The Lost Coast Trail - Mattole
to Black Sands Beach
by Chad (Chestnut) Schillerstrom
For Memorial Day weekend 2003 we set off for the Lost Coast. What we found was 25 miles of the most beautiful coastline in California. The 100-200 inches of rain per year provides for very lush and rugged landscape. Numerous peaks and valleys are the signature views of this stretch of land, which winds from Mattole to the north down to Black Sands Beach on the south. For a backpacker, this trek offers many picture perfect vistas and many challenges to overcome. The hike begins and ends on fine black, soft sand. In between you will traverse gravel, small and large rock fields, creeks, and a hikers most desirable, packed dirt trails. Good comfortable hiking shoes are needed, that handle well over all these terrains. Also a good understanding of the local tide tables is a must. An eight-mile stretch from Puhta Gorda to Spanish flats is impassable at high tide and can be a trap for an unwise traveler. Plan accordingly. Fresh water is prevalent about every mile flowing from creeks and streams coming out of the steep mountain range which follows the beach on the east side. Many places offer great areas to camp for the night. Driftwood is in abundance for fires, fire permit required (free), and soft sand for aching backs. Along the way, nestled in the sloping hills you will find turn of the century buildings from small settlements that once populated the coast. One treat is the Lighthouse at Puhta Gorda. You will find a fuel building with rusting containers, and the lighthouse itself. The lighthouse went into disrepair in the 1950's after modern navigational advances made it obsolete. A few wreckages strewn the beach below it, reminding visitors of the dangers of early sea voyaging. I recommend a quick trip up the tight spiral staircase, which opens on the top of the lighthouse. Near Big Flats, surfers who brave the weight of packing in a board have built driftwood shanties, which house them for their stay and future occupants. Sealions are frequently sighted lounging and swimming around large outcroppings of rock off the coast. Their ìchatterî can be heard from a distance. This hike offers a little of everything for everyone. It is not a well-known or easy adventure to embark on but well worth the effort. Spring or Fall provides a fog cover which enhances the views and keeps hikers comfortable. Summer may be too hot for the tough long hikes that must be endured to do this over a weekend. Packing the correct pack weight, knowing your body and its limits is a must. Hiking Lost Coast is a MUST.
Happy Packing, Chad
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