Hendy Woods State Park Campground

It was a good place with lots of trees. Nice trails down to the river. I didn’t live this place because there were so many large groups. It was a Saturday night and I was pretty tired at the end of my trip.
The shower was $1 for 5 minutes. The hot water felt amazing!

We stayed here for 2 nights at the end of March during an unusually wet and cold winter. So it was, literally, freezing at night. The sites are situated among towering redwoods. Which blocks the amazing clear night skies, but offer there own beauty.
It was great! The nearby towns or phill and boonville are super cute. We are a family of 4 in a 24ft RV. This park is very accessible with many short and easy trails. The hike to see the preserved “hermit huts” were very cool.
Fire wood is available from the camp host who even takes Venmo! Life saver when we always seem to forget cash. There are 2 campground loops. We stayed in azalea and The best sites IMO were 12,19,20. They are large with separate table and fire pit areas and on the outside edge of the loop- so minimal foot traffic and neighbors.

This is a beautiful campground! Cozy campsites with plenty of privacy. The road through the campground is tight and some sites might be hard to back up a trailer into. Restrooms are clean and showers are a nice amenity. We only stayed a couple nights here on a larger overall trip, however I will definitely be back. There are several wineries nearby if you’re into that. There is a Rivian EV charger as well, which was great to see.

We were able to book one of the last sites at Hendy Woods for a last minute getaway. The camp sites were well maintained and well marked, the campground host (Shirley) was friendly and respectful. It is a short drive to Fort Bragg and other coastal attractions as well as a multitude of wineries. I highly recommend stopping by Gowans farm stand for some apple cider- they also have outdoor cider tasting in their orchard (while they did have a non-alcoholic cider slushy available at the time, this is a tasting of their alcoholic offerings). There is plenty of wildlife to see; however, the Navarro River is dried in many places at this time. Finding a place to fish will require some travel away from the campground and some of its surrounding areas.

Hendy Woods is a gem, and will always occupy a fond place in my memories.  It was one of the first parks I discovered when I moved to the Bay Area 25 years ago, in the late 1990's. There are beautiful, old growth redwood groves from Big Sur through Humboldt county.  IMO, Hendy Woods is the most beautiful Redwood grove closest to the Bay Area. It's not quite what you experience in Humboldt County, but it's about 100 miles closer (to where I live, at least) and it's a magical place.

This California State Park is located in the Anderson Valley, a historic agricultural area located in the Navarro river watershed.  While only 120-ish miles from San Francisco, this area is remote.  To get there, you've got to take Hwy 128 west from Cloverdale, which is right on the Sonoma/Mendocino border.  This is a quintessential California windy road, which is either gorgeous or vomit inducing, depending on whether one is prone to motion sickness or not.  It is possible to get in to the valley from the north, by taking Hwy 101 to Ukiah, and then taking Hwy 253 to Boonville.  But this is "six of one, half dozen of the other" when compared to Hwy 128.  You could also come in from the west, by taking Hwy 1 from any point south, but if you think Hwy 128 is too windy, Hwy 1 is even worse.  For those towing trailers or driving an RV, I do not recommend trying to get to the Anderson Valley or Hendy Woods unless you're an experienced RV'er.  Seriously - the drive in will not be fun, to say nothing about trying to park a trailer or RV larger than 25' (more on this later) in Hendy Woods.  If you're new to RV'ing, get a pull-through spot at the Petaluma KOA and then drive your tow vehicle or tow-behind vehicle up to Hendy Woods for a day trip.  It will take you about an hour to get there from Petaluma.

If you're not towing a trailer or in an RV, and/or car sickness isn't an issue for you or your family (as is my case), the drive in is really beautiful.  You pass remote wineries and orchards, huge shady oaks, and the rolling hills that California is famous for.  This is California country life at its absolute best.

Hendy Woods is about 7 miles west of Boonville, just past the tiny town of Philo.  To enter the park, you make a left off Hwy 128 westbound.  Another note to RV'ers: there is a one lane bridge over the Navarro river before the park entrance, so go slow and make sure the bridge is clear, so as to avoid having to back up. Boonville has a well stocked market and a gas station (that has diesel, for those RV'ers out there).  It's a good place to stop and get supplies (read: beer, local wine, and ice) on the way in. There are a couple of restaurants in town, but this isn't Healdsburg.  The wine tasting is awesome, but you won't be dining at a Michelin starred restaurant in Boonville after visiting the tasting rooms.  You're much better off packing some prime cut ribeyes in your Yeti, buying a bottle of local red in town or at the winery, and grilling up steaks at your campsite in Hendy Woods.  Again, California country living at its finest.

