Mendocino Fun » walks

Whales and First Day Hikes Start January 1

dff — Sat, 24 Dec 2011 18:27:44 +0000

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.

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

Abundance of Color at the Gardens

nancy — Mon, 08 Aug 2011 02:15:09 +0000

Photo by Dennis Freeze

This is one of my favorite times of the year at the Mendocino Coast Botanical Gardens — when the dahlias and fuchsias are in bloom. Plus, Friends of the Garden’s display artists created birdhouses for their annual auction, and I can guarantee you’ll be delighted with the creativity of these artists. You can leave a bid on your favorite birdhouse or “Buy It Now”. But don’t forget to mark your calendars for the Artist Reception and final bid night on August 19th…a guaranteed fun evening with friends, food and wine…and all for the Gardens we love. Open daily 9am – 5 pm, 18220 N. Highway One, Fort Bragg. 707-964-4352

Heritage Days in Full Swing!

dff — Sat, 07 May 2011 18:53:31 +0000

Third Order Fresnel Lens in use at Point Cabrillo Light Station SHP
(You can also see the post author in the glass)Heritage Days of Mendocino County is in full swing now during all of May! This is the eighth year for Heritage Days—Nancy and I started it back when we were part of the now defunct Mendocino Business Association. Over the years, more organizations have joined the effort, including a number of inland partners in Willits and Ukiah. Organizers include: the Kelley House Museum • Ford House Visitor Center • Guest House Museum • Point Cabrillo Light Station SHP • Mendocino Coast Botanical Gardens • Mendocino Study Club • Mendocino County Museum & Native Daughters of the Golden West. Events this year include touring the third-order Fresnel lens at Point Cabrillo; tours of Ridgewood Ranch (home of Seabiscuit); historic walking tours in Mendocino, Fort Bragg, Willits, and Ukiah; lectures by historians; cemetery walks, and more. You can see the full schedule on the Heritage Days Web site.

Celebrating Fort Bragg History at the Guest House Museum

dff — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 08:09:35 +0000

The Fort Bragg-Mendocino Coast Historical Society began operating the Guest House Museum in August 1999. To celebrate their first ten years at the museum, they are putting on a number of special events during August.

On August 7, First Friday, 5:30 pm • Open House at the Museum. All are welcome.

The main celebration is Saturday, August 8, from 10 am – 3 pm at the Guest House Museum.

10-11 David Foucheaux will review the history of the Guest House over the years from 1857 to the present.
11-12 Michael Stenberg will tell the story of the California Western Railroad from a line hauling logs to a recreational route, The Skunk.
12 to 1:30 Lunch Break
1:30 pm Presentation of the Alder Thurman Historical Contribution Award. An award to some one who had made a contribution to local history. We expect to make this an annual presentation.
2 pm An entertaining presentation by Katie Tahja and Marty Simpson of the racy side of life early in the last century. They come in the persona of Madame Kate and J. D. Johnson, a businessman in Mendocino, to tell the tale.

They will round out the month with some walks in historic areas of Fort Bragg:

August 16, Sunday, 11 am, Cemetery Walk, Meet at Rose Memorial Park. Cemetery Walks led by David Foucheaux.
August 22, Saturday, 11 am, Historic Downtown Walk, Meet at the Museum. Walk led by Betty Carr.
August 30, Sunday, 11 am, Cemetery Walk. Meet at Rose Memorial Park.

The Guest House Museum is located at 343 North Main Street in Fort Bragg, CA, right next to the Skunk Train Depot.

State Parks Offers Summer Programs

nancy — Sat, 20 Jun 2009 04:38:48 +0000

Docent Led Hikes at Jug Handle State Reserve
Join California State Parks for guided Ecological Staircase hikes every other Thursday this summer. Hikes are scheduled for June 18, July 2, July 16, July 30, August 13 and August 27. All hikes start at 10:00 a.m. and end at 2:00 p.m. Meet at the Jug Handle State Natural Reserve parking lot on the west side of Highway 1, about 3 miles south of Fort Bragg.

Summer Programs at MacKerricher State Park
California State Parks announces free, guided interpretive programs at MacKerricher State Park. These programs will be presented every week through September 6, 2009. All programs are led by park staff or volunteers.

6th Annual Mendocino Coast Heritage Days

nancy — Sat, 02 May 2009 03:44:32 +0000

Today begins the month-long celebration of Mendocino Coast Heritage Days with historic walks, preservation talks, heritage roses and a whole lot more.

