I had long daydreamed about hiking the Lost Coast Trail of California, and had missed my opportunity for the last three years due to challenges with permits or family obligations requiring me to cancel my permit. Finally, I obtained a permit during for a favorable tide window during the last week of April 2024. The weather forecast was favorable, with high winds but no rain.

I had reserved a shuttle seat with Lost Coast Adventure Tours for the ride to Mattole Trailhead. The shuttle I chose departed at 7 a.m., so I spent the previous night at the Shelter Cove RV Campground. It was quite windy and cold that night, but the campground offered potable water, food and amenities, and was close to town and the Shelter Cove trailhead where I would leave my car and catch the shuttle. When I arrived, I took some time to explore Shelter Cove, and spied on the harbor seals with their new pups on nearby Seal Rock.

Day 1: Mattole Beach Trailhead to Cooskie Creek 7 mi* / 6.8 mi / 11.3 km

The shuttle driver showed up before 7 a.m. and checked everyone in. We had 8 hikers on the shuttle, and only two of us were solo backpackers. The 2.5-hour drive up the partial dirt and poor gravel road was long and twisty, including some sections that were quite steep and narrow. I was happy not to be driving it myself. Once at the trailhead, I was happy to be out of the vehicle and in the brisk, windy air. After taking a short time for a bathroom break, photos and nabbing a geocache, I was on my way hiking south on the soft sand. The coast was as wild, remote and beautiful as had been advertised.

A young duo of backpackers were also hiking south, and it was their first time on the trail as well. We made good time through the first tidal-dependent area near Punta peak, and spied a large sea lion colony out on the rocks, quite a bit north of their namesake Sea Lion Gulch. We then came upon the large colony of Northern elephant seals near the Punta Gorda lighthouse. As a rescue volunteer for The Marine Mammal Center in the Bay area, I was accustomed to these large creatures. We did our best to keep our distance, but they barely noticed us, true to their elephant seal relaxed and slow-moving nature. I looked around briefly at the lighthouse and found another geocache, before continuing south.

But what followed was the largest, thickest, and highest path of poison oak I have ever had to traverse! The trail was thick with it, and it was chest high in some areas, making it hard to avoid. It wasn’t really avoidable either, as we were not allowed to hike on the beach near the elephant seals. We had been warned about the poison oak by the shuttle driver, who suggested we’d have to treat our clothing as contaminated for the entire trip, making sure not to sleep in it or brush against it too much. I gritted my teeth and proceeded on the overgrown trail, glad I was in long pants and long sleeves, but wishing I had brought tyvek coveralls available to hazmat workers.

After the poison oak field, there was a short space of trail along the beach, before it began to climb a bit higher on the bluffs. Shortly thereafter we arrived at Sea Lion Gulch, about 4.4 miles from the trailhead. Although I had originally planned to camp at Sea Lion Gulch, I arrived there just a little after noon. It felt too early to stop, and the two backpackers who arrived around the same time also decided to head for the next camp at Cooskie. It was a small camp area with little protection from the wind, which concerned me as I wasn’t sure how my trekking pole-supported Notch Tarptent would hold up in the forecasted 25-40 knot winds.

However, heading for Cooskie Creek meant crossing through another tidal-dependent zone, so the three of us realized we had better not dally as we continued the next two miles. After picking my way through a boulder field, I continued south before spotting the trail deviation that climbed above Hat Rock, which is impassable at all tides.

I had time to spare as I arrived at Cooskie Creek, which was already inhabited by several other campers, including a ranger. Although the tent sites at first seemed limited, I explored back behind several sites and parallel to the creek to find a primo campsite that offered excellent privacy and shelter from the wind. In the early afternoon, the wind was quite high: whitecaps and spindrift were visible, with 6-8 ft. waves, so I estimated a wind speed of 25-30 mph. I happily set about gathering water and setting up my campsite, before exploring Cooskie Creek a bit further. The wind subsided near sunset and I slept great that night.

Day 2: Cooskie Creek to Kinsey Creek 6.3 mi* / 5.6 mi / 10.1 km

I had a leisurely breakfast before packing up my site. After wading the creek in my water shoes, I headed south on a mostly easy trail, knowing I had most of the day to continue through only another two miles of tidal-dependent hiking. There were again some boulders and rocky intertidal areas on the way to Randall Creek, but it was mostly fairly easy hiking. At Cooskie, and along the way, there was evidence of ancient lava flows and interesting geological features.

