Length 12.6 miElevation gain 4849 ftRoute type Point to point Go straight at the “four corners” intersection, where the road becomes dirt. It goes through the King Range National Conservation Area and ends at Black Sands Beach, Shelter Cove. The trailheads start here, and on the opposite end at Needle Rock up north. The road climbs though attractive countryside. Just getting to the trail is a bit of an adventure. However, the road is much more open and has some ocean views. Wildflowers and wild strawberries abounded when we went there in April. A lot of downed branches in the wooded areas but nothing impassable. In fact this second hill feels like a smaller version of the first. Anderson Camp is at the base of these cliffs. The largest redwoods are right at the bottom of the hill; they tend to be slightly twisted and gnarled and lack the height or the magnificent, straight-as-an-arrow appearance of the redwoods in the major redwood parks. Note: I hiked the Lost Coast Trail in April, 2014. After the beach, the trail continues through an attractive alder grove and open fields before reaching the intersection with the Wheeler Trail. The last 3.5 miles are unpaved, steep, & narrow. Conveniently, there’s a parking lot here if you’re planning on backpacking your way up the Lost Coast trail. Expect the whether to change at anytime it would be a good idea to bring some lite rain gear. Add a Symbol . The trail is primarily used for hiking, camping, and backpacking and is accessible year-round. The length of this section is misleading; it feels more like 10 miles and will take at least as long as a typical 10-mile hike. Reviews. The League purchased the grove, along with 957 acres known as Shady Dell, from the nonprofit Redwood Forest Foundation Inc. for $5.5 million in 2011. The trail begins with a climb along an attractive redwood-covered ridge. The Peter Douglas Trail showcases the diverse and spectacular treasures of Shady Dell while protecting its ecological integrity. We took Usal Rd from Hwy 1 to Shelter Cove, stopping at Usal Beach along the way. Park in the pullout across from the visitor center and pay the $6.00 parking fee. Our objective was only to Jackass Creek, a mere 6.9 of those 19 miles to a beachside backcountry site. Despite its remoteness, the large campground is very popular and can be a bit of a zoo on summer weekends, with cars constantly driving by on the dusty roads and radios blaring. This past weekend we tried to run Lost Coast Trail. The remote Lost Coast Trail is often faint and overgrown, so it’s especially reassuring to have a detailed, GPS-enabled map to help show you that you’re still on the trail. Several “locals” warned of a difficult trail. The smallish dark sandy beach … Lost coast trail is amazing but overgrown and in pretty rough shape…would be fine for an experienced hiker. During the summer dry season, I’ve never had any problem driving them in a Honda Civic, and I’ve even seen Mini Coopers and a Volkswagon campervan do it with no problem. Look for mile marker 90.88 on PCH. After another climb there’s a long, level section of trail. The Lost Coast Trail starts at Usal Beach at the south end of the park and meanders north for […] See details . In the springtime you will see long stretches of blooming purple wild irises. Needing an off-road setup for rock crawling! It’s one of the highlights of the hike. The Lost Coast Trail continues north of Usal for 53 miles, winding up and down through the Sinkyone Wilderness State Park in Mendocino County and along the beach in the BLM King Range National Conservation Area, ending at the Mattole River in Humboldt County. It’s quite a slow and unpleasant half-mile. Camp Usal is an isolated camground in Sinkyone Wilderness State Park. Usal Beach is the only drive-in campground, as well as the campground furthest south in Sinkyone; it’s conveniently located near Highway 1. After Little Jackass Creek Camp, the trail climbs steeply out of the canyon. The trail begins at the Usal Beach campground, named for the USA Lumber Company, which built a sawmill here in 1889. The middle section of the trail is a 9-mile ascent and descent of Chemise Mountain which stands 2,598 feet tall. Usal Beach Is The Picture-Perfect Oceanfront Campground In Northern California That Belongs On Every Camper’s Bucket List. It's a Micro size geocache, with difficulty of 4, terrain of 2.5. Turn north for approximately 6 miles onto unpaved, steep, narrow road. The Lost Coast Trail continues north of Usal for 53 miles, winding up and down through the Sinkyone Wilderness State Park in Mendocino County and along the beach in the BLM Kings Range National Conservation Area, ending at the Mattole River in Humboldt County. The northern trailhead is about an hour and a half from Highway 101. October 13th, 2017 at 1:26 am; Max Says: Really sad to read about the squaters and issues up there. All logistical details have been updated as of January, 2018. So rugged, in-fact, that the state of California was unable to continue the well-known Highway 1 (otherwise known as “The One” to Californians) along this stretch of California coastline, and instead they had to continue Highway One inland. The beginning of the road (Google Street View) is completely