Jug Handle State Reserve Overview

Jug Handle State Reserve was added to the California State Park's extensive list of park properties in 1976. This particular location is composed of 776 acres and offers a unique look into the historical ecology and geology of the California coastline.

It is located about 5 miles north of Mendocino in the village of Caspar. With hiking, coastal access and stunning views of the Pacific Ocean, the Jug Handle State Reserve is not only an enjoyable spot to spot, but it is also educational.

Day Use Area:

All the Jug Handle State Reserve is a day use area only, there is no camping at this park. But even though there is no camping, there is plenty to see here. The highlight of the park is the 2.5 miles (one way) Ecological Staircase Trail. The park is open for visitors from sun up till sun down.

Vehicles and Bathroom: 

The parking lot located right off of Highway 1 in the town of Caspar. This parking lot does tend to get fairly full, so I would recommend coming earlier in the day. It is a free to use park. Located in the parking lot is the portable toilet, it is handicapped accessible and when we went it was very clean.

Dogs:

There are dogs allowed in the park on a leash, down to the beach and on the coastal trails. Dogs however are not allowed on the Ecological Staircase Trail. Per the state parks site, basically dogs are allowed on the trail to the west of HWY 1 and not on the trail that goes under HWY 1 to the east and along the Jug Handle Creek.

What Can I Do At Jug Handle State Natural Reserve?

Though it's not a large park, you can spend an easy 30 minutes here to half a day hiking or at the beach. Walk to the seashore bluff overlooking the Pacific Ocean or hike into the reserve along the Ecological Staircase. You will see forests that do not exist anywhere else in the world.

Trails:

There are a couple of different trails located at this park, but they are not very well-marked. The photo below shows the main trail sign, but beyond that with meandering off shoots it's not always clear which path to take. If you take the path towards the Pygmy Forest with the Ecological Staircase, that one is only slightly marked better. Once you reach the head of the stairs, it's easy after that.

Headlands Loop Trail:

The trail does become pretty visible, but there are some side shoots and I was unsure as to where these went to. There are no signs beyond the main trail sign. I did take the stroller, but it was quite narrow. If I had known, I would have brought the baby carrier.

Beach or Stairs:

This clearly worn trail can either take you on a steep ascent to the beach or on the main trail to the ecological staircase. Heading to the right or (east) will take you through this dark tunnel and towards the highway 1. The trail goes through the dark overgrowth of trees and heads under highway 1. It's a bit narrow trail and I wouldn't recommend taking a stroller on it.

Before you get to the highway under crossing, there is a trail that leads down to the beach. I would recommend this one if you have kids. Though it's not the easiest to get kids down, it's better in my opinion than the first beach trail. The beach here is great for kids as it's not busy, so you may have the whole place to yourself or just a few other people.

Jug Handle Creek, seen below the Highway 1 bridge. This is the creek that runs into the Pacific Ocean at the beach.

Top of the Ecological Staircase, this is the beginning of the ascent into a beautifully preserved nature trail. The stairs are steep, so I don't recommend trying to take smaller children, though it was done by our 4 and 6-year-olds. This trail in total if you take the entire length there and out will be a bit over 5 miles. Its shaded most of the time and its flat once you get down the stairs. 

In 1998 the State Parks made a printable PDF as a self-guided nature trail experience. The #1-7 of the interpretive information is for the Headlands Loop. #8-40 are for the Ecological Staircase Trail. If you are looking to learn more about the trail and what you are observing, then I recommend that you print this up before heading out. Its also a great resource for school age kids learning about the flora and fauna in the Jug Handle Reserve. Some plants or trees that you will see only exist here and nowhere else in the world.

What's Nearby?

This park is in proximity to many of the northern coasts state parks. Within the Mendocino coast you will find parks with the redwood of the Navarro River Redwoods Staet Park just south to the wind swept beaches of MacKerricher State Park about 20 minutes north up highway 1. Stop in at Mendocino or head up to Fort Bragg. The Noyo Harbor has some delightful eateries there.

Helpful Resources:

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