Cooskie Creek Route is a 23.9 mile moderately trafficked loop trail located near Petrolia, California that features beautiful wild flowers and is rated as moderate. It was easy and marked at first. ©Dave Miller, Location: 40.2872009277344, -124.358596801758, Location: 40.2744255065918, -124.362609863281, Wildflowers lace the verdant hills throughout the Lost Coast. Where there should be trail, there doesn't seem to be any. Coastal: Lost Coast Trail, CA. Trail Overview: The Lost Coast Trail follows the shore from Mattole River (north end) to Black Sands Beach in Shelter Cove (*south end). Just around 2 miles from Sea Lion Gulch, you will arrive at Cooskie Creek, where you will find a number of campsites resting along the creek. This 26-mile trek along California's coast should have been a highway...except it was too riddled with cliffs to build on. A lakeside campsite awaits at the end of this 4.2-miler that passes old-growth cedars, a mining camp, and meadows splashed with wildflowers. This is because this "route" is very difficult to follow. Tough up hill but quite the diversity of scenery. This junction is tricky, as the sign for the LCT is on the opposite side of the post — pointing in a non-obvious direction. Photo of Cooskie Creek in . The trail offers a number of activity options and is best used from May until September. The Cooskie Creek Route has its northwest end a little southeast of Fourmile Creek and climbs up The HJ Ridge, over Gorda 2, and down again to Cooskie Creek passing a junction with Cooskie Spur Route. Tide tables (see below). There isn't and never has been trail up Cooskie Creek itself. Cooskie Creek Trail (Cooskie Spur) Unknown There are signs along the trail but there is no defined trail in some sections. Remember, it is "unmarked" and "unmaintained".) To make a loop, you would want to drop down Spanish Ridge Trail and return on Lost Coast Trail. Trek 24.4 miles to a 200-foot, glacier-fed waterslide, then bag the highest peak in the Trinity Alps. The last day Nick and I proved our mettle. “On our annual pilgrimage down the Lost Coast Trail this week, we saw not one, but two dead whales,” Scatchard said. ©Dave Miller, Location: 40.2198753356934, -124.309661865234, The sun drops below thick clouds. Cooskie Creek. Continue S, Location: 40.2358932495117, -124.324645996094, Flotsam and driftwood make for a wind-free shelter. Only the eastern one is official trail. 2410 125 413. Protection: Yes Notes: The campsites are situated inside the canyon. The 9.2-mile trek heads along one of California's last pristine beaches to the swimming grounds of harbor seals and the once-endangered California gray whale. See: http://backpacker.trimbleoutdoors.com/ViewTrip.aspx?TripID=27498 for details on a 4-day Lost Coast trip, Location: 40.219970703125, -124.309761047363, There's room for two tents in this ocean-side lean-to. Junction with Cooskie Spur Trail: About a mile further along the coast we came to Cooskie Creek, which had many great campsites. Retrace route. This is 12 miles from Cooskie creek. Many of you may be interested in hiking in the "upland" trails in the King Range (King Crest Trail, Cooskie Creek Trail, Rattlesnake Ridge, etc). Crossing Cooskie Creek: There was a lot of fresh water along the trail and we only carried about a liter at anytime. Waterfallin. The Cooskie Creek Trail is now called Cooskie Creek Route. Randall Creek. 10 Reviews. I found it to be wonderful, but harder than I expected for only climbing 2300 feet or so. Route finding skills necessary!" The prairies give amazing views. I camped near springs in the vicinity of the coral and again at a spring on the way down Spanish Ridge and Cooskie Creek along LCT. Most people thru-hike the trail from north to south in 2 to 4 days. I only went a few feet extra before turning back and getting back on track. Wikiloc - Trails of the World {{ title }} {{ subtitle }} Share. Exercise caution along this stretch as there are many points where there is no place to escape a sudden wave. Massive landslides on the steep slopes and contorted rock strata attest to the dynamism and geologic forces at work here. 1. Find more information here. You'll also notice on the map that it says, "Cooskie Creek Route is unmarked and unmaintained. Here, the shuttle will pick you up … California Trails In a few strides, follow cairns on S side of unnamed creek up bluff, then take user trail to Cooskie Creek Spur marker. (They are what makes the Spanish Ridge loop on here. Be sure to look for signs and use a map. I don't recommend that way judging by the comments on the Spanish Ridge loop.) I followed the official route down. Cooskie Creek Route and Cooskie Spur Route meet at the far ridge a … CCT continues along the Lost Coast, requiring a few hundred feet of boulder hopping before the footing improves as the beach widens at the base of cliffs draped with waterfalls. ©Dave Miller, Location: 40.2397384643555, -124.331497192383, At mouth of Sea Lion Gulch, hardpack trail dumps onto rocky beach, Location: 40.2397537231445, -124.330390930176, A hulking anthropomorphic figure among the breakers. In a few strides, follow cairns on S side of unnamed creek up bluff, then take user trail to Cooskie Creek Spur marker. From there it's all the normal LCT considerations. Redding: Lost Coast Trail to Cooskie Creek. (For some reason this track does not. Author. The trail from Cooskie Creek to Randall Creek isn't so much a trail as it is a beach that emerges twice a day at low tide. The trail is nonexistent! 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