unmarked except for two warning signs. Fortunately, all of this is left behind within the first mile of the hike. About a half-mile in is a brief break in the woods with a nice viewpoint. Located in a very under-developed area of California, the towns that exist on the coast are few and far between. Be advised—there was a rockslide last night that I encountered on my way out from camp about 1/4 mile North of the Dark Gulch Creek Crossing (first creek North of Usal Beach). I have on two occasions! There aren’t any signs, but Wheeler Camp is spread out over about the … This trail may be approached from 3 main entry points: at the top of the King Range National Conservation Area, at the middle between the King Range and Sinkyone Wilderness (Needle Rock), or at the southern end of the Sinkyone Wilderness at Usal Campground. Old-growth redwoods in Little Jackass Creek Camp. The northern section starts at Mattole Beach and is 24.6 miles on mostly level terrain, following the beach and meadows. A short trail leads to a secluded beach. Lost Coast South Needle Rock to Usal Beach Published 2014-08-20 21:51:06 UTC Story by Kyle Frost To the north. We had planned to take King's Peak Road to Honeydew; however it was closed due to a wildfire so we had to improvise. It’s really remarkable to think you have, or will, climb to the top of the imposing bluffs. The so-called “Enchanted Forest” will become accessible to hikers on Friday via a new 2.3-mile trail at the southern end of the 58-mile Lost Coast trail, according to Save the Redwoods League. 1) About The Lost Coast Area. The crossing of Dark Gulch, including the last few descending switchbacks and the first few ascending switchbacks, is by far the most heavily-eroded part of the trail. The overgrown trail descends to a small cove with a wide, secluded black sand beach, the most scenic beach on the trail. The northern half of the trail is easier but less dramatic. The tour can be included in your coastal tour or completed as a fun short tour that can be made into a loop or a point to point. We spent the night in Shelter Cove, with most of the group camping at Wailaki Campground. It's located in California, United States.This is my first of many caches that i am placing in Usal. Looking back SE towards Usal Beach | Sunset at … This trail may be approached from 3 main entry points: at the top of the King Range National Conservation Area, at the middle between the King Range and Sinkyone Wilderness (Needle Rock), or at the southern end of the Sinkyone Wilderness at Usal Campground. Usal #1, Lost Coast Trail (GC4CJPW) was created by goldhelm1234 on 9/9/2013. There are two campsites: one under the trees next to a brook in the bottom of a steep-sided canyon, and another in a grassy field next to the toilet. Take Highway 1 to Usal Road. Exploring the famous Lost Coast is a Northern California adventure that never gets old, and there’s certainly no better place to set up camp. Click or tap to view the full-size map. There’s a little up-and-down as the trail continues through woods and open coastal scrub. There’s no path to the shore from Anderson Camp. There are several camps along this route including Jackass Camp, Wheeler Camp, and Usal Camp. I would probably come back with a friend but not solo, and start way earlier than 4:30 pm to finish in daylight instead of 9:30pm. Hikers here can continue north along the trail, or turn around. For that matter, it’s one of the most attractive campgrounds in any redwood park. The trail starts climbing through School Marm Grove, the largest old-growth redwood grove on the trail. After driving 5.4 miles on Usal Road look for the pullout above the Usal Creek drainage area. The worst part of the drive is the initial steep, narrow, sandy climb to the top of a bluff. Make sure to get a good map, these trails are barely marked and most of the camps are not. Share a Video . Sinkyone Wilderness Segment- Lost Coast Trail is a 27.9 mile moderately trafficked point-to-point trail located near Whitethorn, California that features beautiful wild flowers and is rated as moderate. The last two and a half miles of the hike follow an old section of Briceland Thorn Road. It runs through miles of lush, attractive coastal woodland high up on top of the rugged coastal cliffs. The southern portion of the Lost Coast trail, located entirely within the confines of the Sinkyone Wilderness State Park, is an underrated backpacking and hiking adventure. Dark Gulch and redwood-encrusted Timber Point. We did a mellow 25 mile hike over 3 days on the Lost Coast Trail with 15 friends. The 10+ mile dirt&gravel road from Hwy1 into Usal is rough and only advisable in dry weather due to some muddy steep sections. Fourth annual Lost Coast trip for our Jeep group. GPS-enabled version of this map for mobile devices, The Roots of Motive Power’s August 2002 issue. Best hike I've done so far! This is Chase Grove. There are many tall ferns, trees, and other plants that overhang the trail the whole time. Interestingly, there are a few isolated old-growth redwoods along the side of the road. Lost Coast Trail: Bear Harbor to Usal Camp is a 12.6 mile moderately trafficked point-to-point trail located near Piercy, California that features a river and is rated