Portuguese Beach in Mendocino, CA

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About Portuguese Beach in Mendocino, California

Portuguese Beach is on Mendocino Bay on the south side of town in Mendocino. The visitor center for Mendocino Headlands State Park is in the Historic Ford House on the south side of Main Street near the beach. It is worth a visit especially if you are interested in local history, like the logging of redwood forests, and the flora and fauna you are likely to encounter at the beaches and on the trails nearby.

A hiking trail begins at the visitor center and continues around the entire bluff of the headlands to the north side of town. You can make a loop hike by returning to the visitor center via Lansing Street. This loop is around 3 miles if you follow the trail the whole way and you’ll be rewarded with seeing the entire Mendocino Headlands shoreline.

To get to Portuguese Beach, just walk to the west end of Main Street and find a wide path that begins there. Look for a trail with wooden steps that drops down to the beach. The view of town from the top of the trail is excellent.

At high tide there isn’t much dry sand below the piles of driftwood at the back of the beach. There is a rock arch visible from the beach near the access trail. Park on Main Street and visit the shops and restaurants after your trip to the beach.

Address: Main St and Heeser St
Mendocino, CA 95460
Phone: 707-937-5804
Park Name: Mendocino Headlands State Park
Owner: State Park
Pet Details: Dogs allowed on leash
Fees: Free parking
Activities: Hiking, Walking
Amenities: Trails, Rock Arch, Driftwood, Restrooms
Links: Tide Chart
Water Quality
Surfing Info & Web Cams
Water Temps