After Randall Creek, a bit more beach walking was followed by a delightful walk on the bluff at Spanish Flats. The trail was easy walking, and the fields were filled with wildflowers swaying in the high winds.

I stopped at Spanish Creek for lunch, and after a few more creek crossings (all high enough to require wading), I came to the intersection of the trail to Kinsey Ridge, and then the Kinsey Creek campsite. I was delighted to be hiking solo all day, seeing only one other backpacker after leaving camp. Once again, I arrived early in the afternoon. No one was camped here yet, and I was able to snag a site next to a cliff that was more protected from the wind. There were some excellent sites with more sun and views on the bluffs, but with the winds in excess of 30 knots, I was happy with my darkened shelter under the tree cover. It was still quite windy and cold in the evening, but I enjoyed the sunset from the bluff (cover photo for this page) before heading to my tent.

Day 3: Kinsey Creek to Big Flat with backtrack 6.7 mi* / 4.5 mi / 10.8 km

It was quite cold in the morning, and I set out with all my layers on. The hiking was wonderful: almost entirely solo on a bluff trail, and the weather was windy and cool. At Big Creek I watched a turkey vulture and a gull squabble over a dead fish in the creek as I traded my water shoes for my hiking boots.

The trail was a pleasant mix of easy beach walking and bluff top. I stepped off the bluff trail briefly for a bio-break, and came upon the severe wreckage of someone’s canoe. Hopefully no one was hurt!

There were a few private houses on the bluffs with private airstrips, and the fields of grasses and wildflowers swaying in the breeze, with the vast ocean of whitecaps in the background, added to the remote feeling. No one around but me and a few deer. Later, the bluff trail turned into a yellow brick road of wildflowers!

When I arrived at the Big Flat campsite around 12:30, I spoke to a couple of women there who were enjoying their day, lounging on the beach near their tents. I saw a few tent sites that seemed a bit exposed in the wind, and I decided to continue on to Shipman Creek as it was still early. However, I foolishly didn’t take the recommended fork in the trail, and ended up at a dead end of a big landslide. The hike was pleasant, but I regretted not paying attention: now, in addition to backtracking I would have to really hustle to get to Shipman Creek before the tide. As I was hiking back, I realized I’d rather not rush, and instead decided to head back to camp at Miller Flat and enjoy my afternoon. I was so glad I did! I ended up on a side trail from the official trail, and found a delightful campsite that was away from the others and protected from the wind. And it seemed I arrived at Miller Flat just in time; in the intervening time, numerous other campers arrived and the sites on both sides of the creek filled up. In fact, a gentleman arrived later in the afternoon and was crestfallen that I was occupying his “favorite campsite” already. However, he was staying two days, so I assured him he could have it the next day.

I enjoyed my afternoon at the beach, taking some pictures at sunset and exploring the fields to the east of my tent.

While preparing dinner, I discovered that my stove, which had been displaying an increasingly weaker flame, was struggling to provide enough power to boil my water for dinner. I had brought a brand new small canister, so I was a bit dismayed as I fiddled and adjusted. It appeared the stove was dying. I realized I’d be better off hiking out the next day, rather than staying a short distance from Black Sands beach for one more night. That meant a longer hike, but the distances had been quite short up until now, and I preferred that to taking my chances with a cold-soaked meal. (I was later to learn that the problem was not with the stove, but the canister! The stove worked fine on another canister, and a different stove canister head also didn’t work on the canister I brought. A rare problem, according to the forums and my own experience, but “not zero.” Lesson learned; in the future I’ll test new canisters before I depart for a trip. This one had been weak all along, but I blamed it on the wind and/or the colder temperature.) I was glad I hadn’t had to beg hot water from others on the trip, or, worse yet, turn around!

Day 4: Big Flat to Black Sands Beach Trailhead 9.5 mi* / 8.5 mi / 15.3 km

The tide wasn’t low enough for the tidal-dependent areas until after 9 a.m., but I was on the trail just before then. There were a few more rocky sections with boulders, and several creek crossings, before the vistas opened up to wide, black sand beaches.

Even though I was within day-hiking distance of Shelter Cove, there was plenty of wildlife. I spied a few harbor seals on a rock, some apparent coyote tracks, and a juvenile California sea lion attempting to rest on the beach. He was likely sick, as sea lions rarely come ashore in solo haul-outs. I gave him plenty of space so as not to spook him back into the ocean.