as difficult. Overall, even though this is the biggest climb of the hike, it’s much less brushy and eroded and therefore not nearly as difficult as the previous climbs. This terrain is so rugged that no paved roads exist along the shore for more than 50 miles except at Shelter Cove near … After a nice wide, level portion, there’s a steep, sandy, but slightly easier descent to Usal Beach. We walked up a light house one night. As the trail switchbacks uphill, the redwoods get progressively smaller, then give way to fir. It’s a relief when the trail finally enters the woods again, where it becomes blissfully wide and clear (if I’m doing an out-and back, on the way back I’ll usually cut over to the dirt road at this point so that I can skip all the brush). Both the northern and the southern ends can only be reached by 6-mile drives over the coastal bluffs on steep, bumpy dirt roads. The Lost Coast Trail continues north of Usal for 53 miles, winding up and down through the Sinkyone Wilderness State Park in Mendocino County and along the beach in the BLM King Range National Conservation Area, ending at the Mattole River in Humboldt County. The Lost Coast is a mostly natural and undeveloped area of the California North Coast in Humboldt and Mendocino Counties, which includes the King Range.It was named the "Lost Coast" after the area experienced depopulation in the 1930s. A hundred yards past the Usal Creek bridge lies a trailhead for the 16.7- mile, Lost Coast Trail up to Bear Harbor, a path dotted by trailside camps. We had planned to take King's Peak Road to Honeydew; however it was closed due to a wildfire so we had to improvise. A fourth campsite and an outhouse can be found here. This portion of the Lost Coast Trail is in the less traveled Sinkyone Wilderness from the Usal Beach Campground Trailhead to Whale Gulch at the Northern End. Particularly Special Place. ! Usal Beach. The Lost Coast Trail makes a nice, easy descent through mixed woodland. The Lost Coast Trail is divided into two sections. Lost Coast Trail Description. This piece of wilderness will make you feel like you are in another world. The landscape changes, too, with more woodland and less scrub. The northern half, which is by far the most popular section, and what we hiked, is 25 miles from Mattole Beach to Black Sands Beach, with the trail mostly consisting of sandy - rocky beach and grassy bluffs. The trail crosses a ravine with a trickling creek where a few good-sized redwoods grow. Here’s the northern trailhead location in Google Maps. Trail Latitude (X): 39.814. Length 27.9 miElevation gain 6624 ftRoute type Point to point. Fortunately it’s much shorter, and it also has the best views of the entire hike, of the glittering ocean and the impressively tall, steep, redwood-covered bluffs both to the north and south. Southern Lost Coast: The less frequented southern section stretches from Usal Beach to the Hidden Valley Trailhead. In July 2019 a small wildfire burned along Usal Road between the Usal Beach Campground and Highway 1, cutting off access to the campground and the southern trailhead. Often the trail has simply slipped away down the bluff. Today no sign of this activity remains and the area feels remarkably wild and remote. To the north, the King Range section of the Lost Coast Trail is more of a beach walk. The Peter Douglas Trail showcases the diverse and spectacular treasures of Shady Dell while protecting its ecological integrity. Certain campgrounds (Humboldt Redwoods, Mattole) fill up in the summer, so plan your adventure accordingly. I would recommend hiking from Needle Point towards Usal Beach, the hike is much easier that direction and there are more camp options and better water sources. If you’re up for a bit of challenge this hike is for you! Beware of poison oak and the hanging ferns that will cut you good if you go through them too quickly. The loose, sandy soils within the remarkably steep-sided canyon have resulted in steep, sandy up-and-downs, slumped trails, and dangerously narrowed hillside cuts. What could be a nice, easy, and scenic section is instead slow and annoying. Usal Road (Mendocino Country Rd 431) is found 13 miles north of Westport or 14.5 miles southwest of Legget on Highway 1. The views range from huge red woods to awesome ocean views . The unspoiled and remarkably varied scenery includes remote black-sand beaches and patches of old-growth redwoods. Someone put in a large yellow gate that was locked stating that the road was closed. The southern portion of the trail starts just outside Westport at Usal Beach and stretches 22 miles through the ups and downs of the hill-studded backcountry to Needle Rock Visitor Center.You can use Highway 1 north of Westport to get to Usal Beach. It is challenging and beautiful. The burbling of a little brook fills the grove, even in late summer. We took Usal Rd from Hwy 1 to Shelter Cove, stopping at Usal Beach along the way. The trail mapped here is actually Jackass Creek (Wheeler) to Usal Camp. More popular is the northern section in the King Range National Conservation Area. Worse, it’s unfortunately not very well-maintained. The toilet is completely exposed in the middle of a field. Land managers require camping in designated