OBSTACLES: CLOSURE GATES! (READ OUR STORY BELOW.)  THE ROAD CAN ALSO PRESENT SOME TROUBLE AFTER HEAVY RAINS AS IT BECOMES VERY MUDDY AND IMPASSIBLE IN AREAS.

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NAVIGATION: EASY 

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CROWDS: THIS IS A POPULAR TRAIL WITH LOCALS ON WEEKENDS, BUT MUCH QUITER MID-WEEK. 

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KEY COORDINATES:

• STARTING POINT- USAL ROAD TURNOFF FROM CALIFORNIA STATE ROUTE 1: 39.780384, -123.831526

• NOTEWORTHY POINTS-​

  • USAL BEACH: 39.832214, -123.849386

  • WINTER CLOSURE GATE: 39.838742, -123.842711

  • WAILAKI CAMPGROUND: 40.01895, -124.00329

• ENDING POINT- BLACK SANDS BEACH: 40.045490, -124.077384

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OUR TAKE: THE LOST COAST IS GORGEOUS. LIKE REALLY, REALLY GORGEOUS. IT IS RUGGED AND LUSH AND NOT AT ALL WHAT PEOPLE TYPICALLY ASSOCIATE WITH CALIFORNIA. THIS PART OF THE STATE IS COMPARATIVELY REMOTE AND THAT IS PART OF THE BEAUTY OF IT. IF YOU ARE INTO MOODY COASTLINES AND FORESTS AKIN TO THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST, THEN THIS IS RIGHT UP YOUR ALLEY. 

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OUR LOST COAST EXPERIENCE DID NOT TURN OUT AS WE PLANNED. WE PLANNED TO DRIVE THE 4X4 ROUTE FROM THE USAL ROAD TURNOFF ON CALIFORNIA STATE ROUTE 1 TO BLACK SANDS BEACH. FROM THERE, WE WOULD GET ON A SHUTTLE AND DRIVE 2 HOURS TO MATTOLE BEACH AND THEN SPEND THE NEXT 3 DAYS BACKPACKING THE LOST COAST TRAIL AND END BACK AT BLACK SANDS BEACH. UNFORTUNATELY, THE WEATHER (THE RAIN IN PARTICULAR) HAD OTHER PLANS. BECAUSE OF THE HEAVY RAIN IN THE FORECAST THE SEASONAL ROAD CLOSURE GATE WAS LOCKED JUST A LITTLE NORTH OF USAL BEACH. SO, THERE WE WERE, AFTER HAVING DRIVEN OVER 10 HOURS FROM OUR HOUSE AND ONLY ABOUT 7 MILES INTO THE LOST COAST 4X4 TRAIL, STARING AT A BIG YELLOW LOCKED GATE. AS FAS AS WE COULD TELL, THERE WAS NO WAY AROUND IT. LUCKILY, WE STILL HAD OUR BACKPACKING PLANS FOR THE NEXT FEW DAYS SO THE LONG, LONG DRIVE WASN'T A COMPLETE WASTE. ALSO, BECAUSE OF THE FORECASTED RAIN ALL THE OTHER BACKPACKERS WITH PERMITS FOR THE LOST COAST TRAIL APPARENTLY CANCELLED (WIMPS!) AND WE DIDN'T SEE ANY OTHER HIKERS DURING OUR ENTIRE 3 DAYS ON THE TRAIL. 

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ADVICE: 

• IF YOU WANT TO AVOID THE DISAPPOINTMENT OF COMING ACROSS A LOCKED GATE BLOCKING YOUR ACCESS, BE SURE TO CALL THE SINKYONE STATE WILDERNESS STATE PARK BEFOREHAND TO MAKE SURE THAT THE GATE WILL NOT BE LOCKED WHILE YOU ARE THERE. PRIOR TO OUR TRIP, WE DID SIGNIFICANT RESEARCH ONLINE WHICH INDICATED THAT THE GATES WERE ONLY CLOSED DURING THE WINTER. WE MADE THE MISTAKE OF RELYING ON THAT INFORMATION AND ASSUMED THE GATES WOULD BE OPEN FOR OUR TRIP IN THE LAST WEEK OF APRIL. UNFORTUNATELY, DUE TO RAIN IN THE FORECAST THAT WEEKEND, THE GATES WERE LOCKED WHILE WE WERE THERE. THE GATE CLOSURE PREVENTED US FROM TRAVELING NORTH OF USAL BEACH.

• IF YOU ENJOY BACKPACKING AS WELL, THE LOST COAST TRAIL BACKPACKING ROUTE IS ANOTHER GREAT WAY TO SEE THE AREA AND CAN BE COMBINED WITH THE 4X4 ROUTE FOR AN EXTENDED TRIP. PERMITS FOR BACKPACKING CAN BE RESERVED ANNUALLY ON OCTOBER 1ST FOR THE FOLLOWING YEAR. PERMITS FOR WEEKENDS DURING PEAK SEASON (MAY TO OCTOBER) ARE BOOKED OUT ALMOST IMMEDIATELY, SO KEEP THAT IN MIND AND PLAN AHEAD IF IT IS A TRIP YOU ARE INTERESTED IN DOING.