California's Best Trips 2 - Full PDF eBook

Fri, to 5pm Sat). The Brown
family has run the place
for a couple generations
and has encyclopedic
knowledge of activities in
the area. The small-town
service is ideal: owner
Darren Brown delivers
supplies to hotels for
folks arriving late on
Friday night. Those with
extra time can spend the
day south at the Benbow
Lake State Recreation
Area (%summer 707-923-
3238, winter 707-923-3318; per
car $8). The Eel River cuts
through the park and is
excellent for swimming
and sunbathing.

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The Drive » Take it easy and
in a low gear on the steep and
twisting drive down Briceland
Thorn Rd (which becomes
Shelter Cove Rd eventually) –
getting to Shelter Cove can be a

challenge. Best to heed the ‘No

Trespassing’ signs on this part

of the drive. The weed farmers

who take shelter under this

misty canopy don’t take kindly

to strangers.

2 Shelter Cove

At the end of the road –

and what seems like the

end of the earth! – is the

isolated community of

Shelter Cove, the gateway

to the Lost Coast. The

tiny encampment of

restaurants and shops

sometimes seems equally

populated by humans

and Roosevelt elk.

Although primarily used

as a launching point

for the nearby wilds,

it makes a relaxing

destination in its own

right. From town, scan

the water for migrating

whales (look for mothers

and their calves in the

spring), and explore

tidepools teeming with

crabs, snails, sea stars

and sponges. (Locals

even spot an octopus on

occasion!).

54 p121

The Drive » There are

trailheads for exploring the Lost

Coast Trail both north and south

of town. That’s where the drive

pauses; the trail has to be done

on foot.

3 Lost Coast

The North Coast’s

superlative backpacking

destination is a rugged,

mystifying stretch

of coast with trails

crossing coastal peaks

and volcanic black-sand

beaches. The King Range

boldly rises 4000ft

within 3 miles of the

coast, which became

‘lost’ when the state’s

highway system deemed

the region impassable in

the early 20th century.

Made up of the

Sinkyone and Kings

Range Wilderness areas,

the best way to explore

is on a multiday hike.

Leaving from Shelter

Cove, a three-day hike

north on the Lost Coast

Trail ends at the mouth

of the Mattole River.

Equally challenging and

rewarding, it passes the

abandoned Punta Gorda

Lighthouse along the

way. You can arrange a

shuttle service back to

your car through Lost

Coast Shuttle (%707-223-

1547; http://www.lostcoastshuttle.

com). Those who don’t

have as much time can

take in a day hike at

Black Sand Beach, or

head to overnight at

Needle Rock, about 9

miles south of the Hidden

Valley Trailhead. The

visitor center (www.parks.

ca.gov; sites/Barn Room

$15/20; hstaffed 4 hr per day)

there affords gorgeous

views along the coast.

The Drive » Retrace

the twisting drive back to

Garberville, then continue

north on Hwy 101. Exit Hwy 101

when you see the ‘Avenue of

the Giants’ sign, 6 miles north

of Garberville, near Phillipsville.

This is the heart of the big tree

country.

TRIP HIGHLIGHT

1

Pacific Coast

Highways

See California’s other
iconic trees – swaying
palms – by riding along
the edge of California.

a

Northern

Redwood Coast

Still don’t have enough
of the giant trees? Link
this trip with a jaunt
to the forests of the
Redwood National Park
by continuing north past
Ferndale on Hwy 101.

LINK

YOUR

TRIP

NORTHERN.CALIFORNIA.

9

.LOST COAST & SOUTHERN REDWOODS