The Lost Coast Trail- Day 1

The Lost Coast Trail is often voted "Best Hike" and for good reason. Located in Northern California, this trail is a 53 mile coastal stretch which highway developers deemed too expensive to build, leaving the area remote and mostly untouched.  The trail is often divided into two sections and we decided to do the 26 mile Northern section through the King Range National Conservation Area from Mattole Beach to Shelter Cove.

Prior to doing this hike, I thoroughly researched weather and tide charts. I also made sure to print and waterproof both the trail map (found on the King Range website) and the tide chart. There are three sections during the hike which are only passable during low tide. The first section at Punta Gorda is very short, but the other two sections are 4-5 miles long. We did the hike in 2 days and thankfully, the tides were in our favor. 

We scheduled a shuttle from Shelter Cove to Mattole Beach through Lost Coast Shuttle. After about 2 hours of heads bobbing through windy roads, we reached our starting point and eagerly stretched our legs by starting our hike. 

This section of the hike was on sand. Add on a heavy backpack, and our legs quickly felt heavier with each step. Thankfully the fog hovering over the coastline cast a spell upon us and before we knew it, we were at our first rest stop, the Punta Gorda lighthouse.

We smelled the seals before we saw them.

Shortly past the light house, we came upon the next "impassable during high tide" section of the trail. In addition to racing against the incoming tide, the trail became littered with large and slippery rocks. I found this terrain more difficult than hiking in sand.

Along the trail we crossed a few streams. Depending on the season, the stream could be a light trickle or a raging river. We went in October so the water was low enough to hop from rock to rock without getting our feet wet. If you go during winter or spring, they suggest bringing water shoes.

After about 4-5 miles of hiking along the beach and racing the tide, the trail led up to a ridge.

Although we had hoped to make it further Day 1, the sun was already setting, so we decided to set up camp at the Spanish Flats.

Packing List:

• tide chart and trail map
• bear canister - rented from REI
• fire permit- free from trailhead
• hiking boots
• gaiters- SO helpful in keeping the sand out
• rain coat
• clothing- bring layers. Tank tops and flannel for tops and leggings for pants were enough for me in October
• socks- pack extra! The waves caught us a few times and having dry socks prevented blisters. 
• hiking poles- most of the hike is spent hopping from rock to rock. 
• tent, sleeping bag, pad
• backpack
• food and water
• water filtration system