Can’t Bluff This! (Secret Spring Ranch)

Accessible right from downtown Mendocino, a bluff-side walk at Mendocino Headlands State Park is a must. The marquee trails here overlook not just the charming hamlet of Mendocino, but also the dramatic coastal scenery from the bluffs.

Stroll the trails, spying teeming tidepools, seals bobbing in coves, and hulking waves gathering strength in the distance, swelling, and crashing in spectacular fashion over giant sea stacks—or powering through giant blowholes!

Watch a sunset from these bluffs. The waves are transformed into a tangerine oasis and the town behind you looks like an old postcard photo tinted by a sublime indigo light.

BONUS HIDDEN HEADLANDS: Shhh … it’s kind of a secret … but still, a shout-out to Mendocino Land Trust for making Spring Ranch Trail a reality. Comprising the northern end of Van Damme State Park, Spring Ranch meanders quietly along the bluffs, serving up huge Pacific views and plenty of rocky drama.

Be mindful near the cliff sides—erosion is real, and bluffside edges aren’t to be trusted. Spring Ranch is quiet and lightly traveled, making it ideal for solitude seekers scanning the horizon for migrating gray whales (fall and spring) or seals resting on offshore rocky shelves.

The trail is dog-friendly, but keep your pal on a leash due to cliffs, erosion, and overall safety (mountain lions have been spotted here).