Mendocino Grand Circuit
- OTG Crew
- May 24, 2020
- 4 min read
Updated: Sep 22
Just a few shorts hours from Sacramento and the San Francisco Bay Area, the Mendocino National Forest is beloved by those who know its splendor. The crowds tend to flock to places like Lake Tahoe, the high Sierra, and Big Sur, leaving the Mendocino splendidly wild-- just the way we like it!
Route Overview
Trip Length & Season
Adventure Rating: Epic
Trip Length: 315 miles, 3.5-6 days
Season: Late May - November (season may open earlier/later depending on snow levels. Always check on snow levels if you plan to visit in mid-spring or mid-fall).
Digital Maps & GPX Files
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Technical Ratings & Terrain
Avg Technical Rating: 1-2
Peak Technical Rating: 3
Typical Terrain: Like most dirt roads within Mendocino National Forest, the Mendocino Grand Circuit is largely a softroading adventure. However, there are a few sections with steeper, rutted and rockier terrain. This includes the short out-and-back's up to Hull Mountain and Bald Mountain, along with a few short sections going up to Anthony Peak and Big Signal Peak. If you're seeking moderate trails, then check out the 51 mile Letts Lake Loop under the alternative routes section.
Recommended Vehicle / Moto / Adventure Vans
Recommended Vehicle: Stock 4x4
Recommended Moto: A big bike or mid-weight bike should be fine.
Adventure Vans: Sprinters and Transits with 4x4/AWD are good to go!
Fuel, Provisions, and Recommended Gear
Fuel: Most stock vehicles will struggle to complete the entire route without additional fuel resources. While there are no gas stations directly along the route, you may fuel up at Soda Springs store (Lake Pillsbury) or in Covelo (about a 20 min drive from Black Butte River Ranch).
Provisions: Provisions can be obtained in the same general vicinity as fuel.
Gear: no specialized gear is recommended for this adventure.
Alternative Routes
Letts Lake Loop
Avg Technical Rating: 3
Peak Technical Rating: 4
Typical Terrain: For those seeking to take on some more moderate trails, consider the Letts Lake Loop. This semi-loop features incredible views of the Coastal Ranges and Clear Lake as you make your way out past Deer Valley Campground. As you begin working your way towards Letts Late, the trail narrows and becomes increasingly rougher. From Letts Lake, most of the trails are graded gravel roads until you reach Long Ridge, which is another tight and steep trail that's rated as a 4. Sprinters are not recommended on this route and full size trucks can expect a considerable amount of pinstriping. More than half of this track requires 4-low, so you'll burn a considerable amount of fuel, especially on on the steep climb to Letts Lake.
Camping Recommendations
Dispersed camping is permitted throughout the forest. Some of the best spots for dispersed camping include M1 north of Hull Mountain, sideroads off of FH7. Some of our our favorite spots are:
Grizzly Flats
Pine Mountain Lookout
West of Anthony Peak
Green Springs
Atchison Camp
Discovery Points
Potter Valley
Eel River
Big Signal Peak
Pine Mountain Lookout
Rice Fork of the Eel
Snow Mountain
Headwaters of the Eel River
State Game Refuge
Bloody Rock
Boardman Ridge Viewpoint
Lake Pillsbury
Hull Mountain
Hull's Grave
Surface of the Moon
Milsap Cabin (site)
Monkey Rock
Millsap Cabin (site)
Bald Mountain
Etsel Ridge
Black Butte River
Middle Fork of the Eel
Howard Lake
Anthony Peak Fire Lookout
Mt Linn
Mendocino Pass
Black Butte
Oceanview Vista
Plaskett Meadows
Rattlesnake Fire Memorial
Land Managers & Other Resources
Land Managers
Permits & Papers
n/a
Route Details
The Mendocino National Forest is a hidden gem of a forest. You'd think with its proximity to the San Francisco Bay Area and Sacramento, that people would be flocking to this forest. But hey, that's fine by us, as one of our favorite things about the Mendocino, is how easy to escape the crowds and the trappings of modern civilization.
While the Mendocino Backcountry Discovery Trail is a great introduction to the forest, it really doesn't do justice in terms of exposing the visitor to some of its more scenic areas. The Mendocino Grand Circuit was intentionally designed to take advantage of the plentiful natural and recreation opportunities within the forest. For the most part, the route follows the M-road system in the forest, which consists of primarily wide and graded dirt forest service roads that can be driven a a 2 wheel drive vehicle in most instances. We still recommend a truck or SUV with 4x4, but for the majority of the route, something like a stock RAV4 or Subaru will manage just fine.
The route begins in the east side of the forest on FH7, but ends on the west side of the forest, in the Eel River Canyon and Potter Valley. Over the course of 350 miles, you'll traverse through mixed conifer forests, oak dotted rolling grasslands, river canyons, and some amazing lookout points-- Hull Mountain and Anthony Peak being our two favorites. From the top of Anthony Peak, on a clear day ou can see Mt Lassen to the east, and the Pacific Ocean to the west. The forest is filled with hundreds of miles of sided roads and some more technical OHV trails. If exploring the backwoods of the backcountry is your thing, the Mendocino has got you covered in spades! The forest also offers ample opportunity for boating, swimming, hiking, bird watching, target shooting, and OHV riding.
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