Mendocino Headlands State Park
Marsh Creek Trail & Riparian Nature Trail via Big River Haul Road
13.2 mi · ▲ 1,104 ft · 4 hr 57 min
Marsh Creek Trail & Riparian Nature Trail via Big River Haul Road is a 13.2-mile out-and-back in Mendocino Headlands State Park near Melbourne, CA. It climbs 1,104 ft, with sections as steep as 20% grade. It scores 69/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: backcountry feel.
Elevation
Getting there
Directions
Marsh Creek Trail & Riparian Nature Trail via Big River Haul Road
13.2 mi · ▲ 1,104 ft · 4 hr 57 min
Elevation 13–769 ft
Out & Back · Mendocino Headlands State Park
Trailhead: connector · 39.27528, -123.68802
Weather Sep 4: Overcast, high 69°F / low 47° · precip 0% · wind 8 mph · sunrise 6:47 AM · sunset 7:43 PM
- Start at the trailhead, heading NE.
- 1.4 miBear right onto Boyle's, heading N.
- 3.3 miBear right onto Big River Haul Road, heading NW.
- 100 ftTurn right, heading N.
- 150 ftTurn right onto Big Tree Trail, heading E.
- 150 ftBear left onto Marsh Creek Trail, heading NE.
- 1.8 miReach Marsh Creek Trail, then turn around and head back the way you came.
- 1.8 miBear right onto Big Tree Trail, heading W.
- 150 ftTurn left, heading S.
- 200 ftTurn left onto Big River Haul Road, heading SE.
- 50 ftBear left onto Boyle's, heading SE.
- 3.3 miBear left, heading S.
- 1.3 miArrive back at the trailhead.
Each distance is the walk from the previous step. Tap a step for a map of its junction.
Trail surface
Weather
Sunset
The best sunset spot on this hike is 0.1 mi in (~3 min). Leave by 7:19 PM for the 7:43 PM sunset. Back at your car by 8:04 PM — 6 min before dark. Trailhead visible from the viewpoint
Other ways to reach this destination
More from connector Trailhead
- Big Tree Trail via Big River Haul Road 12.2 mi · ▲ 1,649 ft
- Big River Road–Dry Dock, 4 sights 13 mi · ▲ 1,774 ft
- Old Jeep Trail & Steam Donkey / Ridge Trail via Big River Haul Road 15.1 mi · ▲ 2,518 ft
- Eagle's Roost Trail & Steam Donkey / Ridge Trail via Big River Haul Road 15.3 mi · ▲ 2,451 ft
- East Trail–Endo, 7 sights 15.6 mi · ▲ 2,939 ft
- Confusion–Endo, 6 sights 15.8 mi · ▲ 3,164 ft
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