The Mendocino National Forest, only a three-hour drive north of San Francisco, is 913,306 acres of mountains and canyons in the coastal mountain range, luring those who seek solitude and quiet. From 750 feet in the Grindstone Creek Canyon in the foothills of the Sacramento Valley to the 8,092 feet of South Yolla Bolly Mountain, the elevation changes dramatically and with it the flora and wildlife at home there.

Check out the rustic old Pine Mountain Lookout at 4,000 feet, surrounded by dense pine and fir forest, or visit the Red Bluff Recreation Area where you will find a mix of oak forests, grasslands covered with wildflowers, wetlands and the cool, clear Sacramento River, home to 125 species of birds and many wild animals. There are four miles of trails offering great views of Mount Lassen, Mount Shasta and the Yolla Bolly Mountains.

825 N. Humboldt Ave., Willows, CA 95988, Phone: 530-934-3316

Big Sur Yosemite National Park Santa Cruz San Jose Oakland Mendocino National Forest Redwood National Park Sonoma, Northern California Modoc National Forest Calaveras County Point Lobos State Reserve Muir Woods National Monument Marin Headlands, Northern California Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park Yosemite Falls Pfeiffer Beach Lava Beds National Monument Napa Valley Humboldt Redwoods State Park Mendocino, Northern California Sacramento San Francisco Six Rivers National Forest Klamath National Forest

Explore more: Northern California > Places to Visit in Northern California

Plan Your Trip

Get Ready to Go!

Need some more help?


Go to travel reservations.