Point Arena-Stornetta Public Lands Trail

Dogs Unknown

Features Birding · Fishing · Views · Wildlife

Chained gate access at north and south terminus of the trail, the gates have to be closed with chain after opening and passing through. There is one porta potty at the northern end. Signs at both ends show the trail. Sign posts along the trail to help guide along the main trail as there are numerous side trails.

Point Arena-Stornetta Public Lands is 3.4 miles is one-way, so out and back is 6.8 miles. You can park your car at either end. This is a mostly flat trail although there are a few rutted spots to climb over or up which are relatively easy to maneuver. At low tide, you can follow a number of safe paths to explore the tide pools at ocean's edge.

There are beautiful views of the ocean and contorted bluffs except the short section that has to go away from the coast to skirt around the Mendocino College's private ocean front facilities. It is easy to miss the access gate to the trail to continue pass the college. On the run, I spotted seals playing along the coast.

Most of the trail is along the edge of cliffs so be careful near the cliff's edge as I would not let children wander near the edge unattended. I visited during the end of October, 2020 where temperature was 50-55 F and sunny after the marine layer burned off around 12 noon.

An option to continue at the northern end of the trail, you can continue to the lighthouse where there are interpretive signs along the way.

At low tide, the sea weed sticks up like little palm trees. There are two main different evergreens trees, possible cypress and a shorter pine needle tree. Most of the trail is along dried out short grass in late October.