Western Trekker has been on the road, a lot, so it’s been a while since the last blog post. Let’s rectify that. Since the last post, destinations visited include the Mendocino Coast, Ano Nuevo, and of course, several locations in the Sierra including the Mammoth Lakes area and the Mono Basin. Look for more posts to come on each of these locations.

Let’s kick this post off with a bit about the Mendocino Coast from our July visit. We visit the Mendocino Coast as often as we can. Randy has life-long connections there and to this day we have family and friends who call it home. What’s nice about visiting an area frequently, is that you can really get to know it and there is always somewhere new to visit.

Did you know about the Enchanted Forest at Usal? It’s a challenge to get to, but not impossible. You definitely need a high-clearance vehicle for the first part of the trek. Keep that in mind and always check road conditions. Usal Beach was not our destination. Usal Beach is neither pristine, nor peaceful, but if you like trees, the Enchanted Forest is worth a visit.

Our goal was a short hike to see the Enchanted Forest. The Enchanted Forest was purchased by the Save the Redwoods League back in 2011. It is famous for it’s uniquely shaped, mult-armed trees. Check out a couple in this gallery. There are dozens more images if you do a Google search for the trees, but there are also tons of wildflowers like Foxglove, and lots of Banana Slugs.

We also dropped in on the Mendocino Botanical Garden. The garden is located in Fort Bragg, California on the south end of town. The Mendocino Coast is fantastic for growing lots of different types of plants. For now, have a look at these specimens. Note that not all are native of course, they just do well in this climate. The Dahlias seem to love it here!

The Mendocino Coast is a special spot. It’s one gorgeous view after another so if you are driving highway 1, pay attention to the road and pull over to take in the views. Sweet peas grow like crazy around Mendocino and you find them everywhere. The old barn, well, it’s just a favorite scene. I like to see what condition it is in each time I go by.

If you are thinking of visiting the Mendocino Coast, it’s an easy and scenic drive from the Bay Area. For recommendations, drop us a line and we’d be happy to give you some tips.