Lost Coast Trail Guide

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Steep slopes and high tides can make portions of the Lost Coast Trail impassable. Even at low tide these sections require care.

The Lost Coast isn’t about bagging miles; it’s about enjoying magical places. You’ll want time to soak it all in.

Some campsites are within the impassable tide zone, set back from the beach in canyons carved by rivers. They serve as bail-out areas if the tide sneaks up, or good overnight stops if you time it right.

Although only 21 miles apart as the crow flies, the drive between trailheads takes more like 2 hours on steep and winding roads in various states of existence.

Water is plentiful along the trail even in summer. Named creeks on the map will generally be flowing to the ocean, and most campsites are close to one.

The Lost Coast Trail has two sections. This guide covers the northern section, the classic route from Mattole Beach to Black Sands Beach at Shelter Cove.

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Some campsites are within the impassable tide zone, set back from the beach in canyons carved by rivers. They serve as bail-out areas if the tide sneaks up, or good overnight stops if you time it right.

Although only 21 miles apart as the crow flies, the drive between trailheads takes more like 2 hours on steep and winding roads in various states of existence.

Here are the three impassable zones, all marked in red. They are also on the interactive map (later in the guide) and in the downloadable GPX file. You need to plan on crossing these red areas when the tide is below 3 feet. There are usually two high tides

Steep slopes and high tides can make portions of the Lost Coast Trail like this impassable. Even when the tide is low, as pictured here, hiking through these ‘impassable zone’ sections requires care and vigilance.

One of the nice things about this trip is that the water is plentiful along the trail, even in the summer. Usually all the named creeks (on the map) will have water flowing to the ocean. Most campsites are conveniently located close to these rivers.

The Lost Coast isn’t about bagging miles; it’s about enjoying magical places. You’ll want time to soak it all in.

The Lost Coast Trail has two sections, with the most popular section being the northern portion from Mattole Beach to Shelter Cove pictured here. This guide covers everything you need to know to hike this part of the Lost Coast Trail.

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