Constituting about one third of the total acreage of the County, this area is vast, with a purity and charm that reminds people of what California looked and felt like to the first settlers.
The largest town in this part of the county is the Western town of Willits, host to California’s oldest continuous July 4th rodeo. Gateway to the Redwoods from the South and Gateway to Wine Country from the North, Willits features galleries and family-friendly eating establishments, as well as two of the County’s most popular museums – the Mendocino County Museum and the Roots of Motive Power, home to an amazing collection of vintage rail cars.
Speaking of trains, Willits is the Eastern end of the world-famous Skunk Train that also originates on the coast in Fort Bragg.
Seven miles South of Willits, the historic 5,000 acre Ridgewood Ranch was the final home and resting place of renowned champion race horse Seabiscuit. Tours are offered to the public three days a week in the summer and on some Saturdays off season.
The far northern reaches of this region feature some of the most unspoiled scenery in the lower 48, from the wondrous Lost Coast to the Yolla Bolly Middle Eel Wilderness and Mendocino National Forest. Outdoors enthusiasts can find true adventures in this remote and scenic region.