Point Cabrillo Lighthouse-Mendocino
(scroll to bottom for photo gallery)
Location: Point Cabrillo Light Station State Historic Park, 13800 Point Cabrillo Dr., Mendocino, CA 95460, between the towns of Mendocino and Fort Bragg
Starting Point: Point Cabrillo Light Station Parking Lot, 13800 Point Cabrillo Dr./Lighthouse Road for day visitors, disability placard parking available closer to the lighthouse on Lighthouse Road. Overnight guests at lighthouse keeper house rentals have separate parking.
Info links:
For all web links, if a link doesn’t jump directly, copy and paste into browser.
Point Cabrillo Light Station information link (Point Cabrillo Lightkeepers Association):
https://pointcabrillo.org
Explore Point Cabrillo information link (Point Cabrillo Lightkeepers Association):
https://pointcabrillo.org/visit/explore/
Point Cabrillo Museums information link (Point Cabrillo Lightkeepers Association):
https://pointcabrillo.org/visit/museums/
Staying at Point Cabrillo information link (Point Cabrillo Lightkeepers Association):
https://pointcabrillo.org/rentals/head-house/
Map link:
Point Cabrillo Light Station map link (Point Cabrillo Lightkeepers Association):
https://pointcabrillo.org/visit/find-us/
Distance:
Day visitors parking at the at the parking lot at Point Cabrillo Drive at Lighthouse Road enjoy a half mile walk to the main lighthouse visitor area. Once in the historic building area, visitors are free to walk various paths in the area, or just walk around the lighthouse and museums.
Considerations:
• Disability placard parking is available near the historic residences closer to the lighthouse
• There is a toilet facility near the residence and museum area.
• Dogs are also allowed under close leash control.
• Pay attention to health and safety signs, including wildlife information signs.
• Any location with cliffs requires caution. Cliffs can crumble unexpectedly. Stay away from cliff edges.
• Park area is open from sunrise to sunset. Lighthouse museum and giftshop noted as open from 11 AM to 4 PM, but hours may vary.
• Wildlife in the area means there are also ticks. Stay on trails, out of tall grass.
The trail:
Day visitors parking at the entry parking lot near Point Cabrillo Drive will enjoy a half mile stroll along Lighthouse Road to get to the lighthouse, museums, and historic residences area. There is also a dirt path that starts at the north end of the parking lot and leads visitors through grassland and coastal prairie for a wider loop to the lighthouse area. Heed signs (including the tick warning sign off one section of trail). We saw a lovely deer with two fawns on this trail close to the historic residences.
Those staying at one of the residences or parking in the handicap access parking area will start near the houses and museum buildings, with a much shorter walk to get to the lighthouse itself. There are paths along the coastline to the north and south of the lighthouse. A longer path to Frolic Cove, the site of an 1850 shipwreck (we were there exactly on the 171st anniversary of the wreck) follows the coast north and loops back through the grassy fields, a walk to be covered in another post.
A docent may be on duty to offer information at the lightkeeper house that is retained as a museum site. Other historic residences are offered as vacation rentals. We stayed at the head lighthouse keeper’s house, with a nicely restored house and vintage furnishings for our visit. There is little or no internet/phone reception, but DVDs are on offer to watch movies filmed in the Mendocino area to add to the scenic coastal mood. (Check out the 1948 classic “Johhny Belinda,” filmed on the Mendocino coast to portray Nova Scotia.)
The lighthouse itself is photogenic under sunny skies or gray, but is especially lovely at sunset. When open, there are exhibits with historical information as well as a gift shop.
We took a number of other hikes in the area, but in our easy lighthouse area ambling, we saw gorgeous coastal scenery, with interesting little inlets dotted with kelp, and a sleepy harbor seal taking a break from the rough waves. Seasonal whale and dolphin viewing is popular here.
I typically count between ten and thirty pelicans in the flocks I see fly near home at Ocean Beach in San Francisco. At Point Cabrillo Lighthouse, I counted ninety pelicans in one flock. Seagulls and other seabirds were also on view.
We were lucky that one of our nights at the lighthouse was clear (with a full moon), because it made for wonderful sunset views. The following evening was gray and overcast, more typical of what we expect along the coast.
Visitors can keep lighthouse area walks short if they wish, but also have the option to walk quite a distance. I’m sure we’ll come to the lighthouse again next time we’re able to visit Mendocino.
