01
Best easy family walk
Lake Cleone Loop
Just Inland From Cleone In Mackerricher State Park • Gentle Lakefront Loop With Birdlife • Relaxed All-Ages Pick
A quiet 1.3-mile loop circling Lake Cleone with flat grades, benches, and plenty of bird watching.
If you want a low-key walk right by Cleone, this is the move: a short loop around a sheltered coastal lake, with just enough roots and boardwalk to feel like a real hike without any effort. Ducks, herons, and swallows work the shoreline, and the water often goes glassy on calm mornings. It is a great first stop if you’re camping or picnicking in MacKerricher and want an easy stretch before heading to the beach.
02
Best coastal cruiser
Haul Road Coastal Trail
Shoreline Between Cleone And Fort Bragg • Paved Coastal Multi-Use Trail • Best For Bikes And Strollers
An old logging road turned oceanfront path, perfect for a long, mostly level hike or roll with constant surf views.
Starting near the MacKerricher campground, the former haul road runs south along the bluffs, giving you uninterrupted views of rocky coves, kelp beds, and crashing waves. The surface is mostly paved or hard-packed, so it works well for walkers, kids on bikes, and anyone pushing a stroller who still wants real coastal scenery. Turn around whenever you like, or follow it all the way toward Fort Bragg for a bigger out-and-back workout.
03
Best wildlife viewing
Laguna Point Boardwalk
Mackerricher State Park Headlands • Oceanfront Boardwalk And Bluff Overlooks • Seal-Watching Hotspot
A short loop of boardwalk and dirt path out to a wave-battered headland with regular harbor seal and whale sightings.
Laguna Point feels like the raw, wave-lashed edge of the continent, yet the main loop is surprisingly accessible thanks to its boardwalk sections. Platforms and viewpoints look down on rocky outcrops where harbor seals nap and tossed drift logs show what winter storms can do. Come on a clear day and linger; the combination of wind, surf, and distant horizons makes this quick hike feel bigger than its mileage.
04
Best long beach walk
Ten Mile Beach Trail
North Of Cleone Toward Ten Mile River • Long, Wide-Open Beach And Dune Walk • Best For Big-Sky Mileage
A sweeping stretch of sand and low dunes where you can walk for miles with only surf, seabirds, and the wind for company.
If you like putting in steady miles on sand, head north from MacKerricher toward Ten Mile Beach and just keep going. The scenery stays simple and striking: rolling dunes, driftwood tangles, tireless breakers, and the occasional pelican squadron gliding low over the waves. There is little shade and not much in the way of amenities, so pack water, layers, and be ready for the wind, especially in the afternoon.
05
Most iconic outing
Glass Beach and Pudding Creek Trestle
North End Of Fort Bragg • Headlands, Beach, And Historic Trestle Walk • First-Time Visitor Must-Do
A short, varied coastal walk that links tidepooly headlands, sea glass-strewn coves, and a photogenic wooden trestle bridge.
Just a few minutes south of Cleone, this route offers a lot for very little effort: cliff-top paths, pocket beaches with wave-tumbled glass, and the broad arc of Pudding Creek framed by its old rail trestle. It is a fun choose-your-own-length stroll, with options to drop to the sand, linger over tidepools, or continue along the coastal path for more views. Go early or near sunset to dodge mid-day crowds and catch softer light on the bluffs.