King Range National Conservation Area Parks and Outdoors Travel Guide

A spectacular meeting of land and sea is certainly the dominant feature of King Range National Conservation Area. Mountains seem to thrust straight out of the surf; a precipitous rise rarely surpassed on the continental U.S. coastline. King Peak, the highest point at 4,087 feet, is only three miles from the ocean.
The King Range covers 68,000 acres and extends along 35 miles of coastline between the mouth of the Mattole River and Sinkyone Wilderness State Park. The remote region is known as California's Lost Coast, and is only accessed by a few back roads. The Douglas-fir clad peaks attract hikers, campers, and mushroom collectors, while the coast beckons to surfers, anglers, and beachcombers.
Facilities are kept to a minimum at camps within the King Range, and that suits most visitors just fine. Nadelos and Wailaki Campgrounds are located a half-mile apart on Chemise Mountain Road, about a mile from the beach at Shelter Cove. Between the two, there are 21 sites with picnic tables, fire rings, and vault toilets. Trailheads for Chemise Mountain are found at both camps.
The popular northern trailhead for the Lost Coast Trail is found at Mattole Campground on Lighthouse Road, where the Mattole River empties into the sea. The 14-site camp is situated right on the beach, where you can fish to your heart's content. A two-mile hike leads to Punta Gorda Lighthouse. Be prepared for strong winds.

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