(Point Cabrillo Lighthouse-Mendocino Hike Notes were originally paired with the “Long Road of Companionship” 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: Point Cabrillo Light Station State Historic Park, 13800 Point Cabrillo Dr., Mendocino, CA 95460, between the towns of Mendocino and Fort Bragg
Starting Point: Point Cabrillo Light Station Parking Lot, 13800 Point Cabrillo Dr./Lighthouse Road for day visitors, disability placard parking available closer to the lighthouse on Lighthouse Road. Overnight guests at lighthouse keeper house rentals have separate parking.
Info links:
For all web links, if a link doesn’t jump directly, copy and paste into browser.
Point Cabrillo Light Station information link (Point Cabrillo Lightkeepers Association):
https://pointcabrillo.org
Explore Point Cabrillo information link (Point Cabrillo Lightkeepers Association):
https://pointcabrillo.org/visit/explore/
Point Cabrillo Museums information link (Point Cabrillo Lightkeepers Association):
https://pointcabrillo.org/visit/museums/
Staying at Point Cabrillo information link (Point Cabrillo Lightkeepers Association):
https://pointcabrillo.org/rentals/head-house/
Map link:
Point Cabrillo Light Station map link (Point Cabrillo Lightkeepers Association):
https://pointcabrillo.org/visit/find-us/
Distance:
Day visitors parking at the at the parking lot at Point Cabrillo Drive at Lighthouse Road enjoy a half mile walk to the main lighthouse visitor area. Once in the historic building area, visitors are free to walk various paths in the area, or just walk around the lighthouse and museums.
Considerations:
• Disability placard parking is available near the historic residences closer to the lighthouse
• There is a toilet facility near the residence and museum area.
• Dogs are also allowed under close leash control.
• Pay attention to health and safety signs, including wildlife information signs.
• Any location with cliffs requires caution. Cliffs can crumble unexpectedly. Stay away from cliff edges.
• Park area is open from sunrise to sunset. Lighthouse museum and giftshop noted as open from 11 AM to 4 PM, but hours may vary.
• Wildlife in the area means there are also ticks. Stay on trails, out of tall grass.
The trail:
Day visitors parking at the entry parking lot near Point Cabrillo Drive will enjoy a half mile stroll along Lighthouse Road to get to the lighthouse, museums, and historic residences area. There is also a dirt path that starts at the north end of the parking lot and leads visitors through grassland and coastal prairie for a wider loop to the lighthouse area. Heed signs (including the tick warning sign off one section of trail). We saw a lovely deer with two fawns on this trail close to the historic residences.
Those staying at one of the residences or parking in the handicap access parking area will start near the houses and museum buildings, with a much shorter walk to get to the lighthouse itself. There are paths along the coastline to the north and south of the lighthouse. A longer path to Frolic Cove, the site of an 1850 shipwreck (we were there exactly on the 171st anniversary of the wreck) follows the coast north and loops back through the grassy fields, a walk to be covered in another post.
A docent may be on duty to offer information at the lightkeeper house that is retained as a museum site. Other historic residences are offered as vacation rentals. We stayed at the head lighthouse keeper’s house, with a nicely restored house and vintage furnishings for our visit. There is little or no internet/phone reception, but DVDs are on offer to watch movies filmed in the Mendocino area to add to the scenic coastal mood. (Check out the 1948 classic “Johhny Belinda,” filmed on the Mendocino coast to portray Nova Scotia.)
The lighthouse itself is photogenic under sunny skies or gray, but is especially lovely at sunset. When open, there are exhibits with historical information as well as a gift shop.
We took a number of other hikes in the area, but in our easy lighthouse area ambling, we saw gorgeous coastal scenery, with interesting little inlets dotted with kelp, and a sleepy harbor seal taking a break from the rough waves. Seasonal whale and dolphin viewing is popular here.
I typically count between ten and thirty pelicans in the flocks I see fly near home at Ocean Beach in San Francisco. At Point Cabrillo Lighthouse, I counted ninety pelicans in one flock. Seagulls and other seabirds were also on view.
We were lucky that one of our nights at the lighthouse was clear (with a full moon), because it made for wonderful sunset views. The following evening was gray and overcast, more typical of what we expect along the coast.
Visitors can keep lighthouse area walks short if they wish, but also have the option to walk quite a distance. I’m sure we’ll come to the lighthouse again next time we’re able to visit Mendocino.
(Point Cabrillo Lighthouse-Mendocino Hike Notes were originally paired with the “Long Road of Companionship” 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
