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On the Mendocino coast, the air smells of salt, and the crashing waves create a continuous resonance. The tall bluffs at this spot north of San Francisco resemble the rugged shores of the east coast, but with an unmistakable California flair.
Two miles north of Mendocino, Russian Gulch State Park’s collapsed sea cave cuts 200 feet into the heavily forested Russian Gulch Creek Canyon, a headland that features the Devil's Punch Bowl (a large, collapsed sea cave with churning water), and a beach that offers swimming, tide pool exploring, skin diving and rock fishing. Inland, there is a 36-foot high waterfall. Hikers enjoy miles of hiking trails. The park also has a paved three-mile bicycle trail.
Devil’s Punchbowl formed when pounding waves forged an inland tunnel and left a hole 100 feet across and 60 feet deep. At high tide, boiling waves crash around the cave’s interior, producing a reverberant echo. The photogenic Frederick W. Panhorst Bridge rises gracefully 100 feet from the bottom of the gulch. The park has nearly a mile and a half of ocean frontage; its craggy beauty rivals any point along California’s coast. In the spring, the park’s foggy headlands bloom with acres of wildflowers.
Park News Alert
Service Reduction Information
Until further notice Russian Gulch State Park will contain areas where services are reduced or eliminated due to the fiscal crisis.
For further information please contact the Mendocino District Office at (707) 937-5804 Monday - Friday 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Day use will remain open during the winter. Self pay registration is required for vehicles entering the park.
Camper Information
Russian Gulch campground is now closed until further notice.
Service Reduction Information
Until further notice Russian Gulch State Park will contain areas where services are reduced or eliminated due to the fiscal crisis.
For further information please contact the Mendocino District Office at (707) 937-5804 Monday - Friday 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Day use will remain open during the winter. Self pay registration is required for vehicles entering the park.
Camper Information
Russian Gulch campground is now closed until further notice.
Getting There
The park is two miles north of Mendocino on Highway 1.
The Day Use Annual Pass is accepted at this park.
The park is two miles north of Mendocino on Highway 1.
The Day Use Annual Pass is accepted at this park.
Seasons/Climate/Recommended Clothing
The climate here is temperate year-round. Winter rains and cool summer fogs that usually burn off by mid-morning provide the moisture necessary for the thriving coastal redwoods. Prepare for changeable weather by dressing in light layers.
The climate here is temperate year-round. Winter rains and cool summer fogs that usually burn off by mid-morning provide the moisture necessary for the thriving coastal redwoods. Prepare for changeable weather by dressing in light layers.
Operating Hours & Contact
Please contact the park for hours of operation.
Telephone: 707-937-5804
Please contact the park for hours of operation.
Telephone: 707-937-5804
History
Lumber operations around Russian Gulch were modest: shingles, split lumber and railroad ties. In the early 1880s, several homesteaders filed claims on the land, and some of it was farmed. Until well into the 1900s, Russian Gulch was a fishing boat harbor and stop for freight and passenger ships. In the mid-1920s, F. O. Warner, a Los Angeles real estate developer, purchased land around Russian Gulch to open a resort; visitors realized that Russian Gulch was an ideal place to spend hot summers. In August 1928, the Mendocino Beacon reported that the Native Sons of the Golden West had launched a movement “to have Russian Gulch…set aside for one of the proposed State Parks.” In 1933 the State acquired the land, and on October 21, 1934, Russian Gulch State Park was dedicated.
The source of the name “Russian Gulch” is uncertain. Possibly cartographers charting the area named it for its proximity to Fort Ross; others suggest the name came from a fort deserter who settled in the area.
Lumber operations around Russian Gulch were modest: shingles, split lumber and railroad ties. In the early 1880s, several homesteaders filed claims on the land, and some of it was farmed. Until well into the 1900s, Russian Gulch was a fishing boat harbor and stop for freight and passenger ships. In the mid-1920s, F. O. Warner, a Los Angeles real estate developer, purchased land around Russian Gulch to open a resort; visitors realized that Russian Gulch was an ideal place to spend hot summers. In August 1928, the Mendocino Beacon reported that the Native Sons of the Golden West had launched a movement “to have Russian Gulch…set aside for one of the proposed State Parks.” In 1933 the State acquired the land, and on October 21, 1934, Russian Gulch State Park was dedicated.
The source of the name “Russian Gulch” is uncertain. Possibly cartographers charting the area named it for its proximity to Fort Ross; others suggest the name came from a fort deserter who settled in the area.
Accessible Features
Camping: Campsite 21 is generally accessible. Assistance may be needed with water and facilities. Restroom with shower: Adjacent restroom is generally accessible. Restroom adjacent to site 21 may permit front transfers. Shower offers lower showerheads, but may require assistance reaching controls from folding bench.
Trails: The Fern Canyon Trail is a popular paved hike and bike trail through the redwoods and ferns that is accessible for about 0.90 mile and passes a waterfall. Trailhead and paved parking lot are on east end of campground.
Other Information: A recreation hall with kitchen, fireplace and restrooms may be used by groups and is accessible. Interior space is wheelchair accessible. Restrooms are generally accessible.
Be the first to add a trip in this destination!Camping: Campsite 21 is generally accessible. Assistance may be needed with water and facilities. Restroom with shower: Adjacent restroom is generally accessible. Restroom adjacent to site 21 may permit front transfers. Shower offers lower showerheads, but may require assistance reaching controls from folding bench.
Trails: The Fern Canyon Trail is a popular paved hike and bike trail through the redwoods and ferns that is accessible for about 0.90 mile and passes a waterfall. Trailhead and paved parking lot are on east end of campground.
Other Information: A recreation hall with kitchen, fireplace and restrooms may be used by groups and is accessible. Interior space is wheelchair accessible. Restrooms are generally accessible.
Nearby Community Trips
Watch out for people, bears, mountain lions, mosquitos, ticks, rattlesnakes, and lots of poison oak. I always take time to smell the flowers. I always tread lightly and leave no trace. I always suggest showering with a good grease cutting dish soap and cool water after a ride. All skidders suck!!!
We arrived up north too late to start the Lost Coast, so we settled for a lovely stroll through the redwoods in Russian Gulch State Park. We passed through redwoods, Grand Firs, huckleberries, and wild Rhododendrons at first. After the crazy middle section through a dry pygmy desert landscape, we passed back through a gorgeous waterfall and then alongside alders, elders, and lovely wiggly telephone-cord vines for the last stretch back.
