California's Coastal State Park With A Beach And Unique Pygmy Forest Has Scenic Year-Round Camping

California is known for its giant coastal redwoods, incredible beaches, and dreamy camping spots –– and you can find all three of those things in Mendocino County's Van Damme State Park. But this state park has an something even more unique inside it: a "pygmy forest" where mature trees (we're talking decades, possibly more than a century old) still haven't grown any taller than 10 feet or so. The park is in the small town of Little River right along the coast five minutes south of Mendocino, a delightful New England-style beach town. It's just under a 3.5 hour drive from San Francisco, and it's truly a one of a kind place of phenomenal natural beauty.

The pygmy forest is a must for any visit to Van Damme State Park, and you'll feel like a giant as you walk through the Pygmy Forest Discovery Trail. It's a quarter-mile boardwalk trail through this special forest environment where the acidity and the relatively shallow depth of the soil  means the growth of the trees has been aggressively stunted. You'll find trees like the Bolander pine and Mendocino cypress here (which you can only find in this part of the California coast), as well as interpretive signage along the trail helps give context to the specialized ecosystem.

You can get to the pygmy forest via some of the other trails from the park's main entrance near Highway 1, or you can drive nearly straight to it, making it perfect for a quick visit or if you have mobility issues. The parking lot for the pygmy forest is located just off the Airport Road at the eastern edge of the park.

Along with the Pygmy Forest Discovery Trail, another popular trail at Van Damme State Park is the Fern Canyon Scenic Trail. Running for 5.6 miles round trip along the Little River, it's open to hikers and bikers. It's easy to see why the canyon got its name; there's an abundance of sword ferns amidst the towering redwoods and fir trees. There's a picnic site about 2.5 miles in, making for a perfect lunch spot. The Fern Canyon Scenic Trail also intersects with the Old Logging Road Trail, which then joins with the Pygmy Forest Discovery Trail, making for about a 9 mile total round trip. The half-mile Bog Trail loop near the Visitor Center and campgrounds is particularly impressive during the spring as the yellow skunk cabbage flowers bloom.

You can also go for a walk along Van Damme Beach. On the west side of the highway, it's about half a mile long, and it's a mix of sand and pebbles. With its protected location, the beach is the perfect place to take out a kayak or standup paddleboard. To find some of the best spots, Kayak Mendocino runs a guided tour to some incredible sea arches off shore.

The beach is also a popular spot for scuba diving. The Van Damme State Marine Conservation Area, which encompasses cove just off shore from the state park, is accessible straight from the beach. There's a reef, kelp forest, and rocky areas to explore that are full of wildlife –– and it's great for newer divers. Along with the easy beach entry, there's not a lot of currents and waves to contend with.

Van Damme State Park makes for a fantastic stop if you're on a road trip along California's coast via Highway 1. You can take half an hour to half the day exploring the park and then continuing on your drive, or you can spend the night. There's 74 drive-in camping sites for RVs and tents, and there are showers and restrooms available. Reservations are required and they fill up fast, so you should book them early on the Reserve California website. There are also nine first come, first serve backcountry camping spots about 2 miles in on the Fern Canyon Scenic Trail. However, those have been temporarily closed (at the time of this article's writing) for maintenance after damage from a storm in 2023.

There's a $10 day-use fee for the park, which can be purchased at the entrance, unless you have an annual California state park pass. Car camping sites are $45 per night. Given its coastal location, the weather is fairly mild, typically never getting above around 80 degrees Fahrenheit in summer and or below the high 30s in winter. It can still get chilly, even in summer, though, so bring layers.

While you're in the area, another unique place to check out is the famousl Glass Beach in Fort Bragg (one of the most unique beaches in the United States). It's full of beautiful sea glass and fantastic views, and it's about a 25 minute drive north from Van Damme State Park.