BACKPACKING: JULY 29, 30 and 31, 2022
Backpacking Lost Coast Trail
King Range Wilderness, Humboldt County, California
The Lost Coast Trail is a beautiful and challenging hike located in Northern California. The trail stretches for 25+ miles along the rugged coastline of the King Range National Conservation Area.
- Length: 28.19 miles
- Elevation Gain: 1,398 ft
- Route Type: Point to Point
- Route: AllTrails / 3D Map
- Photos: Flicker
- Video: YouTube
Backpacking the Lost Coast Trail typically requires a minimum of three days, but four days is a more ideal option for enjoying the scenery and relaxing. Extensive planning is required before and during the hike, including obtaining a permit, arranging a shuttle, and considering tidal waves.
Hike Route
There are two ways to hike the Lost Coast Trail. The most famous and best way is to start from the North at Mattole and hike South to Black Sand Beach. This is the best option because the wind will be at your back, and there are also more services (shuttle, facilities, etc.) available at the trailhead at Black Sand Beach. The other option is to hike in the opposite direction, starting from Black Sand Beach and reaching Mattole. However, facilities at Mattole are very limited.
Permit
Backpacking in the King Range Wilderness requires a permit, which is available at www.recreation.gov. Permits are issued on a first-come, first-serve basis and there are no walk-in permits available. This route is very popular and obtaining a permit can be difficult. Typically, permits for a year open on October 1st of the previous year.
If you are unable to obtain a permit, another option is to keep checking for availability as there may be cancellations. You should be flexible with your dates. We were able to obtain our permit very close to our hike date due to cancellations.
Shuttle
This is a point-to-point hike, so it requires some planning of transportation. If you are hiking from Mattole to Black Sand Beach, you have two options:
- Park your car at the Black Sand Beach parking lot and take the shuttle to Mattole Beach.
- If you have two cars, keep one at the Black Sand Beach parking lot and the other one at Mattole Beach.
Option 1 is the best even if you have two cars. The reason is that the drive from Black Sand Beach to Mattole is very narrow, windy, and some sections are not paved. It would take an hour or more to drive. Something to consider is that you will have to drive in and out to pick up your car after the hike.
There are a couple of shuttles available for you to book. We booked Bill’s Lost Coast Shuttle.
Tidal Wave
There are two 4-mile sections (actually three, the other one is very small at the start) of the hike that are impassable during high tide. So it is very important to know the low/high tidal wave during your hike. Never hike this impassable section during high tide. There is no place to escape if a wave hits you, and there have been incidents where people have died from waves.
Fortunately, there is a website that tells you the timing of high and low tides. So, you can plan to cross impassable sections during low tides. To figure out when the tides are low enough to cross these zones, go to the NOAA website for Shelter Cove tides. Enter your dates, then enter “3” (3 feet is the threshold value) in the “threshold value” box and press “plot daily.” You’ll get a graph that looks like this. Anything below 3 feet on the graph indicates that the section is passable for hiking. So, you should plan on hiking this section during a time when the wave is below 3 ft.
Note that a 3 ft wave does not mean that you will be walking in 3 ft of water :) It is the height of the wave that will not cause the water to reach the path on which you are walking. You will be walking between a cliff and an ocean, so if the water comes all the way up, there will be no place for you to escape. It is very important to walk when tides are 3 ft and below.
Having obtained a permit and booked a shuttle, we backpacked this trail on July 29, 30, and 31, 2022.
Day 1: July 29, 2022
We arrived at the Shelter Cove parking lot around 7 AM for our shuttle ride. The parking lot has a fully equipped restroom with water. We left the parking lot around 7:30 AM and reached the Mattole Beach trailhead at around 9:30 AM. Mattole Beach has a restroom with a pit toilet, but there is no water at the campground.
Our goal for today is to reach the Sea Lion Gulch Campground, which is around 5+ miles from the trailhead. Since we started late, we realized that we can’t go any further, since the second and toughest impassable section starts right after Sea Lion Gulch, and we would miss the low tide window to cross that section.
Right where you are dropped off, you will see a gate that will take you on a beautiful three-day journey along the lost coast trail. As you cross the gate, just a few meters down the trail, you will be greeted by the beautiful Pacific ocean. Bear left to start your hike.
Right from the start, you will be mesmerized by the beauty of the Pacific Ocean. It is very unique to see an ocean on one side and a hill on the other side. The fog over the hill adds a mystic beauty to the natural scenery.
