Mendocino County

Mendocino County borders the Pacific Ocean on California's North Coast. The county is located halfway between San Francisco and the Oregon border, and boasts redwood forests, wineries, breweries, and remote, untouched coastline.

Cities and regions

• 1 Albion
• 2 Boonville (includes Anderson Valley)
• 3 Fort Bragg
• 4 Gualala
• 5 Mendocino
• 6 Point Arena
• 7 Ukiah
• 8 Willits

Get in and around

Mendocino Transit Authority (MTA) provides limited bus service into and around Mendocino County. But unless you're willing to carefully plan your trip around the bus schedules, driving is probably the best option for getting around this sparsely populated region.

The nearest passenger airports are Sonoma County Airport (STS ^IATA; limited flights only) and, a bit further south, San Francisco International Airport (SFO ^IATA) and Oakland International Airport (OAK ^IATA).

See

In addition to redwood trees, the following attractions exist within Mendocino County:

• 1 Ridgewood Ranch, 11725 Orchard Ln, Willits (7 mi [11 km] south of Willits on US-101, look for right turn lane for "Old US-101" shortly after Ridgewood Summit/Harris Quarry, proceed 0.2 mi [320 m] then turn right on Ridgewood Road for 0.5 mi [0.80 km] down the hill to the four-way stop, continuing straight to parking area on right), ☏ +1 707-391-3872, seabiscuit@instawave.net. 9:30–11:30AM on 1^st and 3^rd Sat, Jun–Sep. The final home and resting place of the late legendary racehorse Seabiscuit, also host to a herd of white deer and over 200 head of cattle. $20/person, FREE for children 11 y/o and under. (updated Sep 2024)
• 2 Mendocino Coast Botanical Gardens, 18220 N CA-1, Fort Bragg (1 mi [1.6 km] south of Fort Bragg on the west (ocean) side of CA-1, just beyond the Simpson Ln roundabout), ☏ +1 707-964-4352, fax: +1 707-964-3114, info@gardenbythesea.org. 9AM–5PM daily Apr–Oct, 9AM–4PM daily Nov–Mar. 47-acres of manicured gardens on the Pacific Ocean bluffs, including 4 mi (6.4 km) of trails that crisscross the grounds; the shortest route from the main entrance to the bluffs is just under ¹⁄₂ mi (800 m). $20/adult, $17/senior, $8/youth (6–17 y/o), FREE up to age 5. (updated Sep 2024)
• 3 City of 10,000 Buddhas (Gold Mountain Monastery), 4951 Bodhi Way, Ukiah (From US-101 take the Talmage exit and travel east to the main gate (<10 min) where Talmage Road ends, becoming Bodhi Way), ☏ +1 707-462-0939, fax: +1 707-462-0949, cttb@drba.org. 8AM–6PM daily. The oldest residential Buddhist community in the United States sits tucked away in a corner of the Ukiah Valley, just beyond the Gate of Three Arches. Stretching over 80 acres (32 ha), it contains a university, primary and secondary schools, a vegetarian restaurant, wild white peacocks that roam freely, and the Jeweled Hall with at least 10,000 images of the Buddha lining its walls. FREE. (updated Sep 2024)

Drink

Mendocino County has many wineries and several breweries as well.

Stay safe

Do not venture off hiking trails or roads. Clandestine marijuana grows are in the drier warmer areas of the county due to the relaxed marijuana laws.

Go next

• 1 Humboldt County - Located to the north of Mendocino County, rural Humboldt County is a land of giant trees, seaside mountains, and quirky towns. Redwood National Park lies in the county's northern region and is home to the world's tallest trees; a walk among the redwoods is an experience that won't soon be forgotten. Backpackers will delight in hiking the remote 25 mile Lost Coast Trail in the county's southwestern corner, a three-day trek through the Kings Range along a roadless and undeveloped section of rugged coastline. For those looking for more urban activities, the towns of Arcata and Eureka feature an impressive number of Victorian homes that date back to the late 1800s.
• 2 Trinity County - One of only three California counties with no incorporated cities, rugged Trinity County lies among the Salmon and Klamath Mountains along the Trinity River. The county seat of Weaverville is home to some of California's oldest buildings, with the state's second oldest courthouse (built in 1856), a drugstore that has filled prescriptions since 1852, and California's oldest Taoist Temple (operating since 1873). Those looking for outdoor adventure will find numerous opportunities for camping, backpacking, rock climbing, boating, rafting/kayaking, hunting, and fishing, with Trinity Lake in particular a favorite spot for houseboat rentals.
• 3 Tehama County - Mendocino County's northeastern neighbor, Tehama County has a quintessentially "western" feel, with most county residents employed in ranching, timber or farming, and most tourists drawn to the region for fishing, boating, hiking, and other outdoor activities. The county's largest town, Red Bluff, has a population of only about 15,000 inhabitants, but hosts the Red Bluff Round-Up, one of the west's largest annual rodeos, each spring. While there are numerous streams and rivers, the Sacramento River is the largest, intersecting the county and offering excellent fishing for rainbow trout, king salmon, chinook salmon, steelhead, smallmouth bass, sturgeon, and striped bass.
• 4 Glenn County - Bordering Mendocino County to the east, Glenn County is an agricultural region that is most likely to be experienced by travelers passing through on Interstate 5. While it lacks significant amenities, there are a few options for travelers to experience small-town America at events such as the Glenn County Fair, held in mid-May in the town of Orland, or at the Thunderhill Raceway Park outside of Willows, home to the longest automobile race in the United States: the 25 Hours of Thunderhill.
• 5 Lake County - Rural Lake County lies southeast of Mendocino County and is named after Clear Lake, a body of water that is believed to be 2.5 million years old and thus the oldest lake in North America. The lake is sometimes called the "Bass Capital of the West", and its 100 miles of shoreline offer ample opportunity for fishing, boating, swimming and birdwatching. The county is also home to the Clear Lake Volcanic Field, a region that includes lava domes, cinder cones, the 4,305 foot tall volcano Mount Konocti, and the world's largest geothermal field with more than twenty geothermal power plants.
• 6 Sonoma County - Although its wineries may not be as famous as those in the Napa Valley, Mendocino County's southern neighbor is actually the largest wine producer in California Wine Country and home to over 250 wineries. More than seven million visitors each year explore the county's open spaces and beautiful coastline, including the big trees at Armstrong Redwoods State Natural Reserve and the seaside town of Bodega Bay where Alfred Hitchcock's thriller The Birds was filmed. For those interested in early California history, Fort Ross is a state historic site that preserves a fur trading outpost that was operated by Russia from 1812-1841.