For the fort in North Carolina, see Fayetteville (North Carolina). Fort Bragg is an isolated town of 7,000 people (2020) on California's North Coast. It serves as the economic hub of the area despite the demise of its historic logging and fishing industries at the end of the 20<sup>th</sup> century.
Long regarded as the "Beast" to the neighboring village of Mendocino's "Belle," it has slowly been shedding its inhospitable, blue-collar reputation and begun to warm to the new reality of a tourism-based economy with art galleries, microbreweries and gastropubs of its own. In several aspects it has already eclipsed the appeal of Mendocino as a tourist destination, as being an order of magnitude larger in population grants it the ability to support several beloved American franchises like Starbucks, McDonald's, Best Western and Motel 6, suddenly making vacations to the Lost Coast accessible to those whose budget scoffs at the minimum $300/night lodging costs of its southern sibling. Its population rises to 14,800 (2018) when including the adjacent unincorporated area, increasingly dominated by retirees and vacation rental operators.
Nestled between the chaotic peaks and valleys formed during ~200 million years of one tectonic plate demanding another give way, and sandwiched between the planet's largest ocean and largest temperate rainforest lies Fort Bragg. 15,000 years ago, at the end of the last ice age, the first indigenous inhabitants, the Hokan, found it and called it home, amazed at the scale of nearly everything they saw. The trees averaged nearly 200 feet in height and 15 feet in diameter, the result of being among the oldest living things anywhere and an extremely mild climate with average annual rainfall over 100 inches. Among them lived elk almost as big as a moose, Olympic black bears, cougars and timber wolves in practically boundless number, fed by the lush, verdant terrain and the fish found teeming in the rivers as much as in the mighty Pacific. Millenia passed like this, so long that the Hokan as well became so abundant that they gave rise to three great Native American nations, the Yuki, Pomo, and Wintun. It was they who saw the first Europeans weigh anchor just off the coast in 1542, representatives of the Spanish Empire. After the Spaniards came the English, then the Russians, and eventually the Americans, but the landscape remained a testament to a grandeur almost always reserved for legends. Valiant efforts were made to exploit each natural resource many times, but the difficulty of transporting goods and people over endless rugged hills and rivers always won out. That's how it earned the nickname The Lost Coast, a place forgotten through the Gold Rush, the Industrial Revolution, and the rise of Silicon Valley, still wild and ready to bewitch all who brave the journey there.
Fort Bragg is the largest town on the Lost Coast, a position of honor nearly guaranteed by the grace of having the largest natural harbor for over 100 miles (160 km) in either direction. On today's maps it is seen to lie within the borders of Mendocino County, named for Antonio de Mendoza, the Viceroy of New Spain who had sent that ship full of Spaniards sailing north up the California coast in 1542.
Two state highways, California Routes 1 and 20, are the sole safe conduits for vehicle travel to the area. Route 1 serves as Fort Bragg's Main Street and widens to two lanes in each direction with a center turn lane while it's within the city limits. Route 20 carries the vast majority of locals and visitors in and out of the area and is almost always referred to as the "Willits Road" by locals rather than its official number. Many long-time residents are quick to remind anyone who will listen that in "their day" it was still a winding dirt road unfit for use by anything but pickup trucks. The addition of the paved road surface was done in stages as CalTrans funds became available starting in 1958 and was completed in 1964, shortly thereafter being added to the state highway system as the final leg of the "Ukiah-Tahoe Highway" as Route 20 was then known.
