Lost Coast Trek

• Drive to Black Sands Beach from Sacramento: 4.5 hrs
• Shuttle from Black Sand Beach to Mattole: 2 hours

Today we will eat a quick breakfast and wake up early to make our way toward the Lost Coast. After a 4.5 hour drive, we will arrive at our ending beach trailhead where we meet up with our private shuttle driver who transports us to the northern starting trailhead. We will set up camp on the beach near our trailhead, sit around a cozy campfire as the sun sets, and dine on some amazing outdoor cuisine prepared by your guide. Also, if we arrive at the beach early enough there are some wonderful hikes and walks in the immediate area that we can enjoy.

• Hiking Mileage: 6.6 miles
• Elevation Gain/Loss: 600 feet

After a hearty breakfast we will pack up and begin our adventure along the Lost Coast Trail. The first two miles of the trail wind through dune grass, after which we reach our first of three tidal zones, which are stretches of beach impassable at high tide. Navigating with the tide charts, we will make our way through the ½ mile stretch, after which the Punta Gorda Lighthouse comes into view. Known as the “Alcatraz” of lighthouses, due to its isolation and solitude, Punta Gorda makes for wonderful photography. The lighthouse, first lit in 1912, provided a beacon to ships until the 1950’s. After the lighthouse we will continue on to Sea Lion Gulch, where the cliff becomes too steep for the trail to continue. We will climb roughly 200 ft up on the bluff and then finish our day with 2 more miles to our campsite along a Cooskie creek with stunning ocean views.

• Hiking Mileage: 10.3 miles
• Elevation Gain/Loss: 500 feet

Our third day begins with a hike along a 2 mile stretch that is impassable at high tide, so we’ll time our departure carefully. Following tide charts, we make our way along rough and wet cobblestone where a coastal creek flows into the ocean. Beyond the tidal zone, we’ll stop for a quick snack along and then continue down a nice dirt trail, a wonderful section of hiking. For the next few miles, we ascend a densely forested ridge with with views of prominent coast peaks to our left and eventually drop down to a major valley with a crystal clear creek. We’ll stop, fill up water and enjoy the scenery, then continue another 2.8 miles to our camp at Miller Flat, where we’ll eat a delicious dinner around a roaring campfire.

• Hiking Mileage: 6.8 miles
• Elevation Gain/Loss: 200 feet

After a tasty breakfast, today’s hike begins with more timing with the tides. Only twice a day during low tide does today’s initial trail emerge. The mountains rise up directly out of the sea and the beach is a thin shelf along the cliffs. This section is steep, rocky and sometimes involves timing travel with the patterns of the waves. Most think this is the most beautiful part of our trail. After roughly 4 miles we approach a beautiful creek and the beach opens up wide enough for high tide travel. We will make our way toward another majestic mountain creek trickling out of the mountains into the ocean where we will camp for the evening and enjoy our final, celebratory dinner around another cozy campfire.

• Hiking Mileage: 1.9 miles
• Elevation Gain/Loss: 200 feet

On our last day, after a hearty breakfast, we will pack up and head south toward our ending trailhead. Walking along the black sand, forests of Douglas fir covering the hillsides and homes along a cove come into view. As we climb up from the beach to our shuttle, we will enjoy a last lunch before making our 4.5 hour drive back to Sacramento, where we will say our goodbyes and start dreaming about our next adventure.