I would describe Hendy Woods as mostly a tent camping spot, but with a few spaces large enough to get a 25-28' foot trailer or RV into.  But the difficulty level of getting an RV or trailer into Hendy is "black diamond." I took my 28' foot Airstream there, and I had to drive the road that circles the campground the wrong direction (per the advice of the ranger and the camp host) in order to get an angle where it was possible to jack my rig into the spot. Then, I had to make several fine tune adjustments to the precise location of my rig once in the spot, in order to get it as level as possible.  Oh, and to level it, I had to perch one axle on a stump, while getting the other axle onto a leveling block.  This is all standard stuff for experienced RV'ers, but since many people like to rent RV's and trailers now, I like to be very clear in my reviews about bringing larger equipment into a park.

I've camped in tents in Hendy, and most recently, in my Airstream. It's an amazing experience either way.  The campground is in a huge grove of redwoods that keep it cool and filter the hot sun. In the wet months (sadly only about 2 months a year now), the Navarro river will be flowing, and you can walk to it from the campground.  It's a great place to swim too if it happens to be running in the summer.  There's at least a day's worth of hiking and exploring without having to leave Hendy.  An ideal trip, for me, is 1 day in Hendy/Boonville, 1-2 days at the coast (about a 30 minute drive west on Hwy 128, not too many curves), 1 day wine tasting and swimming in the river. Hendy Woods is the perfect spot for this.

Hendy Woods is a magnificent place.  With drought becoming such a problem in CA, and because I live in-state, in many ways I prefer camping in the winters now. I've not visited Hendy in the winter, but I plan to soon.  Still, all the times I've been there in spring and summer, it hasn't disappointed. I always come home with a smile and a feeling of calm. Highly recommended.  Per my rating system, I give this 5 stars because it's a place you should travel to specifically to visit. It's a must-have experience if you enjoy camping in the western part of the U.S.

Families, dogs, families, friends... all go together perfectly. Fairly large campground but sites are far enough part you aren’t right on top of each other. Amazingly enough, even with a full campground, everyone was respectful of quiet hours. Great campground host. Easy access to the Anderson Valley wineries and Anderson Valley Brewery for some of our favorite beers and frisbee golf! One tip for those towing trailers... the campground loop roads are not one way. Make sure to figure which direction to approach for the easiest

backup.

Probably a half dozen campers in Azalea and less in Wolverine. Every site looked good and all the ones for RVs seemed pretty level. Restrooms were clean. Staff were very friendly and accommodating. The trails were great. The hermit’s dwellings were interesting. The redwoods in the Hendy grove loop trails were some of the biggest.

The campsite was very quiet. The space in our site was large and there was a good buffer with other sites. The trees also offered a lot of shade during the hot summer days. The bathrooms and showers were really nice. Barely used by others and no lines whatsoever. If you want to go swimming you have to either ride your bike or drive to the entrance and park at the day use area by the bridge. The swimming hole is nice but can get packed at times. There is a rope under the bridge. The water hole is also deep enough in where you could jump from the bridge! Expect little services in he park area. No convenience store. We had Verizon and we’re able to stream Hulu without a problem.

Since dogs aren’t allowed in the trails, the fire road is a great akternative

Hendy woods is a sacred place I will always come back to. The old growth redwoods and rich diversity of plants and fungi really make this place stand out. I have stayed at this campground 5+ times and each time I am glad to come back. 

The two redwood groves are easily accessible from the campsite, and the campsite itself is pretty nice. Quiet, nicely located and I always have a little bit of service (Verizon) at the campground. Hendy woods is a perfect campground for a weekend getaway because of its prime location. There is a cute apple orchard with an honor system mini outdoor shop where they sell apples, cider, etc. They offer cider tastings every once and a while too! The state park is an hour away from Highway 1, so you can easily get to the beach from there. 

I always come to Hendy Woods with my camera, especially in the late winter, early spring to do some mushroom photography. So much to see here! Oh and not to mention the beautiful river about a 10 min walk from the campground :) ENJOY Hendy Woods!!

I was here during a winter rainstorm, so I had the entire campground to myself. Between the solitude and the rain adding to the intense beauty of the redwood groves, I highly recommend bundling up and staying here during a rainstorm.

This was my first time camping under redwood trees, and I can't recommend it enough. Other than the closeness of the campsites, this place is absolutely gorgeous.

 There are a lot of campsites and they're fairly close together but with a little bit of undergrowth. So I imagine it could get fairly noisy when the place is full but you do get a little bit of visual privacy between sites. 

I had some T-Mobile service, but it went in and out frequently so I wouldn't count on having a reliable cell signal.

This is a lovely campground, but what really stood out was that I managed to get enough cell signal to work from my trailer. Even a video Zoom conference on at&t hotspot!

I was there in late October and only one campground was open, but it was almost full. I was glad to get a spot for the two nights I stayed. The shower was cold, but I’ll still give it all the stars.

