The Coastal Trail (Hidden Beach Section)
| Location: | Redwood National Park, California |
| Round Trip: | 7,8 miles |
| Difficulty: | Moderate |
| Elevation Gain: | 600 feet |
| GPS Coordinates: | N 41 35.632 W 124 05.913 |
| Visitor’s Information | Open: all year round
No Pass Required |
Worldwide known ancient redwood forests are not the only attraction the Redwood National and State Parks may offer to its visitors. A seventy-mile Coastal Trail provides the visitors with a change in redwoods hiking experience. It takes the hikers through the splendid coastal bluffs and solitary beaches of the Pacific coastline, opening for them amazing marine landscapes.
And the most fascinating part of the Coastal Trail, providing the most stunning views of the coast and the ocean is the Hidden Beach Section. If you are staying somewhere in this area, this trail is a “must hike” for you. The unbelievable beauty of the views offered by this eight-mile trail (roundtrip) is just beyond the human’s imagination. The unforgettable impressions from the incredible beauty of nature and atmosphere of peace will forever remain in your heart.
The best way to start hiking the Hidden Beach Section of the Coastal Trail is from the Lagoon Creek parking area. The parking lot is overlooking a nice Lagoon Pond the surface of which is half covered by water lilies. This parking area (also known as Lagoon Creek Picnic Area) has restrooms, picnic tables and information stands, providing the visitors with some data about the Yurok Loop Trail, which will be the beginning of the hike.
The trail starts from the northwest part of the parking lot. The trail is well marked with the signs showing the way at all the intersections. After crossing a small wooden railed footbridge, the trail very soon will take you to the first fork. Turning right here you will have about 0,3 miles more to hike, but the path will show you more scenic views. This trail junction is very close to the fascinating False Klamath Cove, at the edge of which you can find a water pool with large pieces of driftwood in it. Actually almost the whole shoreline of the cove is covered with some driftwood. Following the trail running through the coastal foliage along the shoreline you may enjoy the views of the steep hillside covered by spruce forest beyond the trail. And the views of the ocean will just take your breath away. Fantastic sea-stacks, picturesque rocky coast and the divine serenity of the incredible, majestic ocean are making this part of the trail the most stunning and unique. These beautiful creations of Mother Nature will make your heart skip a beat. At places like this we start understanding how beautiful and amazing the world is! One needs only to look around.
After passing the intersection with Yurok Loop Trail (where it turns left and takes you back to the parking lot), in approximately half a mile the trail reaches a spur trail, leading to the Hidden Beach. You may spend some time following this spur trail and admire this beautiful secluded beach. Being not very big (only about 0,25 mile), this place is really unforgettable. Grey sand with large boulders scattered along the beach, huge sea-stacks rising from the water, and solitude of the beach make it a really special place. If you are lucky, you may see the spouts of the whales, or hear the distant voices of sea-lions.
One of the attractions of the Hidden Beach is a rocky island standing out in the ocean just opposite the beach, covered by some plants with a couple of trees on the top.
The views here are especially breathtaking during the sunset time.
Following further the Coastal Trail you will notice that the grassy area is finished and the trail starts ascending into the spruce forest. From time to time the tops of the trees close canopy forming some fantastic tunnels, through which the trail runs. After the Hidden Beach the trail moves more inland, away from the shoreline, running through a spruce forest with a dense understorey consisting of blackberry bushes and ferns. There will still be some openings along the trail offering the hikers amazing views on the ocean and rocky shoreline, which are now quite far below. But the only closest access to the ocean coastline will be only when the trail reaches the intersection with the path, leading to the Klamath Overlook.
Photo: Roman Khomlyak
Photo Editing: Juliana Voitsikhovska
Information: Svetlana Baranova
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