campgrounds along the Lost Coast. There are no park rangers or any other staff present, and I’ve heard that people illegally off-road on the beach, set off fireworks, and even shoot guns late into the night. The so-called “Enchanted Forest” will become accessible to hikers on Friday via a new 2.3-mile trail at the southern end of the 58-mile Lost Coast trail, according to Save the Redwoods League. Until recently it was possible to drive this section, but a landslide near Needle Rock has made it too dangerous and the road is now closed to vehicles. The Lost Coast Trail traverses 25 miles of California coastline. Tons of wild life dear,elk,hawks ,and there are defintly bears I'd suggest bringing a bear canister .very secluded only saw a few groups of people the Intire time . The Lost Coast Trail starts at Usal Beach at the south end of the park and meanders north for […] The southern Lost Coast Trail continues further into Sinkyone Wilderness State Park, eventually reaching Usal Beach, about 32 miles from Black Sands Beach. Click or tap to view the full-size map. Anderson Beach Anderson Beach is a hike-in beach in Sinkyone Wilderness State Park. Reaching the ridgetop, the trail leaves the woods and becomes a little faint and overgrown, but with some nice ocean views. There are A LOT of ticks, poison oak, and stinging nettle. The sheer cliffs of the next stretch of coast are inaccessible by foot, so the trail begins inland several miles east from Shelter Cove, and doesn't return to the coast until near Needle Rock. The challenging and remote Lost Coast Trail runs over high coastal bluffs and through deep canyons, with a few old-growth redwoods and black-sand beaches along the way. Fourteen volunteers, whom either traveled out for the event or were recruited on site, removed seven cubic yards of invasive English Ivy from trees. Create Recommended Route or Trail . Reviews. This past weekend we tried to run Lost Coast Trail. We took Usal Rd from Hwy 1 to Shelter Cove, stopping at Usal Beach along the way. The fact that a lot of these areas are hard to access make it ideal for overland exploring. I might consider taking the logging road in next time to go around the slide. Getting to Usal beach can be a little tricky, but it is well worth the effort. The full section is about 22 miles long, we decreased this mileage a little by ending at the slightly more convenient Needle Rock Visitor’s center for a total of 19.4 miles. The descent into Dark Gulch is mostly clear and easy; at one point there’s an attactive little patch of old-growth redwoods, with 3 or 4 medium-sized trees visible from the trail. There are some steep sections where the landslides have completely taken out the trail and are eroding, so take your time and use caution when scrambling over. It ends at the mouth of the Mattole River in King Range National Conservation Area,more than 50 trail miles from Usal Beach. The trail actually begins as a closed, run down section of the Bear Harbor Rd. There are hunting Osprey at every beach, herds of elk out on the cliffs, and Sea Lions playing in the surf while you camp nearby. This is one we all remember forever. Bear Harbor. Trail Longitude (Y): -123.839 Wailaki Campround. There are also some very steep sections along canyon walls where there is little footing. The trail along the bluffs can be a bit treacherous as the bluffs are steep and the ground is soft. The southern half of the trail is exceptionally challenging, with an extreme amount of up-and-down for a coastal trail. Throughout the hike, no development at all is visible; this is one of the few spots on the California Coast that doesn’t have any roads or buildings. Camping: The entire area at Usal Beach area is part of the State Park and is open to camping. Someone put in a large yellow gate that was locked stating that the road was closed. The stretch of trail from Usal Camp to Wheeler camp features a good amount of hiking along the cliffs of the coast and winds through a number of forest areas with beautifully lush fern growth. Also locals warned my ride that it's harvest season in fall so beware of your surroundings. We camped out under the stars and the camp areas were ready for backpackers with set fire places. If you have time to kill, follow the creek at Anderson towards the most incredible private beach you'll find on the north coast. There aren’t any signs, but Wheeler Camp is spread out over about the next three-quarters of a mile of trail. Taking other people's content (text, photos, etc) without permission is a copyright violation and NOT OKAY! After climbing over a pair of small knolls the trail more or less stays around the same elevation for a while, although there’s still a lot of up-and-down as it meanders engagingly through dense green woodland. Much further down the trail is a final campsite in a small clearing next to some redwoods. Lost Coast Trail: Bear Harbor to Usal Camp is a 20.3 kilometer moderately trafficked point-to-point trail located near Piercy, California that features a river and is rated as difficult. The Lost Coast Trail is a popular summer backpacking route along the shoreline of a remote region in Northern California. In fact the entire area is so secluded that even on a Labor Day