Manchester State Park — Attraction in Point Arena

So sad they no longer have the campground here open. It was a nice campground with campsites spread fairly far apart for a state campground, and brush growing in between them for privacy. It's close enough to the ocean that you hear it in the campground and it drowns out the noise of other people and lulls you to sleep at night. The only downside was that it could get super windy here, but that was part of the charm. It's a nice beach, but I really wish they would reopen the campground. For such a large state beach, there is not a state campground for miles along this stretch of coast. I don't know who made the decision to close this campground, but it seems like part of McKerricher Campground could be closed down since it's a huge campground, and put some of those resources toward keeping the Manchester...

Very nice beach! Many miles long, starting just north of the Point Arena Lighthouse. Great dunes between beach and highway, two good parking options, look for beach access signs before and after the town of Manchester. Southern parking lot has a lenghty path through the dunes to the beach, probably 3/4 of a mile. If you plan to carry more than a backpack be prepared to haul it through a nice scenery but on fine sand! The beach itself has great sand too but it is regularly rather cold and windy, for sunbathing not the best place. But nice walks, plenty of birds to see, tons of drift wood, sometimes you can spot deers in the southern part of the dunes. Usually...

At one time my very favorite place on Earth owing to campsites under the cypress grove by the lagoon with quiet and isolation save for the distant crashing of the surf, and absence of other campers even on Memorial Day, July 4th and Labor Day weekends. Since, however, closed to camping owing to abuse by visitors. A mysterious and holy place where the Spirit hovers and dispenses...