The Lost Coast

Standing in the avenue canyons of San Fran or wandering the city's urban sprawl, the idea of 80 miles of pristine, undeveloped, nearly inaccessible coastal wilderness—the longest stretch in the Lower 48—seems borne out of some Hollywood fantasy. Yet travel 230 miles north of the Golden Gate Bridge and you're swallowed by a landscape of 2,000- to 4,000-foot peaks that butt up against the crashing Pacific; forests of Douglas firs, chaparral, and grasslands; and graywacke cliffs that drop down to blue-mussel-filled tide pools and clusters of kelp beds. Black bears and Roosevelt elk call this place home, California gray whales and sharks ply the waters, and more than 300 species of birds fly over a land that proffers the most remote hiking, camping, surfing, and cycling in the state.

Part of the 1,200-mile California Coastal Trail, the aptly named Lost Coast boasts 80 miles of hiking trails as it passes through King Range National Conservation Area and Sinkyone Wilderness State Park. Hikers can complete the popular and visually dramatic 24.5-mile northern section of the Lost Coast Trail, which stretches from the Mattole River to Black Sands Beach (or Shelter Cove), in three to four days. More ambitious hikers can complete the entire 50-mile main route in approximately seven. Day hikers, meanwhile, can take advantage of the many day hikes and loops that branch off the main trail, which frequently switches between dirt roads, soft sand beach, and rocky trails.

Pacific storms dump more than 200 inches of rain from October through April, making this the wettest spot in the continental United States. Naturally, peak season falls during the drier weather patterns, but the routes remain accessible during winter—though swollen rivers and surf swells can make some sections impassable. Either way, bring a tide chart, as two sections of the trail will be impassable during high tide.

The northern trailhead, by the Mattole River Recreation Site, is the best place to start heading south—this access point (via the city of Petrolia) and the one farther south at Shelter Cove are the only ways to reach the Lost Cost. Six established campgrounds reside in the King Range ($8 per night), but hikers have created more than 100 unofficial tent sites along the trail. Required backcountry permits are free at most trailheads, and maps are available online as well as through Bureau of Land Management (BLM) offices for a nominal fee. Fresh water is available via dozens of mountain streams that flow down the slopes to the sea, though visitors should still purify their drinking water. Because of the region's aggressive black bears, the BLM may fine any camper not carrying a hard-sided, bear-proof storage container (rent them at the King Range NCA Project Office, open weekdays from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., or from the Petrolia Store). Hikers should also be wary of rattlesnakes, poison oak, and ticks.

Day hikers in the King Range will find a variety of options. Beginners can start with the Chemise Mountain Trail, a 1.5-mile route to the summit of 2,598-foot Mount Chemise, while ambitious hikers can try the 3.2-mile one-way trail south from Mattole along the beach to the Punta Gorda Lighthouse.

For those looking to travel at a faster pace, the BLM is working to expand the 14-mile track of the Paradise Royal Mountain Bike Trail to nearly 25 miles by fall 2011. In addition, they recently completed a skills park, located by Tolkan Campground in the King Range, complete with three downhill flow trails and a pump track for those looking to advance their mountain-biking maneuvers.

This section of the coast offers epic waves for advanced surfers, but the notoriously territorial locals carefully guard the primo spots. The 42- to 55-degree waters do their part to scare off beginners, as hypothermia can begin in as quickly as 20 minutes. But Shelter Cove, the area's only established community, offers a well-known break over an offshore reef that boasts eight-foot swells. Be warned: Great white sharks are occasionally spotted in the area, lured by colonies of sea lions.

For the naturalists in the group, 57 edible varieties of mushrooms hide under the brush in the King Range. Mushroom-collecting permits are free at the King Range Office and the Arcata Field Office, though collectors are asked to limit their collecting to 30 days, and to five pounds a day. Native and migratory birds such as herons, egrets, terns, and gulls rely on the Mattole River Estuary for shelter, and vegetation such as chaparral bushes and willow trees provide valuable sustenance and shelter. In the summer, the BLM Interpretive Hike Series offers a number of educational programs on the natural diversity of the Lost Coast. Local experts volunteer to guide hikes with themes such as Wildlife Photography, Tide Pool and Seaweed Discovery, and Birds of the Lost Coast.