Van Damme State Park
About
What It Is
Van Damme State Park is a public park of approximately 1,831 acres in Mendocino County, California, situated near the town of Little River along State Route 1, roughly three miles south of the town of Mendocino [1][2]. The park was named for Charles F. Van Damme (1881–1934), a local-born businessman who acquired the land using proceeds from a San Francisco ferry operation; upon his death, the property passed into the California state park system [2]. The park spans both sides of the highway, with campgrounds and trail systems on the inland side and a beach with a free parking lot on the ocean side [1][2].
Activities & Experiences
The park offers ten miles of hiking trails along the Little River, including the Fern Canyon scenic trail system and a boardwalked nature trail through a pygmy forest, where poor soil conditions have produced stunted cypress and pine trees, some standing only 6 inches to 8 feet tall, alongside rhododendrons [1][2]. The beach at the mouth of the Little River is a popular site for scuba diving, snorkeling, kayaking, and windsurfing, and serves as a launch point for kayak tours of nearby sea caves [1][2]. Additional activities include fishing, wildlife viewing, geocaching, and environmental learning programs [1]. Kayak rentals and tours are available through a third-party provider at the park [1].
Spring Ranch, a 160-acre blufftop meadow section of the park on the ocean side of Route 1, includes a restored set of barns dating from 1860 and is open to visitors [2].
Practical Access
The park is located on State Route 1, three miles south of Mendocino; the highway divides the campground and Fern Canyon trailhead to the east from the beach and its parking lot to the west [1]. A free parking lot provides access to the beach on the ocean side [2]. Vehicle day-use fee is USD 10.00, though special rates may apply during peak season, high-demand holidays, and weekends; prices are subject to change without notice [1]. Park hours run from 6 AM to sunset [1]. Camping reservations are made through reservecalifornia.com or by calling 1-800-444-7275; a limited number of first-come, first-served sites are also available [1]. The park accepts several California State Parks passes, including the Golden Bear Pass, Senior Golden Bear Pass, Disabled Discount Pass, and Distinguished Veteran Pass, among others [1].
Restrictions
Dogs are permitted in the campground, on the beach, and at Spring Ranch, but are not allowed on the Fern Canyon Trail, Old Logging Road Trail, or Pygmy Forest Trail [1]. Drones are prohibited throughout the park; launching, landing, and operating drones on state park property in the Sonoma-Mendocino Coast District is not permitted [1].
What Makes It Distinctive
The pygmy forest is a rare ecological feature where exceptionally poor soil conditions have produced mature, cone-bearing cypress and pine trees of dramatically reduced stature; there are two such pygmy forested areas within the park [1][2]. The park's campsites were rated among the ten best on the West Coast by the Guardian, and the offshore waters are designated as the Van Damme State Marine Conservation Area, adding ecological significance to the coastal experience [2]. The combination of old-growth-adjacent redwood canyon hiking, a functioning beach dive and kayak site, a historic ranch with 19th-century barns, and a one-of-a-kind pygmy forest makes this park unusually varied for its size [1][2].
Sources
Field map
- Open year-round
- Typical duration: 1h
Access & fees
- beach parking
- vehicle day-use per vehicle
- wheelchair accessibility
Things to do
- camping
- fishing
- geocaching
- hiking
- kayaking
- scuba diving / snorkeling
- wildlife viewing
- windsurfing / surfing
Before you go
- dogs restricted on trails
- drones prohibited
Amenities
- drinking water
- ev charger on site
- kayak rentals and tours
- restrooms and showers
- rv dump station
- visitor center / exhibits
Features
- boardwalked nature trail
- hiking trails
- marine conservation area
- pygmy forest
- spring ranch section
- total area
Nearby
- town of mendocino
Good to know
- camping reservations
- highway access
- park hours
- park split by highway
Photos
