![]() The Pacific Ocean buffers coastal temperatures to comfortable levels for most of the year. The nicest time of year to hike the Lost Coast Trail is usually from late May to early October. This is the section between Mattole Beach and Black Sands Beach (Shelter Cove). This guide refers only to the northern Lost Coast Trail. It is a beautiful hike, but it is not top-shelf like the northern section. The southern Lost Coast Trail rarely touches the beach, staying inland and skirting the tops of the bluffs most of the way. Dogs are not allowed and camping must be within designated areas. Sinkyone State Park has tighter regulations than the BLM. The sheer cliffs of the next stretch of coast are inaccessible by foot, so the trail begins inland several miles east from Shelter Cove, and doesn't return to the coast until near Needle Rock. The southern Lost Coast Trail continues further into Sinkyone Wilderness State Park, eventually reaching Usal Beach, about 32 miles from Black Sands Beach. This trail runs 24.6 miles (39.6 km) between Mattole and Black Sands Beach near Shelter Cove. Most of the time when someone says "Lost Coast Trail," they are referring to just the northern section. Most people (and this guide) are only interested in the northern section. There are two official portions of the Lost Coast Trail. Planning a backpacking trip on the Lost Coast Trail Trip Length Between lies the longest stretch of undeveloped US Pacific coastline outside of Alaska. If you were to fly a plane up the coast from here, the next coastal highway you would spot is at Ferndale, roughly 90 miles north. To the south of the King Range, Highway 1 veers eastward, blocked by impassible slopes near Rockport. This is the western edge of Humboldt County in Northern California. The Lost Coast Trail skirts the coast of the King Range National Conservation Area. Important Phone numbers BLM Arcata Field Office: (707) 825-2300 Intertidal-zone hiking, sneaker waves, wind exposure, poison oak (abundant), creek crossings (no bridges, some may be impassible after storms), rattlesnakes (infrequent), black bears. Stretches of the route vanish under the high tide, replaced by surf pounding against the cliffs.Ĭhallenging for most hikers due to the rough beach terrain.ĭogs are allowed but the BLM advises against bringing them due to the paw-destroying sand and gravel. Twice per day, there is no Lost Coast Trail. Often the trail is no more than a foreboding band of beach that vanishes into an oblivion of marine fog. The Lost Coast Trail is one of the finest beach backpacking trips found in the United States, and it has steadily grown in fame and popularity over the years. Apart from sea lions and the occasional troop of Scouts, hikers discover pure solitude. ![]() The path leads from hidden beaches to expansive vistas at dizzying heights above the surf. It is the domain of the hiker, a desolate and severe landscape draped by a pristine ecosystem. ![]() Here crumbling gashes of the King Range tower from the sea, blocking the way of everyone not on foot.īetween the cliffs and the sea, the Lost Coast Trail passes along the narrow band of tortured beach. There are no mansions tucked along hillsides or congested lines of traffic winding along the cliffs. The remoteness is a rare respite from the rest of the state. The Lost Coast is a stretch of California coastline so rugged that roads have not conquered it. By: Wonderland Guides Last updated: AugBackpacking the Lost Coast Trail Hiking the Lost Cost Trail - Introduction
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