Address
10000 CA-1
Mendocino, CA 95460
Experience Type
Water & Coastal
Operator Type
Independent Local Business
EXPERIENCE DESCRIPTION
Big River is the longest undeveloped estuary in California, stretching nearly eight miles inland from its mouth at Mendocino before narrowing into old-growth redwood forest. Kayak and canoe rentals are available at the beach, and paddling upriver on the incoming tide is one of the signature outdoor experiences of the Mendocino Coast — glassy water, harbor seals on the sandbars, and the occasional great blue heron working the shallows. The estuary is free of motorized boats, and the transition from open Pacific to sheltered tidal river to redwood canyon happens gradually and entirely on water. The beach at the river mouth is broad and dog-friendly.
OPERATOR STORY
Big River is the longest undeveloped estuary in California, protected under a conservation easement held by the Mendocino Land Trust and managed in partnership with California State Parks. Kayak and canoe rentals are available at the beach through Catch-a-Canoe & Bicycles Too, which has operated at the Big River mouth since the 1980s as part of the Stanford Inn by the Sea. The estuary's eight miles of navigable water are free of motorized boats, making it one of the most serene paddling experiences on the California coast.
