This April, National Geographic writer Stephanie Pearson released 100 Hikes of a Lifetime U.S.A., a guide showcasing some of the country’s most unforgettable bucket-list trails. Through vivid storytelling paired with the publication’s iconic photography, the book offers countless routes to inspire everyone from serious backpackers to casual hikers.
California trails are well represented, ranging from Yosemite’s Half Dome Trail to the Sierra High Route. Among them, the 25-mile Lost Coast Trail stands out as one of the most intriguing entries—one Pearson describes as “unlike any other in the United States.”
Hiking the Lost Coast Trail
Stretching 75 miles between the small towns of Rockport and Ferndale, California’s Lost Coast is a rugged, untouched shoreline considered the longest undeveloped coastline in the nation. Its harsh and remote terrain has repeatedly prevented large-scale development, even forcing State Route 1 to detour inland. Today, the region is preserved within the King Range National Conservation Area.
That isolation makes the Lost Coast difficult to access, yet hikers and backpackers still venture there to tackle the Lost Coast Trail, a 25-mile segment running between the Mattole River and Shelter Cove.
Outdoor enthusiasts from around the globe are drawn to this trail for a chance to experience California at its most pristine. The landscape features striking black sand beaches, dense coastal forests, and mountains rising to 4,000 feet.
Along the way, hikers pass the historic Punta Gorda Lighthouse, built in 1912, as well as the unusual candelabra redwoods, a grove where the trees grow in naturally twisted, branching formations resembling candleholders.
Aside from occasional sightings of Roosevelt elk, groups of seals, or colonies of seabirds, encounters with other people are rare.
The Lost Coast also forms part of the California Coastal Trail (CCT), an extensive public trail system that spans 1,230 miles from the Oregon border to Mexico. About 70% complete, the CCT weaves through some of California’s most spectacular coastal scenery.