MacKerricher State Park-Pinewood Campground

MacKerricher State Park has three campground loops with over 100 sites. Like many older parks the campsite parking pads are short so RVs longer than 35' will not fit.  We chose to camp in one of accessible sites for the level, paved parking pad and the sunny location. The accessible sites at this park seem to be only reservable by phone or in person which is good for non-planners like us.

The Ten Mile Haul Road was our main reason for visiting the park. It's usual to find such a long accessible trail along the ocean bluffs. The paved haul trail can be accessed from the campground by a hard packed sandy trail near site 91. Wheelchair users may need assistance due to a short drop off from the campground road. The trail goes north for about a mile before it drops down to the beach and is no longer accessible. This is the boundary of the Inglenook Fen-Ten Mile Dunes Preserve and the haul road has been removed to protect rare plants and animals.

 

  

        

   Heading south the haul trail goes down to Mill Creek Drive and to get to the rest of the trail you must follow the road up a pretty steep incline. The campground map shows a continuous trail but the bridge over the beach has been long gone. Drive south on Route 1 to the parking lot near Pudding Creek Trestle for easier access to the southern portion of the trail.

  The campground map also shows a trail around Lake Cleone. This trail has not been maintained and is not usable by anyone.

 There's a really nice 3/4 mile boardwalk trail to Laguna Point for whale watching in April and access to the tide pools. This is also a good place to watch seals. Most RVs will fit in the last row of spaces. Long RVs will fit in the lot by Lake Cleone but getting to the boardwalk involves pushing up the steep incline on Mill Creek Drive. Park  39.49195, -123.791