The Lost Coast, a Northern California trail on many hikers' bucket lists, is one of the only coastal backpacking opportunities in the contiguous United States. Starting in November, backpackers who camp there will have to pay $12 per trip.
The change is part of an effort to preserve this unique natural resource as tourism to the area has increased. The fee money will go toward hiring more local park rangers, increasing public hours at the area visitor center, improving campgrounds and clearing trails after storms, officials said.
“Public lands are welcoming an increasing number of visitors,” Dereck Wilson, manager of the Northern California BLM District, said in a statement. “These fees will help maintain 85 miles of nature trails along the Lost Coast.”
Justin Crellin, executive director of the nonprofit Friends of the Lost Coast, said the modest increase was “long overdue” and will lead to better management of the area.
The best-known stretch of land runs through the King Range National Conservation Area, where backpackers hike from north to south along the Lost Coast National Recreation Trail along remote beaches that are home to elephant seals, sea otters and other marine life.
More adventurous (or perhaps more successful) backpackers can continue south, first 9 miles from Hidden Valley to Needle Rock in Sinkyone Wilderness State Park and then, if your legs still feel good, continue 19 more miles through the Park. Sinkyone Wilderness State. This part of the trail is known for being steep and at times overgrown.
But it's also beautiful: you'll see ancient redwoods that survived the era of logging. You might even see moose, from which you'll need to keep a safe distance.
What does this new fee mean if you plan to visit the epic trail soon? Here's a guide to everything you need to know.
Coastal hikers in the Lost Coast King Range National Conservation Area in 2003.
(Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)
What is changing?
Individuals and families who want to backpack the Lost Coast currently need a free wilderness permit which is issued online through Recreation.gov. I say free-ish because, although there is technically no recreation fee for the permit itself, there is a $6 non-refundable fee to reserve said permit.
As the Lost Coast has become more popular over the years, officials have gradually added more administrative steps necessary to visit the trail. They first implemented a reservation system in 2017 to ensure the Lost Coast would not become overcrowded and lose its characteristic aura of solitude, said Jeff Fontana, public affairs officer for the federal Bureau of Land Management (BLM), which manages the Lost Coast. land.
Starting in November 2024, visitors will be charged a fee of $12 per person per overnight trip, with a maximum stay per trip of 14 days. It will be paid through Recreation.gov. That rate excludes day trippers and children under 16 years old. The BLM will waive the fee for tribal gatherings and ceremonial use, such as collecting medicinal materials or making baskets, Fontana said.
A view of the rugged coastline of Shelter Cove, the Lost Coast, in 2016.
(Allen J. Schaben/Los Angeles Times)
When does this come into effect?
The new rate comes into effect on November 12.
Is it possible to book a camping trip before that date?
Yeah! Although it may be difficult, given the popularity of the route and the looming deadline. You can try to get a permit at Recreation.gov. Permits are sold on a rolling three-month period through Recreation.gov. And from May 15 to September 15, 60 people are allowed per day. Good luck!
