Little River Blowhole
(scroll to bottom for photo gallery)
Location: 7300 Shoreline Hwy, Little River, CA 95456
Starting Point: Park at one of the parking spots next to the Little River Cemetery on Shoreline Highway (Route 1) where it intersects with Little River-Airport Road. If those spots are full, there are a few spots for parking across the road on Little River-Airport Road.
Info links:
For all web links, if a link doesn’t jump directly, copy and paste into browser.
Little River Blowhole information link (Mendocino Land Trust):
https://www.mendocinolandtrust.org/trails/central-coastal-trails/little-river-blowhole/
Little River Blowhole information link (California Beaches):
https://www.californiabeaches.com/beach/little-river-blowhole/
Map link:
Input “Little River Blowhole” or “Blowhole Trail” in a map app. You’ll see Little River Cemetery and see that the trail to the blowhole, marked by a sign, is at the far side of the cemetery as if Little River-Airport Road had continued across it.
Distance:
This is a short, 0.5-mile loop trail. What it lacks in distance it makes up for in spine-tingling edginess as visitors walk around the edge of this actively eroding giant hole.
Considerations:
• There are a few roadside parking spots next to the Little River Cemetery at the intersection of Route 1 and Little River-Airport Road. If those are full, there are a few spots in view on Little River-Airport Road.
• There are no toilet facilities at this site.
• Any location with cliffs requires caution. This is the extreme version of that.
• Poison oak is visible throughout this area. Stay on trail. A scrub like Tecnu is good to have on hand in case of contact.
• Dogs are allowed on leash.
• Pay attention to health and safety signs.
• Park area is open from sunrise to sunset.
The trail:
Though this is a publicly known destination, complete with a trail marker sign (once you walk through the cemetery), it somehow feels like sneaking into a secret spot only known by insiders.
First, visitors have to find the roadside parking spots along Route 1, at the intersection with Little River-Airport Road. If those few spots are full, there is a bit of parking space across Route 1 on Little River-Airport Road.
The Little River Cemetery is quite small. The Blowhole Trail can be found from the southern end of the cemetery. The path leads from the cemetery past a Little River Blowhole sign. Further in there is an informational sign that explains the geological history of how this started as a blowhole created by waves crashing into a cave. Crashing waves and other natural forces eventually eroded the hole until what was once a true blowhole is now actually a punchbowl. Waves still come in with the tide through the cave entrance, but the space is too wide for the water to make the vertical explosion of a blowhole.
There is a wooden fence around the circular edge of the hole, and it is reassuring to have the fence. It is about a sixty foot drop to the wet sand at the bottom, and the carcasses of giant trees that have fallen to the forces of nature are reminders to not fall to the bottom ourselves.
We did, however, see footprints in the sand far below, and could see ropes tied to the steep, muddy open space on one side of the steep hole. If you look up videos for Little River Blowhole online, you can see people making their way down by rope, including one video of someone filming a scuba dive through the cave to the ocean outside.
This is a short but dramatic walk. Use caution not only with the steep cliffs and erosion, but also with the pervasive poison oak all around the trail here.
Readers should note that the photos in the photo gallery do not capture the dramatic sense of depth and space of the blowhole. Though not so jarring in photos, it really is remarkable to see in person.
(Little River Blowhole-Mendocino Hike Notes were originally paired with the “Hanging by a Thread” Insights post.)
Click Insights/Hike Update News for inspiring reflections. Browse hikes on the main Hikes page or on the Hike Search by Area page. Check out selected articles and interviews under Media. Click World Walks to see or share favorite family-friendly walks! Stay in touch with Lisa Louis and HikingAutism via Contact. See products with inspiring designs that support the efforts of HikingAutism under Support/Shop. The Links page lists a loose collection of helpful information links.