Location • state park located north of Sonoma and an hour south of Mendocino • in the Virgina redwood forest • closest town: about 6 miles away

Facilities • Bathrooms & showers easily accesible for all sites - cleaned regularly • some bathrooms updated very recently • Spigots every few sites with good draining • campfire theatre • firewood sold on premises • about 70 campsites • some cabins • day use picnic area • wheelchair accesible trails

Ambiance • quiet hours 10pm - 8am • mostly families • dogs allowed on leash

Sites • Small to medium, close together • More open than private; good for groups who need multiple sites • Most hace at least part shade throughout the day • ring fire pits with grill • wooden food locker at each site • wooden picnic table at each site • enough space for 3-4 cars

Things to do • Variety of easy hikes/walks • drive to Mendocino • wine tasting in town

Beware • Poison oak

We were lucky enough to camp on a Monday when everyone had gone home so we had the place almost all to ourselves. We enjoyed every bit of Hendy Woods. The camp site was great and well maintained.

Pros: Awesome, family and dog friendly campground. Be sure to checkout the hiking trails (fairly easy even with small children) as the redwood grove is pretty magical. Our whole experience was great. The junior ranger program and nightly events for families helped keep the kids engaged in the camping experience. Park rangers hosted guided hikes, nighttime stargazing (with telescopes), and nightly campfires. There are showers which is a plus for long stays. There are nearby stores on 128 for provisions (east - Lemmons Market; west - Navarro General Store) as well as several fruit stands.

Cons: There's quite a bit of poison oak, be aware of where you are walking. When we visited in late summer the river near the daily access area was somewhat dried up (flowing like a small creek) and had very little shade.

Peaceful forest to camp in. Came during the rainy season, had to build a shelter from trees to keep the fire from going out. Had the entire grounds to ourselves, winter is a great time for solitude. Definitely must return.

We stayed one night and lived the site and area surrounding. There were so many beautiful sounding birds in the canopy above and our site was surrounded by redwoods and douglas firs. I wanted to stay longer! Needless to say, I'll be back! I think this is my new favorite place. It was a little noisy at times but that's because it's fourth of July weekend and the site next to us had two families having a great time together. I was worried they might keep me up all night but they were respectful of quite hours which was nice. Pets are allowed which I also love. Next time I am bringing my pupper!

Drove for hours and stumbled upon this place very nice sites, huge redwoods, quiet and remote. Navarro store is close.

centrally located in within Anderson valley,so one can go for a hike and (cool off in the Navarro river), go next door and eat organic apple, and Saunders down 128 (<1/4 mile) and sip some wine at the Navarro winery. Big bonus for pet owner this park has trails that you can walk your dog on!

Nice sites with some privacy. Stays fairly cool in the Redwood grove. Clean bathrooms. Good walking/hiking. Great Jr ranger program!

Wonderful campgrounds for large family reunion camp ours. Watch out for the ticks during the summer months.

Spacious sites with fire pit, wooden food box and picnic table. Potable water available at spigots along the roads every 3-4 campgrounds. The campground has restrooms with sinks (bring your own soap), flush toilets, coin operated showers. Campground ha easy access to hiking, swimming in the river, and wine tasting just up the road. There a local produce stands just up the road where you can expect to buy tasty Gravenstien apples if you visit in August! Mosquitoes are present so bring bug spray! If you forget anything, there is a Mom and Pop store up the road that sells almost everything you need including batteries, tableclothes, butane, ice and firewood for about $6 a bundle. The campground host sells firewood for $8 a bundle. Campsites are for 8 people maximum. Even with 8 people, we didn't feel cramped. Sites come with 2 parking passes. If you have more than two cars in your party, you can pay for additional parking passes. Dog friendly! I was the only person in my group to have cell service here and I have Verizon.

This is a very crowded family campground, but worth staying to hike Hendy Woods and wine taste or visit the Boonville Brewery.

Great campground in the Anderson Valley. Anderson Valley is a Pinot Noir region so wineries surround the campground. Booneville is a cute nearby town with kid friendly Anderson Valley Brewery and Pennyroyal Cheese Farm. The park has nice hiking trails and river access for swimming.

We stayed at Hendy Woods for one night in early October. What a beautiful campground! Nestled under a redwood forest with great running/hiking trails in the park. Very close to multiple wineries (we visited 3) as well as Anderson Valley Brewing Company (fun local craft brewery, beer was good and a fun outdoor seating area.

Campground was clean, not busy at the time we were there so plenty of privacy and peace and quiet. Bathrooms were clean, water close to our site, and there were showers available which was nice. We did a trail run on the trails right in the park and it was so much fun! So cool to run around all of those big trees. Found the tree home of the "Hendy Hermit", a man who had lived inside a tree "fort" in the hendy woods many years ago and was somewhat of a local legend. Highly recommend this campground. This was a perfect stop as we headed down the coast from Mendocino. The drive there is beautiful, past a whole bunch of wineries.

Very quiet, peaceful weekend under the rewood trees. Very friendly hosts. Beautiful campground. Dog friendly.

Campsites a little too close to each other.