Lost Coast visitors that wind up in Shelter Cove are treated to a small but surprisingly eclectic village with an array of ocean view attractions: an airstrip, 9-hole golf course, friendly boutique inns, fishing charters, art galleries, hip general store, Venezuelan restaurant, RV park with deli and bait shop, and California’s most remote microbrewery with 12 beers on tap and lauded dining.

Little Black Sands Beach and the Shelter Cove Harbor offer easy beach strolls and the Cape Mendocino Lighthouse is open to explore. Nearby tide pools provide an accessible look at marine life. For thrill-seekers, there’s the Lost Coast Trail.

The renowned Lost Coast is distant from any urban region (five hours from the Bay Area), so despite its natural beauty, the longest stretch of undeveloped shoreline in California remains a place of mystery. Nevertheless, it beckons adventurous hikers seeking access to the wildest, most remote places on the coast.

Along this pristine strand lies the Lost Coast Trail, located within the King Range National Conservation Area, a 70,000-acre BLM managed wilderness with the fastest growing mountains in the hemisphere. The 24.6-mile trail, home to large congregations of elephant seals and sea lions, extends from Shelter Cove Black Sands Beach to Mattole Beach.

After being dropped off by a local shuttle, the more inspired outdoorsy adventurers hike three or four days during the more temperate months, equipped with tide charts to ensure they beat the sporadic beach bottlenecks when high tide rolls in.

The King Range is also a wonderland for bikers. Bike Magazine called the Paradise Royale Trail one of the best single track rides in America.