Haul Road Trail

The Haul Road Trail follows an abandoned coastal logging railroad grade converted to a multi-use path, extending nine miles along the Mendocino coast through a spectacular sequence of rocky coves, whale-watch headlands, dune fields, and freshwater lake habitats that collectively represent the full diversity of the MacKerricher State Park coastal landscape. The route was originally constructed to haul timber from the inland forests to the Fort Bragg mill, and the flat, well-graded surface makes it ideal for hiking, jogging, and cycling with baby strollers and wheelchairs navigating the paved southern sections with ease. Gray whales pass close to shore during their December-through-May migrations, and the elevated headland sections along the trail provide excellent vantage points for spotting spouts and flukes. Harbor seals haul out on the offshore rocks throughout the year, and the sheltered coves along the route protect sea otters that can be observed foraging in the kelp just offshore. The trail passes through the Jack Peters Creek riparian corridor where great blue herons nest and steelhead return in winter rains. Tidepool access at multiple points along the route reveals rich intertidal communities protected by the park designation. The northern terminus approaches Ten Mile River, one of the last undeveloped river mouths on the California coast, where the river forms a broad estuary hosting diving ducks, egrets, and shorebirds throughout the year. The flat terrain and easy surface make this one of the most accessible long-distance coastal trails in California.