California's Best Trips 2 - Full PDF eBook

to strolling connoisseurs

of art and wine, and

Mendocino buzzes

with life. Of course, the

natural setting here is

a work of art itself. The

spectacular Mendocino

Headlands State Park

surrounds the village,

with trails crisscrossing

the bluffs and rocky

coves. Ask at the visitor

center about guided

weekend walks, including

spring wildflower walks

and whale-watching.

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The Drive » Just south of

town, turn inland at Comptche

Ukiah Rd. It will make a loop

taking you back toward the trip’s

beginning. All the turns make

the next 30 miles slow going,

but the views are impressive.

7 Montgomery

Woods State Reserve

Two miles west of Orr,

this 13,250-acre reserve

(Orr Springs Rd) protects

five old-growth redwood

groves, and some of

the best groves within

a day’s drive from San

Francisco. A 2-mile loop

trail crosses the creek,

winding through the

serene groves, starting

near the picnic tables

and toilets. It’s out of

the way, so visitors are

likely to have it mostly

to themselves. The trees

here are impressive –

some are up to 14ft in

diameter – but remember

to admire them from the

trail, both to protect the

tree’s root systems and

to protect yourself from

poison oak, which is all

over the park.

The Drive » From the park’s

parking area, continue 2 miles

more on Comptche Ukiah

Rd (which may be called Orr

Springs Rd on some maps) to

reach Orr Hot Springs.

8 Orr Hot Springs

After all the hiking,

canoeing and

beachcombing, a soak

in the thermal waters

of this rustic resort is

heavenly, the ultimate

zen-out to end the

journey. While it’s not

for the bashful, the

clothing-optional resort

is beloved by locals,

back-to-the-land hipsters,

backpackers and liberal-

minded tourists. Still,

you don’t have to let it all

hang out to enjoy Orr Hot

Springs (h10am-10pm).

The place has private

tubs, a sauna, a spring-

fed, rock-bottomed

swimming pool, steam

room, massage and

lovely, slightly shaggy

gardens. Day use costs

$25, or $20 on Mondays.

Soaking in the rooftop

pools on a clear night is

magical.

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TRIP HIGHLIGHT

Start: 6 Mendocino

Go north to Mendocino’s humble sister city, Fort

Bragg, to board the Skunk Train (www.skunktrain.com;

adult/child $49/24). The vintage narrow-gauge track

got its nickname in 1925 for its stinky gas-powered

steam engines, but today the historic steam and

diesel locomotives are odorless. Passing through

redwood-forested mountains, along rivers, over

bridges and through deep mountain tunnels, the

trains run from both Fort Bragg and Willits to the

midway point of Northspur, where they turn around

(if you want to go to Willits, plan to spend the night).

The depot is downtown at the foot of Laurel St, one

block west of Main St.

SKUNK TRAIN

DETOUR:

NORTHERN.CALIFORNIA

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(^) MENDOCINO & ANDERSON VALLEY