Epic Hikes of the World ( PDFDrive )

In a state that is famous for the beauty of its shoreline, the Lost Coast is one of
the most spectacular stretches of California, as rugged as either Big Sur or
Malibu, yet still largely unknown even to natives of the state. From the minute I
saw this mysterious patch of undeveloped coast on the map, I knew that I wanted
to go there.
Long the domain of intrepid loggers, this coast was always a forbidding place,
and even now, just reaching the trailhead remains a challenge. The dirt road turnoff
from California State Highway 1 resembles an overgrown driveway, but look
closely and you’ll see a sign for Mendocino County Rd 435 buried in the bushes.
Six miles further north along this steep and rutted access route lies Usal Beach, a
black-sand beach in a wide valley between cliffs, and the southern terminus of the
Lost Coast Trail.
My long-dreamed-of exploration of this remote coastal wilderness began on a
sunny May morning. With an outdated USGS topographic map providing the only