Lost Coast Trail
Trip Date: June 25-27, 2021
Permit Required: Yes
Permit Name: King Range Wilderness Permits (Lost Coast)
https://www.recreation.gov/permits/72192
The recreation.gov page for the permit contains a veritable cornucopia of useful information for planning the trip. Be sure to check out the tide safety information (extremely important for not getting swept out to sea) as well as other requirements in the “Need to Know” section.
We were able to get a permit by periodically checking for cancellations. Permit reservations open up on the recreation.gov website at 7:00 AM PST on October 1 every year.
Another good resource for information is the “Lost Coast Trail CA” Facebook group. Upcoming cancellations by its members are sometimes advertised there.
Lost Coast was one of my favorite backpacking trips in 2021. Just a tier below Big Pine Lakes, North Fork in the Inyo National Forest. Our planned southbound route started from Mattole Beach trailhead and ended in Shelter Cove. Here is a brief breakdown of the logistics:
We parked our vehicle at Shelter Cove and then took a shuttle to Mattole Beach. Arriving early increases the odds of finding a parking spot but it can still be challenging. The ride from Shelter Cove to Mattole was about 2 hours. Be sure to include this when timing your hike. The shuttle service we used was Mendo Insider Tours. We spoke with David to organize the shuttle ride. Sara was our driver and was a pleasure to meet. Overall our experience was a positive one.
For navigation, we purchased a trail map through the FarOut app. It was on sale at the time. The reason for choosing FarOut over AllTrails is the level of detail for the Lost Coast Trail map. Impassible zones, campsites, water sources, trail information, and warnings are all marked with icons and descriptions.
FarOut Lost Coast Trail Map
For monitoring tides, we used an app named Tide Alert (NOAA) - USA. Based on a combination of tide schedules and available time off from work, we planned the trip for 3 days.
The total trail length is cited as 25 miles of beautiful, rugged coastline. However, according to the mileage from tracking apps on our devices, we hiked around 26.4 miles. Not much of a difference but as with any hike, be prepared for an extra mile or two :)
On the first day, we hiked approximately 7.5 miles and camped at Cooskie Creek. A decision was made to hike longer on the second day (~12.6 miles) so that we could camp at Shipman Creek. This choice was made because the Big Flat campsite was a little crowded when we arrived. So, we took a chance on finding a larger space for our group at Shipman Creek. It also meant we would have a shorter hike the following day to Shelter Cove (~6.3 miles).
In general, the trail was easy to follow with a map or app. Note that there were not a lot of signs to mark the trails. We also encountered an area where we had to climb down a small, washed-out section to the shore. Plus, there were long stretches of shoreline where we hiked on large rocks, which became uncomfortable for our feet after some time. I was happy when the trail transitioned away from a boulder field to something easier on my arches.
I can understand why the Lost Coast Trail is on many people’s bucket lists. Backpacking this wilderness was an incredible experience that featured alluring landscapes and numerous opportunities to view wildlife.
