The Ten Mile Beach Trail in Fort Bragg starts right near the Pudding Creek Trestle, a 515-foot-long bridge that used to carry lumber trains for the Union Lumber Company and now serves as a pedestrian walkway. It’s a good landmark to navigate by—just head to Ward Avenue off Highway 1, drive toward the ocean, and you’ll find parking near the trestle. Once you cross over, the trail itself is flat and paved, stretching about 3.5 miles north along the coast as the MacKerricher Haul Road.

The ocean views are genuinely excellent here, especially on a clear day. The trail is wide enough that you won’t feel crowded even when there are other walkers around, and your dog can move at whatever pace works for you—whether that’s a casual meander or a real workout. Virgin Creek Beach shows up along the way and is dog-friendly, with actual sand and water where dogs can splash around. I watched a few dogs having a great time there while their owners sat on the rocks.

If you have the energy for it, the trail continues past Virgin Creek toward Lake Cleone in MacKerricher State Park, where you might spot wildlife and get more of that quiet, tucked-away-from-the-world feeling. From there, you could technically keep going to the Ten Mile River, though that makes for a pretty substantial day. Most people seem to do a section of it and turn back rather than the whole length.

The whole setup is pretty straightforward—no confusing junctions, decent surface underfoot, and enough space that even on busy days it doesn’t feel chaotic. Bring water for your dog since the trail is mostly open with limited shade. The parking area near the trestle fills up on weekends, so an early morning start tends to work better if you’re going on a Saturday or Sunday.