Having such a nice, low tide made the hiking on hard-packed sand easy, and the miles went pretty quickly. Even with a leisurely lunch break, I arrived back at the trailhead in the early afternoon, happy to have thoroughly enjoyed this iconic trek.

The Lost Coast Trail fulfilled its promise of an iconic and unique backpacking trek of California. It offers easy mileage and plenty of remote wilderness and wildlife, plus some beautiful seascapes. Just the very remote nature of these beaches, so far away from roads and civilization, makes it a must-do trip. Plus, it offers greater seasonal flexibility than many backpacking trips in California, as it can be trekked early and late in the season when other areas may be facing snow or colder weather. The information provided by the Bureau of Land Management on managing the tide-dependent crossing is helpful, and it is essential to heed those warnings, particularly in the event of high surf or adverse weather. Although it is not a hike to experience solitude, as it is popular and quotas are often full, I highly recommend this hike for anyone who loves the sea.

Photos by Cris Lewis, Sony alpha 6600, 18-135 mm Sony lens

LOGISTICS and TIPS

• *Mileages marked with an asterisk are measured from a GPS track, and likely to be an overestimate of official mileage.

• Now that Bill of Bill’s Lost Coast Shuttle has passed away, the main shuttle service is Lost Coast Adventure Tours. The shuttle driver was very knowledgeable about the area and provided helpful advice during the drive. I found the road to be windy, narrow, and steep in some places, and I was happy not to have to drive it, especially in the rain. Mattole Beach is accessible by road and open to the public, and forums suggest there have been thefts at this trailhead. Thus, most people either park a car at each end, plan a key-swap, or take the shuttle north and hike back south.

• If you are seeking a place to camp the night before the shuttle pick-up, Bill had recommended staying at the BLM sites Nadelos or Wailaki Campgrounds. These are smaller, inexpensive campsites, available first-come, first served, and the only water available must be filtered from a creek. If you need a more sophisticated stay, the Shelter Cove RV Campground sites can be reserved, and offer full facilities plus a small store.

• The Bureau of Land Management offers detailed guidance and many warnings for hiking the Lost Coast Trail. Of course, bear canisters are required, as black bears inhabit the coast. Some trekkers have died or been injured from high waves or dangerous conditions, so the tide tables and guidance maps are essential. The Hiking Guy also offers an extremely detailed account of the Lost Coast Trail with plenty of advice about planning and requirements.

• This NOAA Tides and Currents website offers an easy way to assess tide levels for your desired trip dates. Set the threshold direction as <= and the threshold value as 3 (feet) to obtain a plot showing which time windows allow passage of tidal-dependent areas. An enterprising hiker created a very helpful website for calculating your desired campsites and the corresponding tide windows, depending on your desired dates. I found it quite helpful, although it has been upgraded since I used it. After choosing dates and campsites, you can even adjust hiking speed to better understand your options for campsite selection, or choosing the number of days of your trip. Even better, in recognition of the challenge of obtaining permits, he offers a service for a reasonable fee that will alert you with text messages if permits open up during the year. I used the service one year and received several alerts, but no spam or anything undesired. He has since expanded this to other backpacking trips with limited permit availability. The duo I met on my trip were able to obtain a permit by repeatedly checking the website during the day as cancellations opened up a new permit.

• Poison oak is a serious concern on this trip. If you can access an inexpensive tyvek-type suit as used by hazmat or other workers, those would be ideal. Definitely don’t hike in shorts! The advice to treat your clothing as contaminated is sound: keep it separate from your sleepwear and sleeping bag, and be careful how you touch it. In spite of my caution, I did have a mild rash from the PO after the trip, in spite of washing with Technu when I returned to the car, and again at home. I also learned the hard way that one should use a separate washcloth to wash the rest of the body, and not the same Technu-soaked washcloth used to wash off PO-contaminated hands. PO rashes typically require 3 days to appear and start to itch. But the itching lasts much longer!

• I purchased some rubber tips for my trekking poles, and I was very glad I did. Trekking poles are very helpful on the rocky cobblestone areas, where there is little or no flat sand, and the rubber bumpers were much better than the standard slippery steel points on the wet rocks. Because I chose a very favorable week with low tides, I was able to hike on mostly hard-packed sand or dry cobblestones. But a less favorable window will mean more hiking on deep, loose sand, or on wet, mossy cobblestones.

• Depending on the time of year and rainfall, you may have to wade across some of the creeks.

Feel free to download this GPX file of campsites and features.