Backpacking California's Lost Coast

The Trip

The Lost Coast is ruggedly spectacular, with high cliffs plunging steeply down to the ocean, beautiful coves, and sandy beaches. We’ll backpack five days on the Lost Coast Trail traveling northward from Usal Camp to Needle Rock and Jones Beach, along the tops of bluffs, through redwood groves, dense forest, into stream canyons banked with ferns, and along sandy coves. We will glimpse sea lions and harbor seals, pelicans and gulls, deer and elk. The Sinkyone Wilderness is also home to black bear, mountain lion, and raccoons. Our campsites will never be far from the sound of the sea, which will lull us to sleep each night.

When the builders of State Highway 1 were confronted with this area of Northern California’s rugged, rocky, and steep terrain, they were forced to move the planned road inland about 30 miles. With no access available, this remote and beautiful stretch of land became known as the Lost Coast.

Sinkyone Wilderness State Park was established in 1977. It encompasses 7,300 acres (including the southern Lost Coast), and is sometimes referred to as a zoological garden. The native Mattole and Sinkyone people thrived for centuries on the bounty of this land, and still use it for ceremonies and festivals. Recent studies indicate that these reserves may contain as many as 45 prehistoric archaeological sites. Later, settlers brought shipping, ranching, and logging to the area.

Day 1: We will meet by 5:00 p.m. at a campsite near Usal Beach. It is recommended that you arrive earlier in the afternoon to settle into the camp and have time to take a stroll on Usal Beach. Bring your own dinner to the camp as there are no stores or cafes nearby.

Day 2: On our first trekking day, after situating our cars near Usal Camp, we’ll head out on a steep climb — hiking 5 miles northward, up and down through canyons and dense woodland to Anderson Gulch. We’ll continue on another 2.5 miles onto ridges and into ravines to our camp at Little Jackass Creek. This is the toughest day of the trip — in addition to much elevation gain and loss, the trail will likely be washed out in places with slippery uneven footing, overgrowth, and with some exposure on steep sections. Also, the weather could be warm and humid. It is imperative that you are mentally and physically prepared for this day. (1,900 feet elevation gain, 1,400 feet elevation loss)

Day 3: We’ll hike 4.5 miles from Little Jackass Creek to Wheeler camp (once a busy sawmill town site, abandoned in the 1960s). Our route climbs steeply up over mountain ridges and down into creek ravines. We may camp on the black sand of Wheeler beach or perhaps inland in a redwood grove. Roosevelt elk may be grazing near camp. (1,400 feet elevation gain, 1,425 feet elevation loss)

Day 4: We’ll hike 4.3 miles from Wheeler to camp at Bear Harbor. Traversing more steep trails from sea to skyline ridges, through lush forest, and a redwood grove, we’ll be rewarded with glimpses of the ocean and soothing sounds of the waves caressing the shore below. Beachcombing and exploring tide pools will provide a serene, relaxing finale to our day. (1,200 feet elevation gain, 700 elevation loss)

Day 5: We’ll take our time to observe elk in the grasslands, seals, otters, and sandpipers on the pristine shoreline, and breathe in the sea mist before heading out on the relatively flat 3.1-mile hike to Needle Rock. Continuing on another mile or so past Needle Rock, we will camp at Jones Beach.

Day 6: We will make our way back to the Needle Rock visitor center before catching our ride back to Usal Camp and to our cars.

Getting There

Our starting point is Usal Camp, which is located at the southern entrance to Sinkyone Wilderness State Park, approximately 225 miles north of San Francisco. Usal is about one hour north of Fort Bragg and 15 miles west of Leggett. It can be reached from Hwy 1 after six miles of travel on unpaved road. We will camp at Usal campground our first night. Participant cars will be parked at the Usal area at the start of the trip. Return transportation will be provided at the end of the hike. Impassable road conditions between Needle Rock and Usal Camp may result in a prolonged van shuttle back to our cars, therefore flexibility is a must.

Directions to the starting point will be sent out before the trip. A list of trip members will also be sent to you before the trip to help with carpooling.

Accommodations and Food

Our first meal will be breakfast on day two. Our last meal will be a late morning snack on day six. We’ll provide vegetarian-friendly meals. We will camp in primitive trail campsites, obtaining (and treating) our drinking water from nearby streams. Participants will help with preparing and serving meals, and cleaning up.

Trip Difficulty

We’ll backpack down to the sea and then up onto ridges and bluffs, then down into stream canyons many times over during our journey. This up-and-down hiking is made easier by switchbacks and by the fact that we’re hiking at low elevations. While this shorter duration trip is rated moderate, the combination of ascent and descent while carrying a backpack requires participants to be in good shape with a lot of stamina and leg strength.

In addition, coastal weather is unpredictable and can become quite dramatic at any time of year. We may be hiking and setting up camp in the rain. Poison oak and ticks are abundant.

A regular exercise program to build physical strength and aerobic capacity is essential. This should begin at least three months before the trip. You should also plan at least one backpacking trip beforehand to test both your stamina and your equipment. Your trip should have at least 2,000 feet of elevation gain and you should be able to carry 40 pounds in your pack.

The rainy season should be tapering down but rain is likely and raingear is required. Nights will be cool and moisture–laden air settles on our tents. It’s important that your boots be well broken-in; a trip with this much uphill and downhill is tough on the feet. Your total pack weight should be no more than 25 pounds. You will also be carrying up to an additional 12 pounds of commissary gear and food in bear canisters, so allow extra space for this.

Equipment and Clothing

Participants will furnish their own personal equipment, including items such as boots, backpacks, backpack rain cover, sleeping bags, tents, light weight dry-sacks ( for clothes and sleeping bag), a "basics" first-aid kit, toiletries, and eating utensils. The Sierra Club furnishes all shared group gear, including bear canisters, stoves, cookware and cooking utensils, a group first-aid kit, and food, unless otherwise noted in the trip brochure. A detailed clothing and personal gear list will be sent to participants.

References

• Wilderness Press recreation map “California’s Lost Coast" covers our route and contains interesting information on both the King Range National Conservation area and Sinkyone Wilderness State Park. 

Conservation

We’ll discuss climatic change, habitat fragmentation, invasive species, and impacts of persistent drought on the flora and fauna of California’s wilderness areas. Only five percent of original ancient redwood forests remain. We’ll discuss the Redwoods and Climate Change Initiative aimed at saving California’s redwood forests. If there are environmental issues in your local area or region that you would like to share with the group, please come prepared to help us learn about them.

Sierra Club National Outings is an equal-opportunity provider and when applicable will operate under permits obtained from U.S. federal land agencies.