State park
Jug Handle State Natural Reserve
Jug Handle State Natural Reserve is a state park in Mendocino County, California. Hours: call the park.
Jug Handle State Natural Reserve map
Jug Handle State Natural Reserve boundary from USGS PAD-US or the managing agency, simplified for display. Not for navigation or legal boundaries.
Fire restrictions
Fire restriction orders for this unit are not tracked here yet. Restrictions change with the season, so check the current orders before any campfire, stove or target shooting.
Common questions
- Sites can be reserved in advance.
- Hours: call the park.
- No, day use at Jug Handle State Natural Reserve does not need a reservation; pay the entry fee on arrival.
- Yes, dogs are allowed at Jug Handle State Natural Reserve.
Before you go
Day use needs no reservation; pay the entry fee on arrival.
Camping at Jug Handle State Natural Reserve
Sites can be reserved in advance.
Trails
- Ecological Staircase Trail 2.5 miles inland across marine terraces to the pygmy forest
- Headlands Loop Trail Short coastal headlands loop west of Highway 1
What to see
- Feature Ecological Staircase Terraces Five wave-cut marine terraces showing ecological succession
- Feature Pygmy Forest Stunted cypress and manzanita on the oldest inland terrace
- Overlook Jug Handle Beach Headlands High bluffs overlook the Mendocino Coast
Public lands next to Jug Handle State Natural Reserve
- BLM unitJug Handle State Natural Reserve borders California Coastal National Monument.
- State parkCaspar Headlands State Beach, a state park, is 0.4 miles away, straight line between the two boundaries.
- State parkCaspar Headlands State Natural Reserve, a state park, is 0.7 miles away, straight line between the two boundaries.
- State parkPoint Cabrillo Light Station State Historic Park is 1.2 miles away, straight line between the two boundaries.
- State parkRussian Gulch State Park is 1.9 miles away, straight line between the two boundaries.
Measured between the units' boundaries as mapped in USGS PAD-US. Distances are straight line, not driving.
- https://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=441 (accessed 2026-09-29)
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_California_state_parks (accessed 2026-09-28)