Factoring in the other state highways that merge into or intersect one of them, there are a total of five potential routes by which to visit if you're travelling by automobile or motorcycle. All are entirely two-lane state highways devoid of artificial illumination with posted speeds of , average quality pavement the entire way, and lead to an eventual junction with U.S. Highway 101. If you're not coming from somewhere with obvious access to U.S. 101 any route planning should begin with determining how you'll first reach that thoroughfare. Listed with starting points from north to south the five routes to Fort Bragg are:
| | | | class="unsortable" style="width: 12%;" | Route (Bearing) | | ! scope="col" data-sort-type="number" style="width: 5%;" | Distance | ! scope="col" data-sort-type="number" style="width: 7%;" | Avg. travel time | ! scope="col" class="unsortable" style="width: 8%;" | Joins at | class="unsortable" style="width: 17%;" | Services on route <small>(farthest from F.B. first)</small> | | ! scope="col" colspan="2" class="unsortable" | Hazards / Notes | | ! scope="row" style="text-align: center; border-right: none;" | | style="text-align: left; border-left: none;" | [[Pacific Coast Highway|CA Route 1 (North)]] | style="text-align: right;" | | style="text-align: right;" data-sort-value="80" | 1 hour, 20 minutes | style="text-align: center;" | Leggett (Postmile T91.25) <small>Stop sign controlled</small> | style="text-align: right; line-height: 2em; border-right: none; padding: 1px;" | Westport | style="text-align: left; line-height: 2em; border-left: none; padding: 2px;" | | style="text-align: center; border-right: none; padding: 2px;" | | style="text-align: left; border-left: none; padding: 1px;" | <ul><li>Lowest average speed, very sporadic cellular service and longest wait for emergency services</li><li>South of Hardy Creek mostly follows the coast with amazing ocean views</li><li>Only route with sections lined on both sides by old-growth redwood stands</li></ul> | | ! scope="row" style="text-align: center; border-right: none;" | | style="text-align: left; border-left: none;" | CA Route 20 (East) | style="text-align: right;" | | style="text-align: right;" data-sort-value="60" | 1 hour | style="text-align: center;" | Willits (Exit 568) | style="text-align: right; line-height: 2em; border-right: none; padding: 1px;" | Camp 20 | style="text-align: left; line-height: 2em; border-left: none; padding: 2px;" | (Outhouse) | style="text-align: center; border-right:none; padding: 2px;" | | style="text-align: left; border-left: none; padding: 1px;" | <ul><li>Shortest and fastest route available</li><li>Cellular service is intermittent but consistent traffic at all hours</li></ul> | | ! scope="row" style="text-align: center; border-right: none;" | | style="text-align: left; border-left: none;" | CA Route 253 (Southeast) | style="text-align: right;" | | style="text-align: right;" data-sort-value="100" | 1 hour, 40 minutes | style="text-align: center;" | Ukiah (Exit 546) | style="text-align: center;" | None | | style="text-align: center; border-right: none; padding: 2px;" | | style="text-align: left; border-left: none; padding: 1px;" | <ul><li>Compound route: Joins at Boonville</li><li>Shortest path through the Coast Range mountains but entails the most extreme grade as well</li><li>Recommend at least six-cylinder engine (≥ 2.5L) and brakes in good working order to manage the ascent/descent safely</li><li>Flood warning: When the Navarro River floods, it prevents traffic on Route 128 from reaching the Route 1 junction, rendering this route unusable as well.</li></ul> | | ! scope="row" style="text-align: center; border-right: none;" | | style="text-align: left; border-left: none;" | CA Route 128 (Southeast) | style="text-align: right;" | | style="text-align: right;" data-sort-value="110" | 1 hour, 50 minutes | style="text-align: center;" | Cloverdale (Exit 522) | style="text-align: right; line-height: 2em; border-right: none; padding: 1px;" | Yorkville Boonville Philo Navarro | style="text-align: left; line-height: 2em; border-left: none; padding: 2px;" | | style="text-align: center; border-right: none; padding: 2px;" | | style="text-align: left; border-left: none; padding: 1px;" | <ul><li>Compound route: Joins south of Albion</li><li>Highest average speed and several wineries available to visit while passing through Anderson Valley</li><li>Flooding: Prone to sudden closures from winter to mid-spring when heavy rains cause the Navarro River to flood</li></ul> | | ! scope="row" style="text-align: center; border-right: none;" | | style="text-align: left; border-left: none;" | [[Pacific Coast Highway|CA Route 1 (South)]] | style="text-align: right;" | | style="text-align: right;" data-sort-value="270" | 4 hours, 30 minutes | style="text-align: center;" | Marin City (Exit 445B) <small>≈ north of Golden Gate Br.</small> | style="text-align: right; line-height: 2em; border-right: none; padding: 1px;" | Pt. Reyes Station Bodega Bay Gualala Point Arena Elk | style="text-align: left; line-height: 2em; border-left: none; padding: 2px;" | | style="text-align: center; border-right: none; padding: 4px;" | | style="text-align: left; border-left: none; padding: 1px;" | A truly exhausting drive: it barely meets the state minimum highway width of 25ft for much of its length, with non-stop <20 mph turns (many of which are blind and/or banked contrary to good road design), and can often be engulfed in a fog bank that arrives without warning and regularly places you just a hard sneeze away from an over plunge into the ocean, since of course there are no guardrails. When the wise make this journey, they stop often, budget an entire day's time for the trip, and tag in a fresh driver whenever possible. The stress sneaks up on you. | The reward for your bravery if you come this way is an exceptionally unique stretch of road, combining spectacular vistas with ample waypoints that offer phenomenal recreation and amenities for such a remote locale (e.g. golf in Bodega Bay & Sea Ranch, EV charging station in Elk, a historic movie theater in Pt. Arena, and brand new casino in Stewarts Point) that can easily fill the journey with delight sans any genuine "destination." | | style="text-align: center; background: lightgray;" | See also: Routebox below | | | | | | | | |
Mendocino Transit Authority: The only provider of public transit in Mendocino County, +1-800-696-4682 . Service within Fort Bragg and between F.B./Willits/Ukiah is quite affordable and reliable, if not especially frequent, with only two trips in each direction between cities per day.
