King Range

Welcome to the King Range National Conservation Area Every year, thousands of recreationists of all different experience levels visit the Lost Coast. It is essential to understand how to safely navigate the tides and learn about the factors that play into coastal safety. This guide will introduce you to those hazards, and help you plan your hike around safe tide levels. King Range Project Office 768 Shelter Cove Rd Whitethorn, CA 95589 For more information, contact the King Range National Conservation Area at (707) 986-5400 or BLM_CA_Web_KR@blm.gov. King Range National Conservation Area LOST COAST TRAIL TIDE SAFETY Navigating the Impassable Zones Along the Lost Coast Trail W in 1 Impassable Zone 1 is a coastal point with large boulders to traverse. This section is passable under 5 feet. 2 Impassable Zone 2 is about 4-5 miles in length, and is located between Sea Lion Gulch and Randall Creek. This section is passable under 2.5 feet. 3 Impassable Zone 3 is about 4-5 miles in length, and is located between Miller Flat and Gitchell Creek. This section is passable under 3 feet. d y P oint P un 4 Avoid traveling the ocean side of Split Rock. Stay on the bluff side of the large rocks, away from the ocean. ta G orda S ea L i o n G ul c h Hiking in the Mattole Impassable Zones Three sections of the 1 Lost Coast Trail become impassable at high tide. Do not attempt to hike through impassable zones while the tide is higher than three feet (3’), or recommended 2 tide height in impassable zones. Refer to map on the right. Give yourself enough time to cross safely, and note that rate of travel is typically 1 mile per hour. Do not attempt to hike above recommended tide height. ndall Creek Ra Hike during daylight hours only. *Map not to scale Camping in the Impassable Zones If you need a break from hiking in an impassable zone or are looking for a place to camp, you can hike up and away from the shore and high tides along the the several creeks that cross the trail. M ill e r F l a t 3 Gi How to Stay Safe by the Sea Stay away from cliffs and steeply sloped beaches. Avoid climbing rocks, jetties and outcroppings. tc h e ll C re ek Do not swim in the ocean. 4 Beware of sneaker waves. Never turn your back to the ocean! Don’t stand or linger in areas with wet sand and rocks. When crossing creeks, pay close attention to the ocean. Cross as far away from the waves as possible. Do not cross if water level is above the knee. S p lit R o c k Shelter Cove Check for high swells and inclement weather warnings. How to Read A Tide Table Below you will see an example of tide predictions for Shelter Cove taken from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) website. Visit tidesandcurrents.noaa.gov/noaa tidepredictions.html?id=9418024 and follow the steps below to plan your hike around safe tide levels. Height in feet (MLLW) The red indicates when the tides are higher than three feet. This is not a good time to hike in the impassable zones. The tide must be under three feet the entire time you are hiking in an impassable zone. The orange shows a scenario in which the tides are under three feet, but do not allow enough time to pass through a full impassable zone before the tides become deeper than three feet. The green indicates when the tide levels are receding below three feet with enough time and daylight to safely hike through an impassable zone. Hike during daylight hours only. 6.0 6.0 5.0 5.0 4.0 4.0 3.0 3.0 2.0 2.0 1.0 1.0 12 AM 7/29 3 AM 7/29 6 AM 7/29 9 AM 7/29 12 PM 7/29 Step 1: Search tide predictions for 9418024 Shelter Cove, CA. 3 PM 7/29 6 PM 7/29 12 AM 7/30 3 AM 7/30 6 AM 7/30 Options for Units 9418024 SHELTER COVE, CA Feet Step 2: Enter your anticipated entry and ending date. From: Step 3: Set threshold direction to less than or equal to (<=), and the threshold value to 3 feet. To: Step 4: Update to “Plot Daily.” This will produce a tide table for the dates you entered in Step 2. 9 PM 7/29 Jul Jul 9 AM 7/30 12 PM 7/30 Timezone 29 2021 LST/LDT Datum 30 2021 MLLW 12 Hour/24 Hour Clock 12 Hour Date Interval High/Low 3 PM 7/30 6 PM 7/30 9 PM 7/30 Threshold Direction >= Threshold Value 3 Update Plot Daily Plot Calendar Data Only 12 AM 7/31