Little River Beach Trail

The Little River Beach Trail connects Van Damme State Park campground to the sandy beach cove at the mouth of the Little River, passing through coastal bluffs draped in wildflowers and offering sweeping views of the Pacific Ocean and the rocky sea stacks that characterize this stretch of Mendocino coastline. The trail follows the bluff edge northward before dropping to a sheltered sandy beach that serves as a popular launch point for kayakers exploring the sea caves and rock arches along the coast. The calm waters of the cove and the nearby kelp forests make this one of the premier beginner sea kayaking destinations on the Northern California coast, and kayak rentals are available from the park. Tidepools at the base of the bluffs support rich intertidal communities including purple sea urchins, aggregating anemones, and a diversity of mollusks and crustaceans. Gray whales are frequently spotted offshore during their winter southward migration and spring northward return, and harbor seals haul out on the offshore rocks year-round. The blufftop section of trail blooms spectacularly in spring when paintbrush, sea thrift, Douglas iris, and blue-eyed grass create a colorful tapestry against the backdrop of the cobalt Pacific. The beach itself is backed by a small freshwater lagoon where the river slows before reaching the sea.