weekend, I didn’t see a single person in the area all day. From here you will have an excellent view of the ocean, the beach, and the forested area below. Usal Creek is the southernmost drainage basin unbridged by California State Route 1 on California's Lost Coast.The unpaved county road following the westernmost ridge line south from the King Range crosses Usal Creek near the Pacific coast, but the bridge may be removed during winter months. The Lost Coast Trail is divided into two sections. There are fantastic camps (with funky, unstocked outhouses) at beaches, in canyons, under redwoods along the way. There aren’t actually a lot of places where you can camp under old-growth redwoods, and none of them can really compare to this campground. The Lost Coast Trail ends with a pleasant, level path cut through tall, dense blackberry brambles. On a clear day the views of the coastline are stunning and you are almost guaranteed to come across some elk. To the north, the King Range section of the Lost Coast Trail is more of a beach walk. If you're a difficulty junkie like me, hike out of Usal towards Anderson Camp. This is a super difficult trail that moves quickly between sea level and 1000' foot bluffs over and over again. After the redwoods, the trail runs through an attractive fir grove. 19.5 mi and 6k of gain. Take one of the Redway exits and continue to the town of Redway, then turn onto Briceland-Thorn Road toward Shelter Cove. The biggest worry is that you might meet a huge pickup truck coming the other way while you’re on a steep climb. Needing an off-road setup for rock crawling! Conveniently, there’s a parking lot here if you’re planning on backpacking your way up the Lost Coast trail. So rugged, in-fact, that the state of California was unable to continue the well-known Highway 1 (otherwise known as “The One” to Californians) along this stretch of California coastline, and instead they had to continue Highway One inland. I ran from Usal Camp to Needle rock in just under five hours (4:53) and other than the difficulty of accessing the trailhead with a Prius was an awesome stint. The coastline of the Lost Coast Trail is rugged and remote. Description Usal Beach is the only drive-in campground, as well as the campground furthest south in Sinkyone; it’s conveniently located near Highway 1. In addition, the steepness and related geotechnical challenges of the coastal mountains made this stretch of coastline too costly for … The Lost Coast Trail climbs up and over the point. Humboldt State Redwoods (any campground, gets busy!) Much of this section is heavily overgrown with brush, and erosion makes parts of the trail very difficult and somewhat dangerous. Lost Coast Trail-North (Mattole - Black Sands Beach) 24.6 miles, mostly level The Lost Coast Trail offers one of the few coastal wilderness hiking experiences in the United States. The trail offers a number of activity options and is best used from May until September. Fourth annual Lost Coast trip for our Jeep group. We spent the night in Shelter Cove, with most of the group camping at Wailaki Campground. The Lost Coast Trail is actually split into two sections. Located on a remote roadless stretch of the Northern California coastline this trail follows the path of collision between the land and sea. The trail crosses the slide about 40ish feet above the creek, so if I were to slide down I could hike down the creek and back onto the trail, although it wouldn’t be easy. It is astonishingly beautiful at each turn of the path. Hikers can view sea lions, tidepools and spectacular spring wildflowers. I was looking for some nice family camping and light 4 wheeling. Looks like I won’t be staying at Usal Beach. Sunday AM: 9:00-11:00 (optional) Hike in Usal Creek watershed with RFFI foresters to learn about the history of the area and efforts being made to conserve and protect the north coast redwoods. Most people are familiar with the classic Lost Coast route up north, a 24 mile FLAT beach hike. The trail was closed just past the cutoff down to Usal Beach. Hikers will discover dramatic views of the rugged Lost Coast, sprawling old-growth Douglas fir, majestic Roosevelt elk, and the tiny rare “secret pocket moss.” The trail is accessed from the south by taking Usal Road, off of Highway One. The entrance for Usal Road is easy to miss as there aren’t any markers aside from some yellow posts. ! California’s Lost Coast Trail, a 53 mile hike along one of the world’s most beautiful coastlines. To show all trails and roads, click the rightmost (layers) button at the top of the mapA GPS-enabled version of this map for mobile devices is available. The Lost Coast Trail makes a nice, easy descent through mixed woodland. It’s the only Sinkyone campground to be so spread out. The campground doesn’t take reservations and doesn’t even have defined campsites, but there always seem to be spots available. 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Able to make it ideal for overland exploring slippery and sometimes becomes completely impassable,... Options and is open to camping the trails had untouched vegetation and a half miles of California coastline Beach in! Fact that a lot of the hike follow an old section of Briceland Thorn road all this.