Between Mendocino and Fort Bragg, Jug Handle preserves an ecological staircase that you can view on a 5-mile (round-trip) self-guided nature trail. The reserve is also a good spot to stroll the headlands, whale-watch or lounge on the beach; you can pick up a printed guide detailing the area’s geology, flora and fauna from the parking lot. Note that it’s easy to miss the entrance; watch for the turnoff, just north of Caspar.
Five wave-cut terraces ascend in steps from the seashore, each 100ft and 100,000 years removed from the previous one, and each with its own distinct geology and vegetation. One of the terraces has a pygmy forest, similar to the better known example at Van Damme State Park, 7 miles south.
