Found California's Lost Coast

My friend Van Nguyen came from New York City to the Bay Area for Thanksgiving this year. With gas below $2 a gallon and a $13 a day Jeep Compass car rental which Van found, we felt it irresponsible not to go on a road trip to California's the Lost Coast.

Highway 1, which hugs California's coast from North to South, veers away from the Pacific Ocean for about 80 miles in Humboldt County. There is little human influence in this area that includes the Kings Range National Conservation Area and the Sinkyone Wilderness State Park.

We rented two bear canisters from REI and drove north four hours through redwoods to Garberville, filled the car with gas and headed west over dirt roads and away from civilization for three days.

The view from our tent at Barn Camp in Sinkyone Wilderness State Park.

The crashing sound from fifteen to twenty foot waves made it a bit difficult to sleep. Luckily it got dark before 4:30 in the afternoon so we had plenty of nighttime to attempt rapid eye movement. It was beautiful to watch the waves crash against the cliffs below us.

The visitors center at Needle Rock at sunset.

The view looking south in Sinkyone Wilderness State Park on our way to Bear Cove.

The only town on the Lost Coast. The very isolated, tiny, Shelter Cove has a small airport, a so-so breakfast place, a closed convenience store and more beautiful vista points than can be enjoyed in one day. Just don't go there during a tsunami.

[photos taken with a point-n-shoot and not my lovely Nikon D300]

-Morgan