Читать книгу The Northern California Camper - Daniel C Merrill - Страница 8

This section of the book describes the campgrounds, and selective points of interest, which lie along the Northern California Coast in Marin, Sonoma and Mendocino counties. This area of the California’s coast is served by Highway 1 which begins at its junction with Highway 101 in Mill Valley, about ten miles north of The Golden Gate Bridge, and continues to Rock Port about 22 miles north of Fort Bragg. Three miles north of Rockport, Highway 1 leaves the coast and turns east to cross the Coast Range before joining Highway 101 again at Leggett.

From the South the easiest way to reach the campgrounds along the Marin and Sonoma coastline is to leave Highway 101 at Petaluma and proceed west on Bodega Avenue to Valley Ford Road. Continue west on Valley Road until it joins Highway 1 a few miles south east of Bodega Bay.

It is a good 5-6 hour drive from Bodega Bay to the town of Mendocino; thus, for those who wish to visit the Mendocino coast from the south, it is much faster to continue north on Highway 101 to its junction with Highway 128 at Cloverdale. Proceed west on Highway 128, through the quaint town of Boonville, until it joins Highway 1, about 10 miles south of Mendocino. Highway 128 passes through the Anderson valley whose vineyards produce some of the highest quality wines in California, or the world for that matter.

To reach the area from the north, follow Highway 101 south from Eureka to Leggett. At Leggett take Highway 1 west to Westport and proceed south along the coast to Fort Bragg and all points south. Highway 1 is paved and 2 lane all the way as is Highway 128. The 28 miles between Leggett and Westport are slow going because the road is steep and winding. Similarly, the segment of Highway 1 between Jenner and Fort Ross is very steep and makes many hairpin turns as it winds its way along cliffs that are 500 or more feet above the rugged Pacific Ocean shoreline. Nonetheless, all parts of Highway 101 are well maintained and should not pose a problem even for the largest RV at any time of year.

One also can reach this part of the Northern California coast by taking Highway 20 from Willits to Fort Bragg; this is a good road but not very scenic. The road from Ukiah to Mendocino is also a possibility; however, this is a long boring trip and should be avoided unless there is a good reason not to do so.

The campgrounds in Marin and Southern Sonoma Counties, in general, are not as scenic as those to the north. Furthermore, because of their close proximity to the bay area they tend to be very crowded in the summer and even on weekends in the winter. From the Bay Area it will take three to four hours to reach to the Sonoma-Mendocino coast, but you will find the time and effort spent getting there well worthwhile. This area of the California Coast is spectacularly beautiful and far less crowded than the more popular tourist attractions to the south in Carmel and Big Sur. The one exception is the town of Mendocino, which, on a 3-day weekend, should be avoided because of crowds. I also avoid Mendocino because its restaurants are overrated and unjustifiably expensive. If you want a good meal in this area at a fair price try the restaurant at the Brewery in Fort Bragg.

There are many things to do and much to see as you make your way along Highway 1. Most of these attractions will be obvious; however, a few of my favorite spots can easily be missed. The 9 hole executive golf course at The Little River Inn at Little River, a few miles south of Mendocino, is worth playing. The fourth hole is one of the longest and toughest par 5s I have played and the ninth hole, overlooking the ocean, is spectacular. They will not let you drive your golf cart onto the fairways at Little River, so plan to walk this steep course.

The picnic area at the Russian Gulch State Park is one of our favorite spots in California and is an absolute must for anyone visiting this area. Except for its campground, which is full most of the summer, this beautiful Oceanside Park is never crowded. This is quite surprising since it is only about a mile north of Mendocino. In any case, even on holiday weekends, when the small town of Mendocino is literally “crawling with tourists”, this magnificent state park and its beautiful picnic area will have few visitors.

For those who enjoy ocean fishing, the party boats out of Fort Bragg invariably limit out for rockfish. They also catch their fair share of salmon in the late fall and spring. This area of the ocean can be pretty rough, even on an apparently calm day, so anyone who is subject to seasickness should think twice before signing up for one of these fishing excursions.

