Gualala River Redwood Park                                                

Gualala River Redwood Park (GRRP) is a large, privately owned, campground in southern Mendocino County.  The county line between Mendocino and Sonoma counties is the Gualala River. The campground, as the name would imply, is found amidst the coastal redwoods along the north shore of the Gualala River.  We were quite impressed by the 'nature feel' that this place has while at the same time providing a very complete family camping experience.  Well developed campsites and hot showers make the camping comfortable.  A recreation area with rustic ping-pong tables, bocce ball, horseshoes, and a small camp store along with river front access, fish & abalone cleaning stations, and more provide fun for all ages.  

This trip was made with our extended family - are you ready for this - Me, My Wife, My Son, My First Wife, Her Hubby, His Brother, His Brother's Wife, and their three kids!  Now that's family...  Okay, we spent a lot of time enjoying the river, albeit the water level was quite low in some spots.  We also spent a bit of time cooking, eating, and telling stories 'round the campfire.  

During the daytime we took advantage of great weather and crystal clear water.  We took turns paddling our nine foot Sevylor raft up and down the river.  Being able to see several feet down into the deepest parts of the water was a real kick.  The river has some great features below the surface to gaze at.  Some brave souls were even using a rope swing and plunging into the water from aloft.  Looked fun...

Our raft serves admirably - fully loaded - as Sam, Eudith, and three kids take it for a jaunt down the river.  This really was lots of fun!  As for GRRP, camping here is somewhat expensive, it might be best to camp as a group like we did to help defray costs.  Still, we liked it here so we'll likely be back again.  Come springtime, the river should be much higher and sport some good fishing!  Add the redwoods and you've got some of our favorite things all in one place.