Ten Mile Beach(Inglenook Fen Ten Mile Dunes Preserve, MacKerricher State Park, Ten Mile Creek, Ward Avenue Beach Access)

Located to the north of Fort Bragg, Ten Mile Beach - also known as Ward Avenue Beach Access - is a four-mile-long beach with light brown sand. The beach is situated below oceanfront bluffs and is a part of Inglenook Fen Ten Miles Dunes Preserve within MacKerricher State Park. The beach often gets windy. It also has a sparse amount of vegetation near the bluff sides. The Ten Mile River meets the ocean near the northern part of this beach. Ten Mile Beach does not have any lifeguards or any other amenities except hiking, biking, and equestrian trails, so prepare accordingly. Getting to Ten Mile beach is easy - the beach is located near 25301 Ward Avenue, where there is also a small free parking lot. We recommend visiting this beach wearing appropriate footwear as parts of it are known to have driftwood.

Ten Mile Beach offers many fun activities including sunbathing, hiking, biking, horse riding, sand sledding, wildlife watching, swimming, surfing, kitesurfing, windsurfing, bodysurfing, boogie boarding, kayaking, canoeing, boating, and jet skiing. If you are planning to go into the water near Ten Mile Beach, we recommend being careful as the water here is extremely cold and is known to have dangerous currents. The water near this beach is home to many animals including seals, sea lions, and migrating grey whales (between December and April). If you like birdwatching, there are many areas on the beach that are home to around 90 bird species - a popular bird-watching spot is the estuary formed by the Ten Mile River. In addition, portions of the beach are home to the rare western snowy plover, which is listed as an endangered species according to the 1973 Endangered Species Act. If you like sand-sledding, there is almost a mile-wide area covered by sand dunes near the back of the beach adjacent to Shoreline Highway/Pacific Coast Highway. However, if you are planning to sand-sled here we recommend being extremely careful as many endangered birds and animals can be present in these dunes. The Inglenook Fen is also present within Inglenook Fen Ten Miles Dunes Preserve, which is the only coastal fen present in California. 

The Ten Mile Coastal Trail (also known as MacKerricher Haul Road Trail) is a multi-use trail that passes near the beach and offers marvelous Instagram-worthy views of the Pacific Ocean and also offers a unique opportunity to explore the vibrant coastal landscape of Mendocino County. Sandhill Lake, which is a great bird-watching and fishing spot, is also present near this beach.

MacKerricher State Park has a variety of habitats that you can explore via hiking and biking trails including grasslands, sand dunes, forests, and wetlands. The state park also has a lake named Lake Cleone, whose surrounding areas are home to many animals including foxes, raccoons, and black-tailed deer. If you like birdwatching, the lake also attracts many bird species including ducks, cormorants, and herons. In addition, this lake and the area surrounding it is also a popular resting spot for migratory waterfowl. Lake Cleone is also a popular paddle-boating spot. If you like horse riding, there is a private concession near MacKerricher State Park which offers horse riding tours within designated state park areas. The state park’s visitor center also has many interesting exhibits including a grey whale skeleton. In addition, docent-led tours, junior ranger programs, and campfire programs are frequently organized by the state park. The state park also has four campgrounds. If you are planning to camp here, you can visit MacKerricher State Park’s web page on the California Department of Parks and Recreation’s website for more information on these campsites.

Getting to Ten Mile beach is easy - the beach is located near 25301 Ward Avenue, where there is also a small free parking lot. We recommend visiting this beach wearing appropriate footwear as parts of it are known to have driftwood.

There are many attractions near Ten Mile Beach.  Pacific Star Winery offers interesting and memorable wine tasting sessions. In addition, the winery also offers Instagram-worthy views of the Mendocino County coastline and the Pacific Ocean. Beautiful Earth has interesting exhibits that display fossils, beautiful natural stones, and some local artworks. In addition, it also offers minerals, portions of meteorites, and fossils for sale. An immensely popular local activity in Fort Bragg is to travel on the Skunk Train, which was built in the 19th century for transporting lumber along the northern California coastline. This train currently operates a seven-mile round-trip known as the Pudding Creek Express that offers a memorable way to explore the vibrant landscape of Mendocino County and also get a unique insight into the history of Northern California. If you are looking for another attraction near Ten Mile Beach, the International Sea Glass Museum has one of the largest collections of beautiful sea glass pieces in the world. In addition, this museum also displays exquisite terracotta pieces and also has a gift store.

If you get hungry, there are many restaurants near Ten Mile Beach. Oscar’s Restaurant offers delicious steaks and seafood. Asian Fusion Sea Valley offers amazing Asian dishes including tempura, tom yum soup, Thai red curry, chicken satay, and wontons. If you are looking for another good and affordable restaurant near Ten Mile Beach, the modestly priced Bernillo’s Pizzeria & Subs offers fantastic pizzas.

If you are looking for a hotel near Ten Mile Beach, there are many great nearby options. The 4-Star Inn at Newport Ranch offers breathtaking views of the Mendocino County shoreline. In addition, the hotel offers many amenities including complimentary breakfast and evening snacks, access to spa services, a sauna, and a hot tub. A more affordable hotel is the 3-Star Ocean View Lodge that offers incredible views of the ocean.  In addition, the hotel is located conveniently close to some of the major landmarks in Mendocino County. If you are looking for another good and affordable hotel near Ten Mile Beach, the modestly priced Westport Inn is located conveniently close to some of the major landmarks in Westport and offers complimentary breakfast along with morning coffee and tea.