Best Dog-Friendly Camping near Mendocino, CA
Russian Gulch State Park Campground accommodates pets across its variety of campsites for tent and RV camping. The park's secluded sites offer privacy for campers with dogs, with clean facilities including flush toilets and paid showers nearby. Pet owners must keep dogs leashed at all times and clean up after them. Sites are equipped with food storage cabinets, picnic tables, and fire rings. The small private beach area within the park allows dogs, providing a less crowded alternative to other coastal beaches in the area. Van Damme State Park Campground and Caspar Beach RV Park & Campground also welcome pets, with Caspar Beach offering cabin accommodations in addition to tent and RV sites.
Dogs are permitted on the beach areas at Russian Gulch and Van Damme State Parks but must remain on leash. The babbling creek running through Russian Gulch provides a pleasant sensory experience for pets during camping stays. Most campgrounds in the area have little to no cell service, so pet owners should research nearby veterinary options before arrival. Fort Bragg, just north of Mendocino, offers the closest pet supply stores and veterinary services. Weather along the Mendocino coast remains cool year-round, often with fog and mist, so pets should have appropriate shelter during camping trips. Morning dew and coastal dampness mean pet bedding can get wet quickly in tent camping situations, especially in sites located on the creek side of Russian Gulch where limited sun exposure keeps everything slightly damp.