Rock fishing also is good along the ocean bluffs anywhere along this section of the coast; however, you will lose a lot of hooks and sinkers because of the rocky bottoms and the sea weed that grows 3 to 4 feet tall along the bottom. During stormy weather the water will be too cloudy for the fish to see your bait, so do not waste your time fishing when the water is rough. When the surf is rough, rock fishing is also dangerous due to the unexpected “sleeper waves” which can wash you off the rocks. Thus, in the winter do not try fishing from the rocks unless you are well above the waves below (75

feet or more). Use heavy tackle, medium sized hooks and sand bags for weight. Muscles, which can be picked from the rocks at low tide, provide the best bait for rock fish. You can purchase fishing tackle at any of the drug stores in Fort Brag.

The ocean front trail at Russian Gulch State Park is an excellent place to fish for rock fish and sea trout. There are several benches (ledges) along the trail which are far enough from the water to be safe irrespective of the weather.

Surf fishing for sea perch is good along any of the area’s sandy beaches in the summer. Use the same bait and tackle that you would for rock fish. Surf fish also run during the summer months; however you will have to buy a throw net to fish for them. Muscles, which are abundant on the rocks anywhere along the northern coast, are easy to get at low tide. While it is not safe to eat muscles because of the “red Tide” they are the best source of bait for both Rock Fish and Perch.

Abalone diving is undoubtedly the most popular sport in this area. This, of course, is not something most visitors will want to tackle. However, experienced divers can easily limit out anywhere along the Marin, Sonoma and Mendocino Coast that has a rocky shore line. One note of caution is in order for those who are not familiar with the California Department of Fish and Game. The fines for even the most minor infraction of the abalone fishing rules can run into the thousands of dollars! The game wardens are extremely tricky in plying their trade. For example, at Russian Gulch State Park, they hide in the woods above the diving area and follow the diver’s activities with binoculars, taking pictures with telescopic cameras to document the infractions made by the divers. Beware of these vultures, they are everywhere!

The Skunk train in Fort Bragg runs along Pudding Creek for about 10 miles before climbing the mountain on its way to Willits. There is a picnic area at the half waypoint where one can leave the train and spend a couple of hours before catching the train on its way back from Willits to Fort Bragg. Do not sign up for the trip all the way to Willits since the second half of the ride is extremely boring and there is nothing to see or do in Willits. Unfortunately, due to the cost of insurance, it is unclear how much longer this popular tourist attraction will be able to continue operating.

Some of the finest wines in the world are produced in the Anderson Valley along the western part of Highway 128, about 20 miles from Highway 1 on the coast. The campground at Hendy Woods State Part is only a few miles from these wineries and provides an ideal staging point from which to visit them.

Much of the area along this segment of Highway 1 is sparsely populated and it is best to stock up on supplies before coming here. However, there are small grocery stores in Bodega Bay, Gualala, Point Arena and a relatively large one in Mendocino. There also is a large Safeway Store right on Highway 1 in the center Fort Brag. Gasoline and diesel fuel are very expensive in the small towns along Highway 1. The cheapest fuel can be found in Fort Brag.

Finally, a few words about the weather: Fall is generally the most ideal time of year to visit the coastal regions of Marin, Sonoma and Mendocino counties. During October and November one is likely to encounter warm balmy days and nights with little wind. The sunsets this time of year can be spectacular. During the summer months this area of the California coast can be surprisingly cool due to the presence of morning fog and brisk sea breezes. The weather during the winter months is quite variable, but can be very pleasant if a storm front is not moving through the area. However, irrespective of the time of year, the weather can be cold if the winds come up, so bring some worm clothing (and rain gear if you are visiting in the winter or early spring).

If you are unlucky enough to hit a bad patch of weather during your visit to the Northern California Coast, all is not lost! Although, the Hendy Woods campground is only a few miles from the coast, it has a very different climate. The Anderson valley has a very temperate climate and is usually warm and pleasant irrespective of the weather on the coast during the summer months. Thus, if the weather is not that great on the coast, take a break and visit the wineries for a day or two.

Similarly, the campgrounds at the Jackson demonstration State forest usually are 10 to 20 degrees warmer than their counterparts on the coast even though they are only a few miles east of fort brag on Highway 20.

Map showing the location of the campgrounds in this section

The map is provided to show the approximate locations of the campgrounds with respect to nearby towns and highways. It has not been drawn to scale.