Big River State Park in Mendocino is absolutely stunning, one of those places where you're reminded how much nature is showing off along this coast. With the river winding through redwoods and opening out toward the ocean, the scenery feels almost unreal in its scale and beauty. There are trails everywhere, great spots for kayaking, hiking, or just sitting quietly and taking it all in. The whole Mendocino area is packed with parks, and this one is a standout for its grandeur and sense of peace. It really feels like a place to slow down and appreciate how incredible the natural world is. read more

I've visited Mendocino many times and somehow have never spent time at this wonderful (and free) state park. The entrance is off Highway 1, just outside Mendocino's shopping district and headlands. There are big wide beaches where the river meets the ocean which are visible right away. However, if you make a left at the bottom of the hill and drive a short ways to the end of the lot, there's a wonderful trail that meanders alongside the river. This former logging road is wide and gently graded (at least for the first 2.5 miles I walked on it.) It's great for bikes and more casual "hikes." It goes, I believe, about 7 miles inland so you can go as far as you'd like and turn around. It's a mellow journey and one more about the sites and sounds along the trail and the general peacefullness of the area, rather than a specific destination. You weave along the river and eventually in to the redwoods, where the water views become filtered through the trees. Along the way, we saw a few banana slugs and enjoyed a mostly shaded trail. I would love to come back with my bike and do the whole trail, end to end. The start of the trail had more people, which then tapered to just a few bikers and runners after the first mile or so. Seems to be a local's spot and they're very lucky to have it! read more

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Easy access, great park, huge area with huge parking lot. The path to the Big River is sandy, drift wood and logs, grass, rocks and clean, free of trash. There are disability sized portable toilets with access to people in wheel chairs. Tide was down walked way out into a sandy bar like area. Found some jelly fish. Great place for dogs, they are supposed to be leashed even though some were roaming free. You can walk under the bridge when the tide is out, out to the ocean and beach. read more

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One could easily spend the day here it's so nice. The river is cold yet beautiful. You can choose to sit river side or ocean side. We flew a kite, had a picnic & the kids loved checking out the driftwood huts. read more

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It's not often that you find an area where the river meets the beach. And let me tell you; it's an absolutely wonderful experience. Is it a river?! Is it a beach?! Who really knows. But what I can tell you is that it's stunningly gorgeous. Like many others, I stumbled across this park while driving past it over the shoreline highway bridge. The Big River State Park unit is a small subsidiary of the larger Mendocino Headlands State Park and incorporates the wetlands of Big River Beach. The Big River Unit stretches from the mouth of the Big River and passes through parts of Jackson Demonstration State Forest, Jug Handle State Reserve, Mendocino Woodlands State Park, and ends near Russian River Gulch State Park. It's actually a pretty large corridor that measures over 7,400 acres. The area near the bridge seems to be a hot commodity with both locals and tourists alike. The Westside of the bridge is the "beachy" side whereas the eastside of the bridge presents more of a river or lake. What's nice about this river is how incredibly clear it is. I love bodies of water where you can literally look down and see the bottom. This water is as clear as day. On top of that, the hue is this astonishing aqua color. I rarely ever see lakes or rivers this color in California. But here it is. Big River State Park and all of its' glory. This is an excellent place to just lounge around and chill. It's not crowded like the bigger Mendocino beaches, and the waves are super light and minimal. The water temps during the fall are just perfect. If you enjoy water activities like kayaking and paddleboarding, then this is the perfect place to do it. I saw lots of people enjoying these kinds of activities on the water here. And of course, a picnic is always fun! I enjoyed a wonderful picnic here while overlooking the pretty colors of the water. Sidenote; if you're looking for an excellent spot to grab sandwiches for a picnic, hit up Mendocino Café. I enjoyed a delicious rock cod sandwich and clam chowder here right near the water. Also got my nap on which was super relaxing. I honestly didn't wanna leave, but I had to drive 3.5 hours back home. I really enjoyed hanging out on this gorgeous beachy river. The next time that I'm back in Mendo, I will definitely be making a pitstop here. read more

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Couldn't check in as internet reception is non existent here. This is a great state park....wonderful trails (wide, multi-track) for running, mountain biking. It's relatively flat unless you decided to veer on the single track trails that look to be all uphills. The river flows right next to the trail, it's shady with all the trees and quiet peaceful. You may see deer (we did) and if you look into the river, we are told you can see the otters/seals. It's a nice place for a picnic, hanging out or working out. read more

We spotted this beach from the bridge on our way to Mendocino downtown, couldn't help but went to the beach. The best pit stop we might have ever made. It's super clean, crystal clear water, no beachy waves, clam and much more. We always look for such dog friendly and less crowded beaches for our golden retriever who loves to play in the water. We stopped on this beach again on our way back home too. If you are in the area- you have to stop here with a cute picnic basket and a blanket. read more

Hands down the BEST beach ever! On our way home from Mendocino we made a pit stop here at big river beach. Our biggest mistake was not having a full day to spend here! It was beautiful! Best of both worlds, trees and river meets sand and beach. Was amazing and perfect spot for families. read more

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This beach was gorgeous. It was fun to see how the water moves around the jutting cliff and swings around into the river. The sand was super soft and fine. My family kept busy skipping rocks into the river. We saw a curious harbor seal checking us out. Parking was plentiful and easy. There were areas where you are more protected from the wind. Great place to enjoy nature and the views. read more

Found this little gem by driving around. It's not as popular as the surrounding areas. It's free, so even better. Lots of parking, but be aware, it can get dusty, as the parking area is on dirt/sand. Lots of places to play, swim, sunbath, fish, paddle board, kayak, and run along the water. I saw lots of people but there was so much space that you would have your own little oasis away from people. read more

Big River hike was amazing. Along the river the whole way. Very nice hike into the redwoods away from the wind

Nice hike along ghe Big River Trail. It is an easy to moderate hike. There is some water action below. GOod views of the river & the forest. You could spend an hour to several hours here. read more