Mendocino National Forest, National forest in California, United States

Mendocino National Forest is a protected forest area in California's Coastal Mountain Range, spanning diverse landscapes with woodlands, open meadows, and numerous lakes throughout its territory. The terrain supports a wide range of plant and animal life across its varied elevation zones.

President Theodore Roosevelt established the area as Stony Creek Forest Reserve in 1907, and it was later renamed Mendocino National Forest under President Herbert Hoover's administration. This renaming reflected a shift in management priorities for the region's protected lands.

The forest's name comes from Mendocino County, one of six counties it covers; the county itself was named after Antonio de Mendoza, the first Spanish viceroy of New Spain. The 2006 Northern California Coastal Wild Heritage Wilderness Act created the Sanhedrin and Yuki wilderness areas, and the Yuki Wilderness carries the name of the Yuki people of the region. Visitors driving County Road 307/Alder Springs Road off Forest Highway 7 can stop at the Rattlesnake Fire Memorial, where 14 volunteer firefighters and one Forest Service employee who died in the 1953 Rattlesnake Fire are commemorated.

Multiple camping areas and hiking trails are scattered throughout the forest for visitors seeking outdoor activities. Lake Pillsbury serves as a focal point for water-based recreation with several boat launch facilities and access points.

The Rattlesnake Fire of 1953 killed one Forest Service employee and 14 volunteer firefighters here, leading to major changes in firefighting strategy and training. A memorial overlooking Rattlesnake Canyon, reached off Forest Highway 7 via County Road 307/Alder Springs Road, marks the site.