short stroll takes you out over the beach from the small campground.
Much of the Navarro River State Park Beach is actually a large sand spit, and this trail takes you out along the split, giving you wonderful views of the sea and the river estuary.
Sometimes the spit reaches right out and is joined to the land on the other side of the river, so you’ll be able to get up close to the rocky headlands.
Mustard Gulch
Distance: 2 miles
Type of Trail: Out & Back
Difficulty: Easy
Elevation Gain: 331 feet
The Mustard Gulch Trail will have you wandering away from the road on an old logging trail, meaning you are in for some nice, smooth hiking.
The trail is mostly flat until the end, where it begins to climb, and as you walk away from the highway and further into nature and redwoods!
Maggies Grove
Distance: 0.3 miles
Type of Trail: Out & Back
Difficulty: Easy
Elevation Gain: 10 feet
We are serious when we talk about short and sweet. If you are limited on time but still want to see some redwoods, take the Maggie’s Grove Trail.
As soon as you step foot in these ancient woodlands, you won’t believe that a few minutes ago, you were driving along a busy road.
TIP: This hike is very easy to miss, so ensure you are using a map. You should be able to find some places to park just at the side of the road.
You won’t find anything more than a Google pin for this trail, so the info is slim, but it was one of our favorite areas during our visit!
The hike has its own parking lot off of the Shoreline Highway and takes you along a scenic trail all the way to the coast.
The ocean, cliffs and wildflowers here are incredibly beautiful, and if you are patient and very lucky, you may see a whale appearing on the horizon.
The coastal loop is under a mile around the preserve. As you hike, although it may be hard to tear your eyes away from the ocean, make sure you also observe the rare plants and numerous bird species.
TIP: Although it may look like it on Google Maps, you can’t reach the beach from this trail as you are high up on the coastal cliffs.
If you ever see photos of Navarro River Redwoods State Park, you will likely have seen the incredible ‘Redwood Tunnel’, an element of the park that you can witness without even getting out of your car.
For just a glimpse of what this beautiful park has to offer, drive the 11-mile stretch of Route 128 that runs through it. You won’t be disappointed, and most of the trails we mentioned above are also located there!
Nearby state parks that are also worth checking out:
Check out the other awesome northern California Coast beaches or our favorite California Coast State Parks!
Have fun exploring Navarro River Redwoods State Park!