Archive for the ‘State Parks’ Category

Whales and First Day Hikes Start January 1
—Posted Saturday, December 24th, 2011 at 10:27 am—
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Migrating California Gray whales, numbering between 18,000–23,000 individuals, pass by the Mendocino coast twice each year. Here are several ways you can check out the whales and other wildlife along the Mendocino Coast, thanks to State Parks.

Whale Tail Seen From Shore!FIRST DAY WALKS: California State Parks announces guided interpretive hikes at 4 state parks along the Mendocino Coast on January 1, 2012. These hikes are part of a nationwide effort of special hikes on New Years Day in state parks in all 50 states. This will promote state parks and participation in healthy activities. All of these hikes will take place on California’s North Coast in wintertime. Be prepared for cool temperatures.

WALK #1: Westport-Union Landing State Beach. Meet the docent at 1:00 p.m. at the park headquarters building at park main entrance, just west of Hwy 1. The park is located about 19 miles north of Fort Bragg, California on Hwy 1. This will be a 1 mile long moderate hike. This hike is suggested for children 8 years and older, and adults. Learn fun facts about the once bustling town of Westport from local resident Steve Brigham.

WALK #2: MacKerricher State Park. Meet the docent at 10:00 a.m. at the Laguna Point parking lot, from Mill Creek Road, three miles north of Fort Bragg, California, west of Hwy 1. This will be an easy three-quarter-mile walk along a boardwalk. This short walk will be filled with fun facts about MacKerricher State Park as you walk to an overlook above the ocean. Park Naturalist Teresa Hurray will lead this walk. The walk is suggested for children 12 years and older, and adults.

WALK #3: Russian Gulch State Park. Meet the docent in front of the recreation hall at the park at 12:00 noon. The park entrance road is located on the west side of Hwy 1, three miles north of Mendocino, California. This will be a moderate 5.5 mile out and back hike (2.75 miles each way) to the beautiful waterfall at Russian Gulch State Park. You will learn about the park’s natural history from Dave Jensen, renowned birder and naturalist. This hike is suggested for children 10 years and older, and adults. Bring water and snacks with you.

WALK #4: Mendocino Headlands State Park. Meet the docent at the Ford House Visitor Center at 1:00 p.m. The visitor center is at 725 E. Main St. in Mendocino, California. This will be a moderate 2 mile out and back hike (1 mile each way) to the bluffs overlooking the ocean. Park naturalist Fred Andrews will talk about the annual migration of gray whales between Alaska and Baja. Binoculars will be provided to look for gray whales swimming southward. This hike is suggested for children 10 years and older, and adults.

WHALE TALKS: California State Parks announces weekend whale talks at MacKerricher State Park! Talks will take place from January 7 through March 18, 2012. Knowledgeable docents will talk about the annual gray whale migration and about other marine mammals seen along the Mendocino coast. Programs are scheduled to begin every Saturday and Sunday at 11:00 a.m., from January 7, through March 18.

Talks will begin near the visitor center at the main entrance to MacKerricher State Park. Docents will provide binoculars and a spotting scope to help visitors study whales and other fascinating wildlife found near MacKerricher’s shores. After meeting at the MacKerricher visitor center, groups will then drive to Laguna Point, where you will walk out to look for whales. Programs are scheduled for 11:00 a.m. every Saturday and Sunday from January 7 through March 18, 2011

Posted in State Parks, birding, drives, ecotourism, family fun, general, hikes, parks, walks | Comments Off

Star Party on the Mendocino Headlands on Oct 22
—Posted Saturday, October 15th, 2011 at 11:55 am—
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California State Parks, in cooperation with the Mendocino Area Parks Association and Out Of This World, will host a Star Party on October 22, 2011 to look at the night sky. Telescopes will be set up to look at the moons of Jupiter and deep sky objects such as globular clusters. Wear warm clothes—it can be chilly in the evening.

This is event is scheduled for Saturday evening, October 22, 7:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m., on the field behind the Ford House Visitor Center in Mendocino, on Main Street. Call 707-961-0471 for more information about this event. This event will be cancelled in case of cloudy skies.