Amtrak Thruway Bus Service: Stops four times a day in Willits at the Skunk Train depot parking lot, en route northbound to McKinleyville/the Arcata airport and southbound to the Amtrak rail station in Martinez. You can easily walk from the depot to the junction of CA Routes 1 and 20, where a covered MTA bus stop is located to complete the trip to Fort Bragg. Fares vary but average ~$30 one-way in either direction. +1-800-872-7245
The mouth of the Noyo River forms one of very few safe harbors between San Francisco and Eureka.
Fort Bragg is on the Pacific Coast Bicycle Route.
California Western Railroad (Skunk Train), 100 West Laurel St, 39.44534°, -123.80747°, +1 707-964-6371. Everyday 9AM-3PM. The California Western Railroad ran between Fort Bragg and Willits before the collapse of Tunnel No. 1 halted end-to-end rail traffic; 2 hour half-trips from the Willits depot to the Northspur junction and back and 1 hour excursions from the Fort Bragg depot to the Glen Blair junction and back still run during the summer. Nicknamed the "Skunk Train" because it ran on gasoline engines (rather than diesel), with the corresponding odor of long-chain hydrocarbons washing over most of the town center when it would open the throttle to build momentum for departure. While the railroad attempts to finance the tunnel's reconstruction, rentals of "railbikes" are offered allowing patrons to pedal (with electric assist) 3.5 miles along the track from the Fort Bragg depot and back in guided groups safely. Adult $50, child (< 12 y/o) $30, infant or dog $12, railbike $79 (1–2 riders) 2019-07-22
Jug Handle State Natural Reserve (Ecological Staircase Trail), 15499 Caspar Rd, Caspar (3 miles south of town on west side of Highway 1; park has its own parking lot along highway, just prior to the signed Caspar off-ramp), 39.37515°, -123.81663°, +1 707-937-5804, info@parks.ca.gov. Daily: dawn to dusk. A one-of-a-kind natural feature, the park offers a 5-mile loop trail that travels through three distinct steps of a natural terrace created by tectonic plate activity. Each step has been lifted from beneath the ocean 100,000 years after the next higher step showing the process by which newly exposed continental accretion areas are converted to fertile, productive areas for plants and animals. The loop begins and ends at Jug Handle beach from the lowest step which is mostly coastal prairie, to the second with its young redwood forest, up to the oldest step which emerged before modern humans evolved and showcases a rare pygmy forest of conifers and coastal shrubs that rarely grow taller than 10-12 ft due to the highly acidic soil and lack of adequate drainage. 2019-07-19
Pomo Bluffs Park (Todd's Point Pedestrian & Bike Trail), Ocean View Drive and Cliff Way (from CA Route 1 (Main Street) turn west on Ocean View Drive; at terminus turn right and continue north on Cliff Way, park is at the road's end), 39.42517°, -123.81688°. Daily: dawn to dusk. Very convenient place to do some whale watching or just stroll along the bluffs and watch boats travel in and out of the harbor. Free 2019-07-18
Ricochet Ridge Ranch, 24201 North Highway 1 (a few minutes north of town on Highway 1 in Cleone, on the corner of the intersection with Mill Creek Dr.), 39.48962°, -123.78574°, +1 707-964-7669, rrr@horse-vacation.com. Daily 9AM-6PM. Trail rides on the beach & in the redwood forest from as short as an hour for $60 up to six hours from $350. English or Western horses for all experience levels, heavy riders mostly accommodated. Starts at $60 for 1-hour ride 2019-08-15
Symphony of the Redwoods, 340 North Main Street (office) & 500 North Harold St (Cotton Auditorium), 39.448083°, -123.797994°, +1 707 964 0898. Catch a full symphony performance at the beautiful Cotton Auditorium or one of the many regular opus concerts at various venues both indoor and outdoor (like the Mendocino Coast Botanical Gardens). With regular guest conductors and musicians from the greater Bay Area contributing to the vast and storied local talent you're sure to have a wonderful experience. $25 for the full concerto with several themed selections (and often a free pre-show guest lecture), typically 1-2 hours. 2022-11-14
