California's Lost Coast

By Terry McLaughlin

Stretching nearly 600 miles, from San Francisco, California to Coos Bay, Oregon, is a rugged and isolated shoreline shrouded in fog, rimmed with rocks and cliffs, and washed by sudden storms and treacherous currents. Exploring Spaniards avoided it; Russian and European traders despaired of making it useful. For hundreds of years, sailors passed this mysterious, unmapped part of the world, never realizing that a navigable deep-sea port existed beyond dangerous swells disguising the harbor’s narrow entrance.


The view south from the Trinidad lighthouse. Photo courtesy of the Humboldt County Film Commission.	Northern California coastline. Photo courtesy of the Humboldt County Film Commission.

California’s Coast Redwoods soar to over 350 feet in height.

This is California’s Lost Coast, and Humboldt Bay, first charted in 1850, is its heart. Today, historic towns dressed in their charming and colorful Victorian-era architecture welcome tourists who come to raft or fish in the area’s six rivers, stroll along miles of undisturbed beaches, or wander in awe through the deep redwood forests.

It’s the redwoods that draw many of the visitors. The tallest trees in the world, they can tower as high as a 35-story building. Standing in a grove of these ancient giants is like stepping into a strange, prehistoric world. Ropy red bark twists up, up along the massive trunks, a striking contrast to the soft, delicate foliage. Sunlight shafts through the branches, fanning in ghostly fingers on foggy mornings. The first wintry windstorms loosen dead growth, which falls like red rain to form a thick, spongy carpet on the forest floor, silencing footsteps. Ferns, many as high as a man’s chest, grow thick in the acidic soil and dappled light. In the spring, wild rhododendrons spread and arch in splashes of neon purple and pink.


Along a trail through a redwood forest.	Lacy, pale-green foliage is a soft contrast to the massive trees.

Those lucky enough to visit the Lost Coast can hike the trails in Redwood National Park and view elk herds at several other state parks and national forest areas. For an Internet visit, check out the virtual guidebooks.

Because their beds are lined with gravel washed from the surrounding mountains, the rivers of the Lost Coast are among the clearest in the world. Photo courtesy of the Humboldt County Film Commission.

Hollywood often takes advantage of the Lost Coast’s scenic appeal. Steven Spielberg set his Star Wars Ewok village among the redwoods of Smith River and filmed portions of the second Jurassic Park movie in Fern Canyon — a fitting location since botanical relatives of the redwood trees have existed since Jurassic times. And the historic Victorian village of Ferndale has served as a picturesque backdrop for the small-town settings in films such as Outbreak and The Majestic.


Walking through Fern Canyon in Prairie Creek Redwood Park.	The 60-foot walls of Fern Canyon are lined with several species of ferns.


The Carson Mansion overlooks Eureka’s Old Town district.	The Victorian Inn in Ferndale.

Eureka, the largest city along the Lost Coast, is home to many fine examples of the area’s Victorian-era architecture. The Carson Mansion is one of the most frequently photographed structures in the United States. While in the city, visitors can learn about the area’s logging history at Fort Humboldt or drive across the bay bridge to sample authentic logging-camp fare at the Samoa Cookhouse.

Victorian gingerbread adds charm to hundreds of Lost Coast houses.

Visitors to the Humboldt Bay area enjoy strolling past the Victorian-era storefronts lining the streets of Old Town. Looking for a place to stay? Soak up the local atmosphere in the antiques-filled rooms of Ferndale’s Victorian Inn or Eureka’s Eagle House or the Carter House Inns.


The historic Benbow Inn blends luxury and relaxation in a stunning setting.	A Humboldt County lagoon. Photo courtesy of the Humboldt County Film Commission.

An hour’s drive south of the bay, near a famous stretch of highway known as the Avenue of the Giants, you’ll find the Benbow Inn. Tucked into a sheltered bend of the Eel River, the Inn has hosted visitors such as Clark Gable, Spencer Tracy, and Eleanor Roosevelt.

With spectacular vistas, awe-inspiring forests, wild rivers, and Victorian villages, California’s beautiful and mysterious Lost Coast is a treat for the eyes and a feast for the imagination.

Terry McLaughlin is currently writing an upcoming series for Harlequin Superromance set along California’s Lost Coast. Look for the first book in May of 2008. Her current release, Maybe, Baby, is the final installment of her three-book Bright Lights, Big Sky Superromance series.

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