California › Glenn County

Mendocino National Forest

National Forest System Roads

Follow California Vehicle Code on National Forest System Roads

Fireworks and Explosives are always Prohibited

Fireworks and explosives (including explosive targets) are always prohibited on national forest lands. The prohibition of fireworks and exploding targets on national forest system lands is part of a set of permanent fire safety regulations in the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR), listed below.…

Cedar Camp Campground Closure

Cedar Camp Campground is closed for public safety. Closure is in effect.

Annual spray program at Chico Seed Orchard

The Chico Seed Orchard is planning annual pest control treatments to protect its seven seed orchards. Throughout the season, the orchard will be closed to the public for 24 hours before and after each treatment. Signs will be posted at the gate of the orchard ahead of each treatment. Please obey…

M21 Road closure

There is a temporary partial closure of National Forest Road M21 between Hammerhorn Campground and Smokehouse Creek/ M21 crossing on the Covelo Ranger District within the Mendocino National Forest for public safety. This section of road has suffered a washout and is impassable. The road will be…

M6 Road Closed for Repairs

The M6 Road is temporarily closed between the M6/M61 junction and Rattlesnake Creek on the Upper Lake Ranger District. The closure is due to a failed culvert that is undergoing emergency repairs.

Project Activity Levels

Are you cutting fuelwood today or a contractor operating in the forest? Check today's Project Activity Levels.Fuelwood Cutters and Service Contracts use the Project Activity Level (PAL) system. Contractors must follow Activity Level requirements specified in their contract. For Mendocino…

M10 Road Status

The M10 Road is currently passable but it is a narrow single lane above Fouts Springs. There are large cracks in pavement, so drive slowly with caution. The M10 road is actively under construction to repair a major slide, located above Fouts Springs near Dixie Glade. Depending on construction…

Partial road closure 22N11 Road

A partial road closure is in place on the 22N11 Road in the Covelo Ranger District. Location of the closure is shown on the map. The closure is for public safety after a road failure in the area has made vehicle travel unsafe and at risk of collapse without warning under the weight of a vehicle.…

Chico Seed Orchard Public Use and Access Closure

Pets must be on a leash. Fall/winter hours are 7 a.m. - 5 p.m. beginning November 1 - February 29. Spring/summer hours are 7 a.m. - 7 p.m. beginning March 1 - October 31. A closure is in effect outside of these hours.

Road conditions

Please be advised that forest roads are NOT plowed or maintained in winter so driving conditions are hazardous, slippery, and may be impassable. Even with good snow tires and four-wheel drive, less than a foot of snow is enough to get a vehicle stuck! Snow and ice can be expected at higher…

Developed campground stay limits

Developed campground camping stay limits are in effect across the Mendocino National Forest through October 12, 2027. Visitors may camp in the same developed recreation campground for 14 days within any 30-day period but no more than 28 cumulative days in any 12-month period.

Dispersed camping stay limits

Dispersed camping stay limits are in effect across the Mendocino National Forest through Oct.8, 2027. The stay limits apply to developed campgrounds and dispersed camping locations. Visitors may camp in the same location outside a one-mile radius of a developed recreation site for 14 days within…

Trail 34 on Upper Lake District closed due to unsafe conditions

OHV Trail 34 is closed due to trail tread degradation and rutting that runs 300 feet down the trail. The trail is unsafe due to unstable soil, extremely muddy conditions and increased runoff.

Overview

Mendocino National Forest is a 927,650-acre forest located in the North Coast Range of northwestern California, approximately 3 hours north of San Francisco and Sacramento. The forest is currently open but with significant operational considerations. Wet weather trail closures are currently in effect on both the Upper Lake District (since Dec. 20, 2025) and Grindstone District (since Dec. 23, 2025), restricting OHV trail use when 2+ inches of rain fall within 24 hours or soils become saturated. Forest roads are NOT plowed, making driving conditions hazardous and potentially impassable even with 4WD and snow tires. Critical to note: nearly 90% of the forest has burned within the last four years, creating persistent post-fire hazards including unstable landslides, hazard trees, rockfall, and debris that can block roads at any time. Several key roads have damage or access issues, particularly M10 (slides above Fouts Springs), M2/308 (slides blocking eastern access), and various others with unknown or compromised conditions. Cedar Camp Campground remains closed for public safety through June 2026. Trail 34 and Trail 85303 (Trail 3) are closed due to degradation and landslides. This is the only California national forest without a paved road entering it, offering primitive backcountry experiences but requiring high clearance vehicles and careful trip planning. Always check current conditions before traveling, as the dynamic post-fire landscape and winter weather create rapidly changing hazards.

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Campgrounds

Atchison Campground Bear Creek Campground Cedar Camp Campground Davis Flat Deer Valley Campground Dixie Glade Campground Fouts Fuller Grove Group Campground General Campgrounds & Trailheads Gray Pine Group Campground Green Springs Campground Howard Meadows Campground Keller Campground Kingsley Glade Campground Lakeview Dispersed Campground Letts Lake Campground Little Doe Campground Little Stony Main Letts Campground Masterson Group Campground Middle Creek Campground Mill Creek - Mendocino National Forest Mill Creek Campground Mill Valley Campground Navy Camp Campground North Fork - Mendocino National Forest North Fork Campground Oak Flat Campground

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