California's Lost Coast

Spanning about eighty miles, California's aptly named Lost Coast is an outdoor enthusiasts dream. With a dozen mountain peaks watching over her, this stretch of highway-free coastline in Humboldt County has a sixty four mile backcountry hiking trail. This jewel of California has two dozen streams marching to the sea through deply cut and treacherous canyons. These were so rugged in fact, that road crews opted to go around the entire stretch when planning Highway 1. With no highway bringing people in, it quickly became "lost" to the unknowing masses. Only four roads reach into this area, two of them are dirt....all are very steep, and very treacherous.
The California Coast Trail spans roughly sixty four miles. At it' northern end, you pass an old lighthouse used by sailors to navigate safely past the rugged shore. You traverse two thousand foot peaks, dropping back down to the coast repeatedly. Sand and slick rocks, chapparral and grasses await the adventurous who attempt her crossing. Five to six days are what most people take to hike across the length of the trail, and there are little or no services to speak of. You end up in the Sinkyone Wilderness park at the southern end, and here is where the bulk of post-card perfect scenery lies.
The two provincial borders of the Lost Coast are shared with Centerville Beach (Private Ranch) and Hardy Creek (Timber Land). In 1929, the Federal Government withdrew public land for sale from this area, setting the groundwork for the eventual King Range Conservation Area (1970). Controversial loging of the last of the areas old growth timbers (redwood, fir, spruces) halted as a result of activism in 1983.
This is a beautiful and rugged trail, most of which isonly accessible on
foot. Experienced trail hikers should accompany anyone who is attempting this type of trip, unless you are going for the day! Bring a good camera, sturdy boots, and batteries. You will need them to recall the romanticism of California's Lost Coast and prove to the grandkids that it still exists, far from the clutches of the City of Angels.

Chris