Docent-led historic walking tours will run every Friday, Saturday and Sunday and include buildings not open to the general public, such as the Masonic Temple, Presbyterian Church, and the Temple of Kwan Tai. Historic characters come alive on the cemetery tour and through old-time radio broadcasts. Visitors can tour heritage roses at the Mendocino Coast Botanical Gardens or talk with historic characters on the Skunk Train.

Bunny Camp and Easter Egg Hunts

nancy — Mon, 06 Apr 2009 01:28:26 +0000

There’s fun for the family next weekend with events springing up all along the Coast. Here are just a few special treats.
April 11 & 12: Model Railroad
The Mendocino Coast Model Railroad and Historical Society runs a 200-foot model of Digger Creek & Northern Railroad. Mendocino Coast Botanical Gardens, Hwy 1, Fort Bragg. 707-964-4352 ext.16

April 11 & 12 @ 10am: Easter Egg Express
Join us on the Skunk Train for an Easter Egg Hunt, fun and games and a surprise stop to visit the Easter Bunny. Goody bag provided. Departs Fort Bragg. Adults $47 Child $22 866-457-5865

April 11 from 11am-2:30pm: Bunny Camp
Children ages 3 – 7 are invited to join us for Bunny Camp. The Easter Bunny will welcome campers for crafts and an Easter egg hunt! Campers will decorate eggs, bags and cookies and have their faces painted. Then join the dash as the Easter egg hunt begins! Two sessions: 11:00 am to 12:30 pm and 1:00 pm to 2:30 pm The camp fee is $10 per camper with a limit of 35 campers per session. This event supports the Friends of Mendocino Coast Animal Shelter. 707-937-5942 for reservations. This event will sell out, so please call early.

Fort Bragg’s Oddities Tour: Dynamite Shed and Horse Rings

bruce — Wed, 24 Dec 2008 19:52:47 +0000

This lumber/fishing town turned art colony/tourist destination can now boast about quirky sites-to-see, thanks to Ron Bloomquist, 67, a retired local with a knack for noticing what others ignore. Seems Ron has a talent for spotting the interesting, odd and beautiful on streets, alleys and beaches. Nearly everyday at the end of his early morning walks, he posts insightful comments along with pictures and pithy captions for his blog, WalkingFortBragg.com. In fact, he has discovered so many unusual points of interest that the City of Fort Bragg Promotion Committee has printed “Fort Bragg Oddities,” a brochure detailing 20 quirky sites on a self-guided tour (available at tourist attractions, galleries and shops in Fort Bragg). For a commemorative tee or sweatshirt, visit Toto Zaida, a boutique on Laurel near Main in Fort Bragg.

Dedication of Laguna Point Interpretive Panels

nancy — Fri, 19 Dec 2008 03:15:12 +0000

The public is invited to attend a dedication ceremony on December 20 at 10 am as California State Parks proudly announces the installation of 11 new interpretive panels along the boardwalk at Laguna Point, part of MacKerricher State Park.The panels are designed to inspire and inform visitors about the natural and cultural history of Laguna Point and surrounding areas. These dynamic panels describe and depict a variety of topics including Native American traditions, logging history, harbor seals, gray whales and more. Also included along the boardwalk is an important display on how to stay safe on the shore. These are the newest and arguably the best interpretive panels that State Parks has anywhere on the Mendocino Coast, and we are very excited to share them with locals and visitors alike! Entrance to the park is free, so plan on bringing your families to enjoy a stroll and stop by Laguna Point at 10:00 am for the ceremony. MacKerricher State Park, 3 miles north of Fort Bragg, California, on Highway 1. To reach the dedication ceremony location, enter at the park’s main entrance, where you see the large wooden sign, and turn left at the second stop sign. Follow the park road past Lake Cleone and under the bridge to the Laguna Point Parking lot near the ocean. For more information on these exciting new panels or the dedication ceremony, please contact Park Interpreter Fred Andrews at (707) 961-0471.

Book Signing for Mendocino Outdoors on Sat, Aug 9

dff — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 17:44:39 +0000

Cover of Mendocino OutdoorsOn Saturday, August 9, there will be a book signing for my new book at the Mendocino Hotel from 4-6 pm. The wine will be poured by Goldeneye Winery — their wonderful pinot noir.

This event is for the release of the Third Edition of Mendocino Outdoors, the best guidebook about the Mendocino Coast. The new edition is a huge improvement over the past editions in all ways: it’s been completely revised (rewritten, really), and expanded to cover the entire Mendocino Coast. The new edition also has a lot more photography in it, to show you why you might want to go see something. I also ended up revising all of the maps, in addition to new ones.

You can see more about the book, including sample pages, here on the site.