Little Jackass Creek Beach(Sinkyone Wilderness State Park)

Located along the northern Mendocino County shoreline, Little Jackass Creek Beach is a beach with dark brown sand, rocky portions, and sparse vegetation. The beach is situated within a cove below oceanfront bluffs and is part of a state park known as Sinkyone Wilderness State Park. Little Jackass Creek flows through this beach into the Pacific Ocean. A natural rocky wall named Mistake Point is present to the west of this beach. A natural rock arch is also present near this beach. Little Jackass Creek Beach does not have lifeguards or any other amenities except hiking trails, so plan your trip accordingly. Dogs are not allowed on the beach. 

Little Jackass Creek Beach offers many fun activities including sunbathing, beachcombing, hiking, camping, wildlife watching, and picnicking. The water near this beach is generally unsafe for aquatic recreational activities including swimming and surfing as the water here has extremely cold temperatures, dangerous currents, and strong waves. Depending on the time of the year, you can see many kinds of animals in the water near this beach including harbor seals, elephant seals, sea lions, and migrating whales. If you like birdwatching, you can see many kinds of shorebirds around Little Jackass Creek Beach. A popular activity in Little Beach is camping - a primitive campground is present near this beach and offers a fun and rugged oceanfront camping experience. If you are planning to camp in the campground near Little Jackass Creek Beach, you can visit Sinkyone Wilderness State Park’s webpage on the California Department of Parks and Recreation’s website for more helpful information on the campground amenities, rules, and charges. The Lost Coast Trail passes near this beach and offers an amazing hiking experience along with beautiful Instagram-worthy views of the Northern California shoreline.

Sinkyone Wilderness State Park has many amazing hiking and equestrian trails which offer a unique way to explore the vibrant coastal landscape of Northern Mendocino County. The park’s landscape has many habitats including woodlands and coastal grasslands. However, we recommend being careful while hiking within this state park as the area around the hiking trails here is known to have ticks. You can also view many kinds of animals and birds in this state park including bears, elk, ospreys, owls, falcons, and eagles. The state park’s Needle Rock Visitor Center was initially built as a ranch-house in the 1920s and now has interesting interpretive exhibits. In addition, there are many campgrounds for pedestrians and equestrians in Sinkyone Wilderness State Park which offer a fun camping experience. If you want to camp in these campgrounds, you can visit Sinkyone Wilderness State Park’s webpage on the California Department of Parks and Recreation’s website for more helpful information about camping here.

Getting to Little Jackass Creek Beach can be difficult - the only way to access this beach is by hiking on the Lost Coast Trail. The southern segment of the Lost Coast Trail starts near another separate beach named Usal Beach. In order to reach Usal Beach, you need to turn towards Usal Road from Shoreline Highway/Pacific Coast Highway which will lead you straight to the beach. A paid parking lot is also available near Usal Beach. However, it is important to note that Usal Beach and the area around it are generally open to the public between March and October. In addition, the access road to Usal Beach is winding and RVs and large vehicles are not permitted on this road. From Usal Beach, you need to undertake a long hike along the Lost Coast Trail which will lead you to Little Jackass Creek Beach. We recommend visiting this beach wearing layered clothing as the weather here can be unpredictable.

There are many attractions near Little Jackass Creek Beach within an hour-and-30 minutes drive. 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. The winery is also a great spot to watch migrating grey whales usually between December and April. Westport Headlands Park is a blufftop park that has picnic areas overlooking the Pacific Ocean and the North California shoreline. The park also has a stairway leading to a rocky cove below, which was earlier used as a ship landing. The park offers many activities including fishing, wildlife watching, and picnicking. If you are looking for another attraction near Little Jackass Creek Beach, the Westport Whale is a large whale statue above a small pool. This statue is a major local public artwork.

If you get hungry, there are many great restaurants near Little Jackass Creek Beach within an hour-and 40 minute drive. Oscar’s Restaurant offers delicious steaks and seafood. The Peg House offers amazing burgers, salads, sandwiches, seafood, hot dogs, burritos, and bagels. The restaurant also hosts live music performances within its premises. In addition, the restaurant has also been praised by the Sunset magazine for its excellent and popular burgers. Westport Hotel & Old Abalone Pub offers excellent seafood and gourmet dishes. In addition, the restaurant also serves delicious sandwiches, burgers, and seafood. If you are looking for another good and affordable restaurant near Little Jackass Creek Beach, the modestly priced Jenny’s Giant Burger has a retro ambiance and serves delicious burgers in generous portions.

If you are looking for a hotel near Little Jackass Creek Beach, there are many great nearby options within an hour-and-50 minute drive. The 4-Star Historic Benbow Inn was built in the 1920s and offers many amenities including a restaurant, a nine-hole golf course, a cocktail lounge, and access to a nearby seasonal pool. The hotel also offers a complimentary bicycle loaner facility and afternoon tea. A more affordable hotel is the Howard Creek Ranch Inn Bed & Breakfast which offers many amenities including complimentary breakfast, a hot tub, and a sauna. In addition, hiking trails are also available which offer a fun hiking session around the bed-and-breakfast’s 60-acre property. If you are looking for another good and affordable hotel near Little Jackass Creek Beach, the 2-Star Motel 6 Fort Bragg, CA offers many amenities including a pool, a restaurant, a fitness center, and complimentary morning coffee.