Mattole River Beach

Located near the town of Petrolia, Mattole River Beach - also known as Mattole Beach - is a large beach with brown sand. This beach is situated at the base of oceanfront mountains and is part of a protected area known as King Range National Conservation Area. The Mattole River flows through the beach into the Pacific Ocean. 

While Mattole River Beach does not have lifeguards, it has many other amenities including restrooms, picnic tables, and hiking trails. Dogs are not allowed on the beach.

Mattole River Beach offers many fun activities including sunbathing, hiking, camping, picnicking, beachcombing, and wildlife watching. The water near Mattole River Beach is generally unsafe for recreational aquatic activities including surfing and swimming as it has strong waves and dangerous currents. Depending on the time of the year, you can see many kinds of animals in the water near this beach including seals and migrating whales. The hiking trails present around the beach offer a fantastic way to explore the vibrant landscape present around the Mattole River mouth. In addition, the Lost Coast Trail starts near this beach and offers an amazing hiking experience along with beautiful Instagram-worthy views of the Northern California shoreline.  A shell midden is also present near the beach - this shell midden was used by the Native American Mattole people, who used to live in seasonal settlements around the Mattole River mouth. Mattole River Beach also has a campground which accommodates both tents and RVs. The campground offers many amenities including picnic tables, fire rings, and restrooms. If you are planning to camp in the campground at Mattole River Beach, you can visit the Mattole Campground’s webpage on the Bureau of Land Management’s website for more information on camping rules and charges.

Getting to Mattole River Beach can be slightly difficult - while the beach is easily accessible from the town of Petrolia via Lighthouse Road, driving here from the nearby towns of Ferndale and Weott can be difficult as you need to undertake a long drive along a winding road named Mattole Road to access Mattole River Beach. A free parking lot is also present near the beach. We recommend visiting the beach wearing appropriate footwear as it is known to have lots of driftwood. In addition, we also recommend checking up on the latest weather predictions before visiting Mattole River Beach as this beach becomes unsafe during stormy weather.

There are many attractions near Mattole River Beach within a two-hour drive. Richardson Grove State Park was established in 1922. This state park is mainly composed of beautiful redwood forests and offers many fun activities including camping, wildlife watching, picnicking, and hiking.  In addition, the South Fork of the Eel River also flows within the state park’s premises - the water in this portion of the river offers a fun swimming experience during summers. The portions of the Eel River within the state park also offer an amazing catch-and-release fishing experience during winters. The state park’s visitor center was originally built in the 1930s and currently has informative interpretive exhibits. The Punta Gorda Lighthouse is a lighthouse which was built in the early 20th century.  While this lighthouse was deactivated in the early 1950s, this lighthouse is currently a part of the United States’ National Register of Historic Places. As an interesting fact, this lighthouse is often nicknamed the "Alcatraz of Lighthouses" due to its remote location. If you are looking for another attraction near Mattole River Beach, Shrine Drive Thru Tree (also known as Shrine of the Redwoods, Redwood Shrine Tree, and Doust Tree) is a redwood tree which has a tunnel carved through it. This tunnel was possibly naturally carved through the tree by lightning more than a century ago. Ever since then, the tree has been popular among motorists who drive their vehicles through it.  The area around this tree has many points of interest including a treehouse village and a gift shop. 

If you get hungry, there are many great restaurants near Mattole River Beach within two hour’s drive. Cecil’s New Orleans Bistro offers amazing Cajun dishes. In addition, the restaurant also serves amazing steaks. Ferndale Pizza Co. offers a variety of amazing pizzas. If you are looking for another good and affordable restaurant near Mattole River Beach, Poppa Joe’s offers amazing breakfast dishes including eggs and pancakes in generous portions.

If you are looking for a hotel near Mattole River Beach, there are many great options within an hour-and-50 minute drive. The 4-Star Gingerbread Mansion Inn was built in the 19th-century and has an English garden with a sitting area.  The hotel also offers complimentary breakfast and afternoon tea with desserts and appetizers. A more affordable hotel is the 3-Star Best Western Plus Humboldt House Inn that offers many amenities including a pool, a hot tub, a computer for guests, a coin-operated laundry, and complimentary breakfast. In addition, the hotel also frequently organizes fun evening social gatherings. If you are looking for another good and affordable hotel near Mattole River Beach, the 2-Star THE REDWOOD RIVERWALK HOTEL offers many amenities including a pool, a coin-operated laundry, complimentary breakfast, and complimentary passes to a nearby fitness center.