It began long before the memory of mankind, but the sea remembers when the first pods of California gray whales arrived at the shores of the Eastern Pacific, some 130,000 years ago, give or take a few. An especially ponderous species that lived over 60 years on average and occasionally more than 80, they were seldom in a hurry. Like all descendants of the first filter-feeder whales that first evolved 30 million years ago, they fed on the tiny crustaceans that fill the oceans, but unlike their ancestors the California grays could feed successfully at any depth, from the pitch blackness of the muddy bottom to the sun-kissed whitecaps dancing on the surface the gray whale was at the buffet table. They very quickly fell into a comfortable rhythm, spending the summers off the Alaskan coast gorging on the infinite types of tiny shrimp that stampede through the shallow water close to shore every year at that time. As summer turned to autumn and the shrimp became less plentiful they would migrate south at their usual languid pace, living off the sea lice and sandhoppers that know no season on the ocean bottom along the route following the coastlines of British Columbia and going past California on their way to the ideal calving grounds at which to spend the winters: the crystal blue waters off Baja California, Mexico.
The water temperature there wasn't so punishing to the new mothers, who barely have time to feed as they turn their fat reserves from shrimp buffet into 50-80 pounds of milk daily for each calf. Humans have only been around to bear witness to them for the last 14,000 years or so, and there's no doubt they took notice then as keenly they still do in Fort Bragg each March at the Whale Festival that coincides with the most frequent sightings of gray whale pods (those without newborns in tow leave first and travel at a more consistent speed thus staying more tightly grouped) headed back to Alaska to start the cycle over again.
Budget: $15 – $30, mid-range: $30 – $45, splurge: $45 and up (meal for one + soft drink).
Budget: $140, mid-range: $180, splurge: $220 (standard double room).
Fort Bragg is a relatively safe city. Take normal precautions as you would in any urban area. Dial 9-1-1 to contact a dispatcher for an emergency.
Fort Bragg is generally a very safe place to bring your pet to experience. The climate is too cool to support the more notorious threats such as rattlesnakes, scorpions and the like. If you take Fido out and about with you, however, you do need to keep him from sampling the local flora unsupervised, as both ivy and azaleas/rhododendrons are thoroughly ubiquitous throughout both the natural landscape and local gardens and are known to cause potentially severe distress to dogs who ingest them. Furthermore the proximity of wild animals (bears, mountain lions, possums, raccoons, foxes, and many more) to all of the human-inhabited parts of the area produces an indomitable population of common fleas and ticks looking for their next meal. As of 2019, many residents find that the fleas/ticks are quite impervious to the more common over-the-counter treatments such as fipronil (Frontline), imidacloprid (Advantage/Advantix) and permethrin (BioSpot), requiring prescription treatments to gain any leverage over. If your dog is prone to sensitive skin or does not tolerate fleas/ticks well, you may want to reconsider his accompanying you.
Fort Bragg has four veterinary clinics, all of which are relatively "full-service" considering the nearest proper veterinary hospital is over two hours away in Santa Rosa. Three of the four have a memorandum of understanding that arranges for the staff of one to handle all of the emergency calls that come in during the weekend regardless of who regularly sees the pet. The fourth, Covington Creek, has a single veterinarian who takes their own weekend emergency calls and usually arranges for a visiting veterinarian to come to the area and do so in the event they need to travel out of the area.
2nd-order administrative division
Primary administrative division