Posted in State Parks, family fun, general, parks | Comments Off

Mendocino Area State Parks to Reduce Services
—Posted Wednesday, October 28th, 2009 at 12:24 pm—
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MendocinoFun.com just received this news release from the local office of State Parks:

In keeping with Governor Schwarzenegger’s plan for keeping parks open, California State Parks is today announcing the implementation of service reductions at parks across the State. The goal is to achieve the required cost savings while minimizing the disruption to park visitors as much as possible.

All of the service reductions are consistent with the Governor’s September 25 announcement of the kinds of service reductions the public could anticipate in order to achieve the budget savings necessary to meet severe budget restrictions.

The reductions are designed to minimize disruptions for park visitors, while keeping parks open and  achieving the $14.2 million in budget savings to help close the State’s budget deficit.

To achieve savings as quickly as possible, State Parks will begin implementing these cost saving measures all across the State in the next few days.

The service reductions came about through a process wherein each of the State Parks’ District Superintendents designed a plan for specific reductions tailored for each park within their respective districts.  A summary of some of the most common service reductions across the State include:

  • Reduce days of operation by two or three weekdays at selected parks.  Other parks will close a portion of a campground or outlying day-use areas.
  • Close and consolidate some park offices and/or reduce hours of operation.
  • Reduce off-season lifeguard levels at some beaches.
  • Remove some trash cans and fire rings from the beach and close roughly half of the restrooms at some beaches.
  • Close many park visitor centers two or more days every week.
  • Reduce the numbers of school tours and interpretive programs at many parks.

These service reductions are intended to ensure that California State Parks achieves its required cost savings while maintaining revenues at the highest level possible for the remainder of this fiscal year and while minimizing disruptions to visitors.

Some visitors may be inconvenienced by these service reductions; however, it is hoped that park visitors will understand and appreciate that their parks are remaining open, despite the severe budget reductions. The public can assist in several ways, including by hauling out their trash and helping to keep facilities as clean as possible for the next park visitor.

For the Mendocino District, all park units will have a reduction in public safety patrols, trash services, maintenance of facilities including restrooms, exotic weed removal and wildlife monitoring. Specific service reductions for the parks within the District are as follows:

Greenwood State Beach:

  • Closure of vault toilet near the beach.

Hendy Woods State Park:

  • Seasonal closure of campground – December 2nd through March 25th.

Jug Handle State Natural Reserve:

  • Closure of Jug Handle office. Relocate office to open facilities.

MacKerricher State Park:

  • Reduction in Visitor Center hours. Closed Monday – Thursday.

Mendocino Headlands State Park:

  • Closure of the restroom facility on Main Street. Replace with portable toilet from Big River Beach.
  • Reduction in Ford House Visitor Center hours. Closed Tuesday – Thursday.

Navarro River Redwoods State Park:

  • Removal of two portable toilets from the Navarro Beach campground and one at the Mill House.

Point Cabrillo Light Station State Historic Park:

  • Closure of the Visitor Center including restrooms. Relocate offices to open facilities.
  • Installation of portable restroom at the Visitor Center.
  • Closure of one restroom at the Light Station.

Russian Gulch State Park

  • Reduction in camping season – Closed until May 14th

Schooner Gulch State Park:

  • Closure of one vault toilet.

Van Damme State Park:

  • Reduction in campsites. Reduce to 20 sites from Nov 1st – March 25th. Only 1 restroom remains open.
  • Seasonal closure of Visitor Center from November 1st – March 25th.

The reductions above include combining offices, reducing the number of phone lines, reducing internet connections, lowering thermostat settings, reducing seasonal staff and not filling 9 vacant full time positions. Further reductions may be necessary if unexpected facility failures occur.

Posted in State Parks, attractions, ecotourism, family fun, parks | Comments Off

Overview

 

Lost Coast to Fort Bragg

Jackson State Forest • Inland

 

Caspar • Point Cabrillo • Mendocino

Little River • Albion • Navarro

 

Elk • Point Arena • Gualala