West Pinewood Campground, Fort Bragg California

ONE OF FORT BRAGG’S BEST COASTAL CAMPGROUNDS  
The Beautiful Drive

Whether you are coming from the north or the south, driving along the coastal Highway 1 is spectacular. The ocean views and steep cliffs are worth the extra time it takes to get to your destination. While the driver should definitely keep their eyes on the road, the passenger will be treated to ocean views for much of the ride as the road twists and turns along the rocky coastline. The addition of Sumo Springs on the van really helps on these windy roads.

Rolling Into Fort Bragg

Once you roll into Fort Bragg, it’s a short distance to the entrance of MacKerricher State Park. When you drive in you will be greeted with a large and nicely laid out campground with plenty of old oak trees. The campground is very flat, but some campsites do have some fairly slanted parking pads. See the review below on the best sites to choose. 

The Campground

We got the last campsite so we did not have a choice. We were in space 97 which had a nice secluded camping area and a fairly level pad, but it was right across from the restroom. This location actually wasn’t too bad considering the location. 

We walked around the campground and found that we would have enjoyed staying at most of the campsites. There is a good variety of sites. Some are very well shaded by the oak trees. Some are very secluded and surrounded by shrubs and trees, while others are wide open to their surroundings and the sunshine. 

When it was time to shower though, both of the men’s showers out of order. We walked over to the other restroom and were treated to piping hot water with lots of pressure. They were pretty clean, but bring some flip flops as the floors were a bit dirty. Oh and don’t forget your quarters to feed the shower meter.

The Ocean

From the campground we could hear the ocean waves crashing in the distance all day and night. This was a very nice treat. Getting to the beach was a short 4-5 minute walk from our site. A narrow dirt trail heads out from the campground right to Laguna and MacKerricher Beaches. They are a bit steep and the waves can reach all the way up to the sand berm and onto the road at times. The ocean side terrain is very similar to Gertsle Cove Campground in Jenner California.

These waves are big and unforgiving so be careful. Most of the coastline is very rocky. If you want a very long, flat and wide beach to walk on, go right on MacKerricher State Park Road which runs right along the ocean. At the end of the road you will come to Ten Mile Beach. This is a picture perfect beach for spending the day and watching the beautiful sunsets. Another beautiful beach for sunsets is at Mottole Primative Campground in Petrolia California.