Check the Home page for the broader background story. If you’re not able to take one of these Northern California hikes, hopefully you can enjoy the photo galleries at the bottom of each hike page! Feel free to share and follow on Facebook at HikingAutism, follow on Twitter at @HikingAutism and Instagram at lisalouis777
(scroll to bottom for photo gallery)
Location: 7300 Shoreline Hwy, Little River, CA 95456
Starting Point: Park at one of the parking spots next to the Little River Cemetery on Shoreline Highway (Route 1) where it intersects with Little River-Airport Road. If those spots are full, there are a few spots for parking across the road on Little River-Airport Road.
Info links:
For all web links, if a link doesn’t jump directly, copy and paste into browser.
Little River Blowhole information link (Mendocino Land Trust):
https://www.mendocinolandtrust.org/trails/central-coastal-trails/little-river-blowhole/
Little River Blowhole information link (California Beaches):
https://www.californiabeaches.com/beach/little-river-blowhole/
Map link:
Input “Little River Blowhole” or “Blowhole Trail” in a map app. You’ll see Little River Cemetery and see that the trail to the blowhole, marked by a sign, is at the far side of the cemetery as if Little River-Airport Road had continued across it.
Distance:
This is a short, 0.5-mile loop trail. What it lacks in distance it makes up for in spine-tingling edginess as visitors walk around the edge of this actively eroding giant hole.
Considerations:
• There are a few roadside parking spots next to the Little River Cemetery at the intersection of Route 1 and Little River-Airport Road. If those are full, there are a few spots in view on Little River-Airport Road.
• There are no toilet facilities at this site.
• Any location with cliffs requires caution. This is the extreme version of that.
• Poison oak is visible throughout this area. Stay on trail. A scrub like Tecnu is good to have on hand in case of contact.
• Dogs are allowed on leash.
• Pay attention to health and safety signs.
• Park area is open from sunrise to sunset.
The trail:
Though this is a publicly known destination, complete with a trail marker sign (once you walk through the cemetery), it somehow feels like sneaking into a secret spot only known by insiders.
First, visitors have to find the roadside parking spots along Route 1, at the intersection with Little River-Airport Road. If those few spots are full, there is a bit of parking space across Route 1 on Little River-Airport Road.
The Little River Cemetery is quite small. The Blowhole Trail can be found from the southern end of the cemetery. The path leads from the cemetery past a Little River Blowhole sign. Further in there is an informational sign that explains the geological history of how this started as a blowhole created by waves crashing into a cave. Crashing waves and other natural forces eventually eroded the hole until what was once a true blowhole is now actually a punchbowl. Waves still come in with the tide through the cave entrance, but the space is too wide for the water to make the vertical explosion of a blowhole.
There is a wooden fence around the circular edge of the hole, and it is reassuring to have the fence. It is about a sixty foot drop to the wet sand at the bottom, and the carcasses of giant trees that have fallen to the forces of nature are reminders to not fall to the bottom ourselves.
We did, however, see footprints in the sand far below, and could see ropes tied to the steep, muddy open space on one side of the steep hole. If you look up videos for Little River Blowhole online, you can see people making their way down by rope, including one video of someone filming a scuba dive through the cave to the ocean outside.
This is a short but dramatic walk. Use caution not only with the steep cliffs and erosion, but also with the pervasive poison oak all around the trail here.
Readers should note that the photos in the photo gallery do not capture the dramatic sense of depth and space of the blowhole. Though not so jarring in photos, it really is remarkable to see in person.
(Little River Blowhole-Mendocino Hike Notes were originally paired with the “Hanging by a Thread” Insights post.)
Click Insights/Hike Update News for inspiring reflections. Browse hikes on the main Hikes page or on the Hike Search by Area page. Check out selected articles and interviews under Media. Click World Walks to see or share favorite family-friendly walks! Stay in touch with Lisa Louis and HikingAutism via Contact. See products with inspiring designs that support the efforts of HikingAutism under Support/Shop. The Links page lists a loose collection of helpful information links.
Check the Home page for the broader background story. If you’re not able to take one of these Northern California hikes, hopefully you can enjoy the photo galleries at the bottom of each hike page! Feel free to share and follow on Facebook at HikingAutism, follow on Twitter at @HikingAutism and Instagram at lisalouis777
