Centerville Beach County Park

Centerville Rd.
Ferndale, California 95536
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Local Phone: (707) 445-7651

Please note: dogs under complete voice control are allowed off leash on entire beach October through-February. Dogs must stay on wave slope from March to September. Please pick up after your dogs.

Centerville Beach (see link for map), five miles west of the Victorian Village of Ferndale, is a 9-mile stretch of sand surrounded by picturesque dairy country. On this secluded beach you can marvel at the impressive sandstone cliffs, view wildlife and birds, and even see mother whales migrating with their young in April and May when they swim closer to land.

This is an ideal spot for a family picnic, to bring your dog, ride horses along the beach, beachcomb, have a beach bonfire, or simply take in the magnificent beauty of the windswept Northern California coastline.

Help us keep this beach beautiful and dog-friendly:
• Always follow the posted rules
• Respect natural marine life and habitats
• Be aware of tides and currents
• Pack in and pack out, leaving only paw prints

It Takes A (Dog-Friendly) Village

Enjoying Point Cabrillo Light Station. Photo Credit: Anne Cassia

Just north of Little River, picturesque Mendocino village, with its wealth of lacy Victorians and colorful saltbox cottages, has more places than you can shake a tennis ball at to enjoy with your four-legged friend. more »

Meandering The Mendo Coast With Your Dog

Fetch! Photo: Colleen Proppe

While you can drive from one end of Mendocino County to the other in a morning or afternoon (it’s 102 winding miles from Leggett to Gualala on scenic Highway 1) this intoxicating stretch of coastline is best savored at a snail’s pace. Our advice: Hang your hat (and leash) for at least a night in one of the many dog-friendly lodgings situated within sight and sound of the sea. more »

Moseying Through Mendocino County

Happy dog in Gualala

If you haven’t been to Mendocino County in a while, consider following coastal Highway 1 through a scenic wonderland touched by many trails where you and your dog can sniff out your own discoveries.

Start in Gualala, on the Sonoma/Mendocino county line, where the Gualala Bluff Trail offers three miles of elevated views and excellent wildlife watching (look for passing whales, sea otters hauled out on the beach and lots of shorebirds). Sunsets seen from the trail often are outstanding, too.

Ready to dish up the kibble and call it a night? The Surf Motel and Gualala Country Inn will welcome your pet as warmly as they welcome you. more »

17 Miles of Magnificence

Rosie at Little River Inn

It’s just 17 miles along scenic Highway 1 from the coastal village of Albion to the more muscular city of Fort Bragg, but considering how much lies in between, you could take an entire, leisurely week to go the distance. more »

Coasting With Your Canine

Photo Credit: Mark Cosy (CC)

A mere glimpse of Mendocino’s gorgeously sculpted coastline is all it takes to turn urban angst into rural revelation. The scenery is so intoxicating you can happily spend a week along the Highway 1 corridor without venturing beyond sight or sound of the sea. more »

Mendocino County

There are many places to chase waves with your pooch along the gorgeous Mendocino coastline. Most enforce a six-foot leash policy, but at Noyo Beach near Fort Bragg, it’s legal to unclip Fido from his noose and watch him romp free. more »

Centerville Beach County Park

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