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Big River, California
CDP
About Big River
Big River, CA is a small unincorporated community located in southeastern California.
Big River holds the status of a census-designated place — a real, named community that residents call home, governed at the county level. The community covers 10.83 square miles.
📰 Big River News Today
- McNear: Mendocino County’s Big River has been a popular swimming spot for decades The Mendocino Voice · Jul 16
- Shark bites surfer at Big River Beach in Mendocino County NBC Bay Area · Mar 19
- Shark bites surfer off Big River Beach in Mendocino Headlands State Park KRCR · Mar 19
- Shark bites surfer off Big River Beach in Mendocino ABC10 · Mar 19
- Big River Beach closed after surfer injured in shark encounter kron4.com · Mar 20
Live headlines via Google News — updates through the day.
What Makes Big River Unique
- The only place in America named Big River — a truly one-of-a-kind name among 32,000+ US communities.
- An unincorporated community — no city hall of its own, which often means lower local taxes and county-managed services.
- Positioned in southeastern California, convenient to the region's corridors and crossings.
Why People Love It Here
- Quiet streets and a slower rhythm — the kind of place people move to on purpose.
- Cost of living typically runs below the big-metro average.
- Well connected: 3+ neighboring communities within 10 miles.
🏞️ Parks & Outdoors in Big River
Parks mapped by the OpenStreetMap community · "reviews" opens each park's live Google reviews.
🏫 Schools in Big River
- Monument Peak
Public schools, U.S. Dept. of Education (NCES) 2023–24 directory.
⚡ Quick Facts
StateCalifornia
TypeCDP
Population (2024)—
Land area10.83 sq mi
Coordinates34.1398, -114.3621