Pudding Creek Beach
Fort Bragg, CA
Pudding Creek Beach sits under the old railroad trestle bridge at the north end of Fort Bragg, connected to MacKerricher State Park by the Haul Road, an oceanfront multi-use trail popular with walkers and cyclists. The trestle overhead gives the beach a distinct look you won't find at the more open stretches nearby.
The trestle bridge gives it real character and an easy trail connection to MacKerricher, though it's a smaller, more workaday beach than the state park stretches nearby.
How we score beachesWalk or bike the Haul Road north toward MacKerricher if you want more beach without moving the car, it's a flat, easy connection between the two.
Free parking is available; the CCC lists a lot here but doesn't specify its size.
A path leads from parking to the beach beneath the trestle.
Dogs are allowed on leash at Pudding Creek Beach, but off leash dogs are not permitted.
Summer mornings run foggy before clearing, typical of the Mendocino coast, with water staying cold year round.
More Pacific Coast beaches
Zuma Beach
Malibu, CA · Pacific Coast
A wide stretch of sand backed by the Santa Monica Mountains, with reliable swells that draw surfers year-round and plenty of room to spread out even on busy weekends.
Huntington City Beach
Huntington Beach, CA · Pacific Coast
Known as Surf City USA, with a mile-long municipal pier, consistent breaks for surfers of every level, and a laid-back boardwalk scene along Pacific Coast Highway.
Main Beach
Laguna Beach, CA · Pacific Coast
Tucked between rocky headlands, with tidepools to explore at low tide, calmer coves for swimming, and an arts-town backdrop of galleries and cafes just steps from the sand.