Waterfall in Russian Gulch State Park.jpg
Frank Schulenburg · CC BY-SA 4.0

East Trail–Fern Canyon Trail, 4 sights is a 10.8-mile out-and-back in Russian Gulch State Park near Mendocino, CA. It climbs 1,137 ft and is mostly dirt. It scores 73/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: backcountry feel.

Elevation

0 mi23 – 663 ft11.2 mi

Getting there

Trailhead: Russian Gulch State Park 39.33106, -123.79459
Nearest town Mendocino, CA

Directions

AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com

East Trail–Fern Canyon Trail, 4 sights

10.8 mi · ▲ 1,137 ft · 4 hr 10 min

Elevation 22–663 ft

Out & Back · Russian Gulch State Park

Trailhead: Russian Gulch State Park · 39.33106, -123.79459

Weather Sep 4: sunrise 6:47 AM · sunset 7:43 PM

Toilets at the trailhead

  1. Start on Russian Gulch State Park, heading NE.
  2. 1.6 miBear left onto Falls Loop Trail, heading N.
  3. 0.6 miContinue straight onto East Trail, heading SE.
  4. 0.2 miTurn left, heading E.
  5. 0.3 miTurn right, heading NE.
  6. 250 ftTurn right onto North Boundary Trail, heading E.
  7. 0.4 miBear right onto Parallel Action, heading SE.
  8. 1.2 miTurn right onto Nitro, heading S.
  9. 0.2 miTurn left onto Orchard Trail, heading S.
  10. 0.8 miReach Fern Canyon Trail, then turn around and head back the way you came.
  11. 0.8 miTurn right onto Nitro, heading NW.
  12. 0.2 miTurn left, heading NE.
  13. 0.3 miContinue straight onto Parallel Action, heading N.
  14. 0.7 miBear left, heading NW.
  15. 0.6 miTurn left, heading NW.
  16. 250 ftTurn left onto East Trail, heading W.
  17. 0.2 miTurn right, heading W.
  18. 0.2 miContinue straight onto Falls Loop Trail, heading SE.
  19. 0.6 miBear right onto Fern Canyon Trail, heading SW.
  20. 1.5 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

81% dirt19% unspecified

Weather

Sunrise 6:47 AMSunset 7:43 PM

Sunset

The best sunset spot on this hike is 2.7 mi in (~80 min). Leave by 6:03 PM for the 7:43 PM sunset. Back at your car by 9:04 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.

More sunset hikes nearby

Good to know

  • Toilets at the trailhead

Other ways to reach this destination

More from Russian Gulch State Park Trailhead