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MacKerricher
Overview
MacKerricher State Park offers a stunningly diverse landscape that transitions from sandy beaches and rocky tide pools to lush forests and tranquil marshes. Located on the rugged Mendocino Coast, this park provides RV travelers with a unique opportunity to experience Northern California's raw beauty. Visitors often find themselves immersed in a setting where the Pacific Ocean meets forested coastal bluffs, creating a serene environment for exploration. It is widely considered one of the state's most versatile coastal preserves, famous for its Laguna Point overlooks and abundant wildlife.
Location & Surroundings
Situated just three miles north of Fort Bragg, the park stretches along several miles of pristine coastline. The area is defined by its dramatic headlands and tide pools, which are teeming with marine life. A notable feature of the surroundings is the Old Haul Road, a former logging route that now serves as a scenic path for cyclists and hikers. This trail offers unobstructed views of the rugged shoreline and crashing waves, while the nearby Cleone Lake provides a calm contrast, attracting numerous bird species to its freshwater shores.
Amenities & Park Features
The park features over 140 campsites, though travelers should note it offers dry camping without utility hookups. Each site includes a picnic table and fire ring, while shared facilities include restrooms, coin-operated showers, and a sanitary dump station. The park is highly regarded for its accessibility, featuring the Laguna Point boardwalk. This wooden walkway allows visitors of all mobility levels to reach the edge of the ocean for whale watching or to view the resident harbor seals lounging on the rocks below.
Nearby Attractions & Things to Do
Beyond the park boundaries, the city of Fort Bragg offers the famous Glass Beach, known for its colorful sea glass smoothed by decades of ocean waves. Families often enjoy a ride on the historic Skunk Train, which travels through the towering redwood forests of the Noyo River Canyon. For those seeking quiet beauty, the Mendocino Coast Botanical Gardens provide a peaceful stroll through specialized plant collections that reach all the way to the ocean bluffs, offering spectacular floral displays year-round.
Who This Park Is Best For
This destination is ideal for nature enthusiasts and families who enjoy active outdoor adventures like tide-pooling and birdwatching. Because the park lacks hookups, it is best suited for those comfortable with a rustic camping style or those traveling in self-contained RVs. It is a haven for photographers and wildlife watchers who want to wake up to the sound of the ocean and have immediate access to some of the most scenic coastal trails in Northern California.
Amenities
- Recreational Facilities
- Policies
- Other Amenities & Services
- Recreation Nearby (within 10 miles)
- Facility
- On-Site Rentals
- Sites
User Reviews
Penny Dupre
Great place to visit tide pools. We camped here and the restrooms and showers were clean and well maintained. Showers are $1 for 5 min- some stalls accept quarters, but some would only take tokens (purchased from camp host) Every one was super friendly.
Daun Langston
It is wonderful only if you enjoy quite, no crowds and the beautiful ocean. It's a lot of wonderful ocean. No slides, swing sets, tours, bike rentals or even a pool, just an empty beach plenty of parking and no entrance fee, so they don't take debit or credit cards cause the views, parking and close by picnic tables and beach are free.
ROB McAuliffe
We spent a sunny afternoon at the State park. The no fee entrance is about a quarter mile away from the campground off of Mill road. The road to the park is paved and narrows as you get closer to the ocean. The facility has two parking lots. The first lot was near a large sand dune, with a another lot near the restrooms and the wooden walkway out to the ocean. There are several picnic tables near the second parking lot and you can walk down across the dark sandy beach to the ocean. I recommend following the wheelchair accessible wide wooden path to gain access to the lower rocky shore. It's an easy quarter mile walk on the wooden path to the first view area with benches. A short distance away are the steep stairs that lead down to the rocky shore. This lower rocky shore is a great place to see the tide go out and look for small sea life. Once you climb the stairs back up to the path, there is another area a short distance away that provides fantastic panoramic ocean views. We enjoyed all three areas and the views of the ocean and coast are amazing. The weather was fantastic! A few locals we talked with mentioned late November and December are usually sunny months without the coastal fog. I highly recommend MacKerricher State Park and would definitely visit again.
Me Me
October 2025. I stayed for one night at a campground in this state park. The staff at the checkin booth were awesome! What I didnt know is that many of the sites were in cold wet and dank spots. Not really for me. But the folks in the booth helped me get into a sunny site. Its pretty noisy here during the day but it quieted down at night. The bathrooms were nasty. Including the showers. Not sure if the host was supposed to, but noone has cleaned them. The water taste awful. Like toxic salt taste. Eeewwww! The beach is VERY close by. Could be walked to. And thats probably your best bet. I drove there and scumbags get into my car. No cameras there. Or security watching out for we honest folks. I walked the boardwalk and stairs to the ocean and slimy people took advantage. Too bad really. The ocean area itself is gorgeous. And theres seals all around. But its definately NOT a safe place!
Joshua Grigsby
MacKerricher State Park is absolutely amazing. The views are straight out of a California postcard — waves crashing, cliffs, and that clean ocean air. Super easy to walk, and the paths are nice and smooth, even wheelchair friendly. It’s free for day use, which is wild considering how nice it is. If you’re in Fort Bragg or cruising up Highway 1, definitely stop here and stretch your legs. It’s peaceful, beautiful, and honestly one of the best state parks I’ve ever been to.