Blue Coast

Patrick's Point State Park in Humboldt County

An enchanting coastal woodland sounds like a description out of a fairy tale, until you visit Patrick’s Point State Park, where turquoise tide pools gurgle beneath bluff-top redwoods in a touch of real-life magic. Soak it in on a 2-mile (one-way) coastal stroll from the craggy tide pools of Palmer’s Point to sandy Agate Beach, taking time to explore six steep quarter-mile spur trails leading to promontories with sweeping shoreline vistas. Begin at Palmer’s Point parking lot, where ancient sea stacks pierce the horizon. Descend the route’s first spur of steps to the shoreline and search for ochre sea stars and hermit crabs at low tide (see tide chart link below). Or walk back along the road past a cliff-top bench and begin left on wooded Rim Trail.

At 1.2 miles, a detour on the left leads to 120-foot-high Wedding Rock, a highlight of the hike. A short descent precedes a climb up rough cobblestone steps and terraces accented by delicate pink blooms, while coastal redwoods tower on the edge of sheer jutting cliffs over the crashing surf below. Return to the main Rim Trail and finish at Agate Beach, where a final spur descends via a series of switchbacks to a sandy stretch of coast covered in semi-precious pebbles and driftwood. Return the way you came or cut back through the center of the park, past Sumeg Village, a reconstructed Yurok settlement featuring a traditional redwood canoe.

patrickspoint5-image-jpeg

SUNSET TIP: Hike to Wedding Rock when the clock strikes sunset. The Wedding Rock Beach Trail, adjacent to the main spur, leads to softly lit boulders and the best seat in the house for the day’s dramatic rose-hued finale.

CAMP: For solitude and privacy tucked away in a spruce forest, set up camp at Penn Creek at Patrick’s Point State Park. Each of 15 sites has a picnic table, firepit, and food locker. Reservations recommended. Sites not reserved are available on a first-come, first-served basis.

EAT: As the state’s largest producer of oysters, Humboldt Bay is the pearl of California’s oyster industry. Get a taste at Arcata Plaza’s Saturday Farmers’ Market, a 20-minute drive south of Patrick’s Point along Highway 101. The Oyster Lady sells raw by the pound and barbecued ready-to-eat. For more mouthwatering madness, visit the Lighthouse Grill’s stand for mashed potatoes scooped into a savory rosemary cornmeal waffle cone, topped with your choice of 14-hour slow-roasted barbecue brisket, bacon, cheese, and veggies.

Patrick’s Point State Park info and map. Check tide charts for tide pooling. The Rim Trail one-way from Palmer’s Point to Agate Beach Overlook is 2 miles not taking spurs; 3.5 miles if you take all six. Camping $35/night; day-use fee $8/vehicle. Reserve a site. Dogs allowed on leash in campgrounds, picnic areas, and along paved roads, but not on beaches or trails. Many of the spur trails along the Rim Trail, including Wedding Rock, can be accessed by car. Arcata Plaza Farmers’ Market (open Saturdays 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.).

Trending Stories NorCal

View all Stories
  1. Field of Light at Sensorio in Paso Robles

    Light This Way

    Hidden in the bucolic hills of Paso Robles lies one of the greatest light shows on earth. The lighted art exhibition, Sensorio, is as if the rainbow magic of the aurora borealis was plucked from the sky and planted in the fields.

    View
  2. Surfboards and tents for shade are set up on the beach at Cull Canyon Regional Recreation Area in the Swim Lagoon Area

    Switchbacks and Swimming Holes

    Hike hard, play hard! This 7-mile out-and-back in Cull Canyon Regional Recreation Area is a great workout with payoff vistas and a relaxing post-hike picnic and dip in the water.

    View
  3. Hike the Rainbow

    Catch all the colors of a rainbow at Calero County Park on this 10-mile hike currently showcasing the season’s best blooms.

    View
  4. Hike Purisima Creek Open Space Preserve

    Purisima Charisma

    Hundred-foot redwoods, a shaded canyon, and views overlooking Half Moon Bay. This 10-mile loop hike in Purisima Creek Redwoods Open Space Preserve is a roller-coaster of uphill and downhill along with easygoing stretches through some of the Bay Area’s most beautiful landscape.

    View

Trending Stories SoCal

View all Stories
  1. People on a guided horseback tour with Central Coast Trailrides at Santa Margarita Ranch near Paso Robles

    Saddle Up with Central Coast Trailrides

    Untouched and sweeping, the mountainous scenery and deep valleys of Santa Margarita near Paso Robles are just begging to be explored. So saddle up for a scenic adventure with Central Coast Trailrides (CCT) at the 14,000-acre Santa Margarita Ranch.

    View
  2. A woman on a hiking trail with huge open space and yellow flowers around her at Wildwood Park in Thousand Oaks

    Going Wildwood

    Consider this your invitation to get a little untamed. In just one walk through Wildwood Park in Thousand Oaks, you can chase the sound of a cascading waterfall, duck into a shadowy cave, and soak in big hillside vistas. The mostly flat 4.25-mile loop makes wild feel wonderfully accessible.

    View
  3. Two people fly fishing on the Truckee River with guides from Reno Fly Shop

    Zen and the Art of Fly Fishing

    Learning to fly fish is one of the most fun and beautiful ways to connect with nature, family, friends, and yourself. It’s also a great way to truly experience the magic of a place. Make that place Reno Tahoe, where a fly fishing adventure with Reno Fly Shop is like being planted in a plein air painting of dreamy outdoors.

    View
  4. A woman on the overlook deck overlooking the Truckee River at Oxbow Nature Study Area in Reno

    This Way to Oxbow and Dickerson Road

    Just west of downtown Reno—tucked right alongside the Truckee River—is a nature haven for wildlife spotting and waterside relaxing. The 22-acre Oxbow Nature Study Area is ideal for those seeking solitude and a short hike. Afterwards, explore the creative hub of Dickerson Road.

    View