julies

There are a lot of places that look interesting. I've read about the giant trees and other marvelous outdoor places. But, is the weather this time of year so iffy that it would make a trip such as this a bad idea? I'm not expecting shorts weather, but would like nice enough to do lots of outdoor things wearing a light jacket or sweater.

Michael

March is still rainy season, and major storms can be coming through. North of SF is far more iffy in this respect than south of SF, since the storms come mainly from the north.

J_Correa

Rain will be the main deterant to outdoor activities that time of year. It wont really be cold - undershirt, sweater, and rain jacket is probably all the layering you will need. Also, the storms generally come in waves - a few days of rain off and on, followed by a few days of dry weather. Sometimes the storms stack up out in the Pacific and we get them one after another, but usually there is a break. So, if your trip is long enough that you can spend a couple days just hanging out if we get a big storm, then go for it.

Redwood forests in the rain are one of my favorite things. Unless it is absolutely pouring, I wouldn't hesitate to do some hiking. Just bring a rain jacket with a hood and good boots. Being on the coast when it is stormy is also pretty cool.

As Michael said, north of SF is rainier than south of SF because of the weather patterns. South of SF are the Santa Cruz mountains, which also have some terrific redwood forests. That would be another option for you.

suze

As above, it's not so much the temperature but the likelyhood of fog, rain, drizzle, gray skies, storms off the ocean, etc.

dovima

Well, it's not like late December when the nastiest storms (violent winds and torrential rain) come through. However, last year it did rain a lot in March and it seemed to go on forever. That being said, you can also hit a patch of beautiful sunny weather for a week or so between rain patterns. As luck would have it, the last two trips I've made to Mendocino have been in March and the weather was incredible - crisp at night, warm during the day, blue skies.

I also agree with the posters who like the redwoods in rainy or just-rained-upon weather. The redwood forests are at their most mysterious and magical then - all kinds of mosses are out and the green-ness is phosphorescent.

Take a chance - and bring versatile clothes and sensible shoes!

mlgb

Its not usually that foggy in winter is it? I think the main risk, as others have mentioned, is a big storm. Driving on mountain roads or in San Francisco not much fun then.

julies

Thanks. You are making me think if we take this trip we should head south rather than north from S.F. and save the more northerly parts for a different time. Frankly, we'd be very frustrated if we planned a trip primarily around outdoor activities and then were forced to just sit around a motel.

gualalalisa

The main drawback to driving yp the coast road in the winter is that it is often closed due to flooding and/or landslides.

Here in Gualala we are often "marooned" when there is a slide on the Jenner Grade (south) and Highway 1 floods at the Garcia River (north).

Though there are two back roads (one paved, one not) I wouldn't recommend them for non-locals.

The best time of year here IMO is usually September/October when we get our real summer.

P.S. We are socked in by fog as I write!

dovima

gualalalisa,
Pardon me for a wee diversion off the original post, but I have a question regarding your environs. Fish Rock Road - is it paved all the way through from Highway 128 to the coast or not? I've never driven the entire length of it, usually turning around to go back towards the Anderson Valley. And which two back roads were you referring to in your reply to julies? Thanks for any info. I love driving back roads but don't want to get stuck!