Mendocino county - Russian Gulch State Park question(s) (Sonoma: camping, cost)

[Josh_1974]

I will be meeting a friend who will be traveling southward from Oregon, he and I will camp a night or 2 at Russian Gulch State Park in Mendocino county, this will be in late September, or earliest October.

I will be in Sonoma county at that time, and I will need to catch a greyhound bus to meet him at some point in Mendocino, which will be the nearest meeting point we can get to the state park.

We were thinking of meeting at Willits since it has greyhound service, and then driving to the park, but I am wondering, if there's a closer point that a greyhound would run near the park.

Anyone possibly have any advice on this? Any other related tips would also be most welcome. Of course I will contact greyhound, but I figured it wouldn't hurt to ask here as well.

thanks

[TrueTimbers]

Sounds like a great time.. Check and see about getting a bus to Fort Brag on the coast.. Otherwise Willits sounds fine, then you can take the hour drive over to the coast with your friend.

[Josh_1974]

He will be heading down U.S. 1, so for him to meet me in Willits he'd have to cut over to 101 at some point, then we'd have to go back to U.S. 1, that's out of the way for him, a guy that'll already have done too much driving at that point.

What I'll probably do, is take the greyhound to Willits, and from there take the Mendocino transit authority bus over to Fort Bragg, and there meet up with him and we'll continue southward to the park. Id've thought that there'd be greyhound service to Fort Bragg, but it seems not, but no big deal.

thanks for the thoughts True Timbers

[nullgeo]

Driving south from Oregon along the coast IS 101, not hwy. 1. Highway 1 branches off of 101 at the dot on the map town named Leggett. This first stretch of hwy 1 from where it branches off to the coast is a neat, beautiful -- and torturous little barely-2-lane road. None of this is near Russian Gulch (great camping there, btw ... good pick!)

The next opportunity to cut off 101 to coastal hwy 1 is at Laytonville -- another torturous (but slightly less so) adventure in driving that gets friend over to Westport Landing.

After that the cut over is at Willits -- to Ft. Bragg.

Willits is the smartest cut-across ... but if your friend's desire is the "road less traveled" north of Ft. Bragg, then he would have to cut back to 101 and retrace with you. There is bus service to Ft. Bragg, with Mendocino Transit, however. Mendocino County, California Transportation Authority - Maps, schedules, routes, directions

Enjoy your trip.

[ferretkona]

A nice way to travel from Willits to Fort Bragg is on The Skunk.
A very nice path on the rails thru old growth redwoods.

[Josh_1974]

much obliged nullgeo, true-timbers and ferretkona

[TrueTimbers]

That Skunk will lighten your wallet by $100 or so won't it... Never been on it... But if money were no object, it sounds like a fun way to get from Willits to FB.

[Josh_1974]

When we leave Russian Gulch, we will be heading down to Point Reyes for a few days. We are thinking about taking highway 1 from Mendocino down to Point Reyes, has anyone driven this stretch, and if so, any tips etc? Google has it to be 135 miles following that route

thanks

[TrueTimbers]

Originally Posted by Josh_1974

When we leave Russian Gulch, we will be heading down to Point Reyes for a few days. We are thinking about taking highway 1 from Mendocino down to Point Reyes, has anyone driven this stretch, and if so, any tips etc? Google has it to be 135 miles following that route

thanks

IMO make,the drive,on the coast. The drive is epic. 1 on the Mendocino coast is not too bad, this is were you will encounter most of the small little coastal villages. South of Gualala (g is pronounced as a w) \ Sea Ranch it gets rugged, with hair pins and switch backs on the Sonoma coast. Great vistas and great beaches to explore and tide pool. Villages on the Sonoma coast are spars. Jenner where the Russian river dumps into the ocean then Bodaga.

Point Reyes is a cool little town, you will know you are getting near the bay area though, as smell of money in the air increases, down their.. The national sea shore is great to hike, if you like oysters, get them along Tomalas bay.

IMO, check out Gualala, maybe grab a swim in the river.. Take your time and enjoy whatever beaches catch your eye..

[ferretkona]

Originally Posted by TrueTimbers

That Skunk will lighten your wallet by $100 or so won't it... Never been on it... But if money were no object, it sounds like a fun way to get from Willits to FB.

Roundtrip cost $79.