You will be walking on the sand on and off and crossing a bunch of creeks along the way. There are plenty of water sources along the way, so don’t carry too much water (make sure you filter it).
At around 3 miles, you will reach Punta Gorda Lighthouse, which can be explored. When we hiked, it was under construction. A mile from here, you will see sea elephants sunbathing close to the trail. It is possible they may be on the trail, so watch out.
We reached the Sea Lion Gulch Campground around 4 PM. When we arrived, there were only a few hikers at the campground. This place doesn’t have that many campsites. We searched for a place to set up two tents and settled on one on the high ground. Although the ground was not level, it was the best that we could find. So, if you are late in your hike, I suggest camping somewhere before reaching Sea Lion Gulch.
We chatted with fellow hikers for a couple of hours with whom we shared the shuttle ride. Since the next day we had to start early to cross the 4-mile impassable section before 11 AM, we slept early. Our plan was to start at 6 AM.
Day 2: July 30, 2022
The second day is the longest and toughest hike of the three days. We have to hike 11+ miles, including a 4-mile impassable section. This section requires navigation through wet sand and slippery rocks covered in algae. Therefore, you should consider extra time for this section of the hike.
We got up at 5 AM, but by the time we packed and left the place, it was around 7 AM. We were late! Everyone had already left the place. The impassable section starts right here as you go down the downhill. Navigating this section was one of the toughest and time-consuming. We had to be very careful not to slip and break our knee.
There is a small section where the trail goes uphill. Don’t miss this. If you do, you will have to scramble through the boulder to pass this section.
The trail again joins the ocean, and walking on the rocks continues and gets even tougher.
We barely made it on time before the high tide started. We could see the waves increasing. At the end of the 4-mile trail, the waves were hitting the trail and we were worried about walking through them. We waited for the wave to recede and then ran fast. It was a little scary moment and gave us a hint of how dangerous the waves can be.
After hiking 4 miles through an impassable section, the rest of the hike was easy and most of the time we were walking on the bluff or on a flat ground. We still have to hike 7 more miles to reach the Big Flat Campground for our night camping.
The sun was out and there was hardly any shade. So it was getting hot, but the scenery made it all worth it. We rested and had our lunch in a place that had shade and water nearby.
We reached the Big Flat Campground around 6 PM. There were many hikers at this campground, but it was so huge that there was plenty of space to put up our tent. The reason you see many hikers here is that this is where the last impassable section starts, which can only be crossed during low tide, and that is the next morning around 5 AM.
We were tired after hiking 11+ miles. We were hungry and had a good dinner. We went to sleep early and planned to start early in the morning so we could reach the trailhead sometime around noon, so we could drive back home before night.
Day 3: July 31, 2022
The last day of the 3-day hike has arrived. We have to hike around 8+ miles, with 4 miles of the route being impassable. Luckily, this impassable section is not as challenging as the last one. We started at 6 AM as planned. When we began, it was foggy.
Though there were rocks, it was easy to navigate. We could always find non-rocky surface most of the time.
Though there were rocks, it was easy to navigate. We could usually find a non-rocky surface. We crossed impassable section 9 AM well before low tide ends. We rested right after crossing this section at Gitchell Creek and had our breakfast.
From here, you walk on the black sand along the beach for another 4 miles to reach the trailhead. We could see the end of our hike from here, yet it was still far. Walking on the sand makes it hard and slow.
As you approach the trailhead, you will start to see day hikers and beach walkers along the trail. That is when you know the end is near :) When you see the house on the top of the hill, take a right to reach the parking lot.
This was one of the best and most unique backpacking experiences I have ever had. Walking along the ocean for three days is a truly unique experience. Trails like this are hard to come by.
If you are planning to backpack this trail, here are few things to keep in mind.
- This trail can be hiked year-round, but during fall/winter, the water in the creek may be impassable to cross due to rain.
- There are bears on this trail. Though we haven’t seen any, it is important to carry a bear canister to secure your food and scented items.
- Though hiking in the summer is a good option, you will see a lot of fog in the morning and evening. So, you may not see a sunset.
The best time to hike this trail is April, May, or June when the hills will still be green. Hopefully, there won’t be much fog, and if we’re lucky, we can watch the sunset from the campsite.
I will definitely hike this again, hopefully in April or May in a few years.
Until then,
Happy Hiking!
