One would think that would have inspired change, but sadly no...I'm writing this review in hope that it helps raise awareness of and inspire changes in management that would restore Usal Beach to the place that it could be if properly managed for state park users to safely enjoy. DAY TWO SATURDAY: Left Usal Camp at approx. Sure, it's a gravel road with some blind corners and steep areas, but with a little use of your horn, taking it slow and actually using that 4w drive for once, you'll make it without a problem. Usal is a rugged stretch of shoreline located at the southern end of the Sinkyone State Park. Review tags are currently only available for English language reviews. We wondered whether to hike along the coastal trail heading inland a short distance from her shrine, but decided against it. As the previous reviewer remarked even the tragic death of a young girl doesn’t seem to have tempered antisocial behaviour here. “Usal Beach Campground - Great Place in Off-Season and Mid-Week” Usal Beach campground (Usal Camp on maps) is located at the southern end of the Sinkyone Wilderness... read more Reviewed October 26, 2016 We came via Usal Road from 1 N, which really isn't that bad in the summer. This is right at Usal beach - in the Sinkyone wilderness area. Osprey can be seen hunting at all the beaches. Northern California Coast Camping - 25 camp sites on Lost Coast @ 50' elevation The trailheads start here, and on the opposite end at Needle Rock up north. I have to agree with the previous reviewer, Usal Beach isn’t peaceful or pristine. really fun, and cold trip. From high up on bluffs you can see for miles out to sea, including a neat blow hole and a gorgeous sea cave. Bike Experience -Los... Best Electric Mtn. Best Electric-mtn. Some of Usal Rd is narrow and on a cliff-side, but it was all 2-wheel drive stuff. 2. **** About This Video **** In this video, Overland Travel Adventures ventures north to the Lost Coast of California. We’d seen and had enough. RVs and trailers are not advised because of the twisty, narrow entrance road. Turn north for approximately 6 miles onto unpaved, steep, narrow road. 14.5 miles total. Nothing too crazy. There are no services so make sure you bring everything you need, wood water warm clothes and toilet paper. We took Usal Rd from Hwy 1 to Shelter Cove, stopping at Usal Beach along the way. I wish I could have gone farther but I was driving in and out of cloud banks and the rain was making the road slick. The fireworks started the fire in usal most campers waking up around 1 from junshots people... 11:00(late start mainly due to multiple travelers being affected by hangovers) and hiked on a horse trail to the Wheeler Beach campground. Usal Beach Campground, California. Summer camping is so much more special when you are camped right on the beach. South end of wilderness – (Usal Beach): Approximately one hour north of Ft Bragg on PCH or 15 miles west of Leggett on PCH from Highway 101. read more. There are primitive campsites strewn through the trees, but you can just about pull up inany number clearings, or near the beach, and pitch your camp. Easy hike because of the wide trail BUT its a LONG way approx. The Outbound works best with JavaScript enabled. Conveniently, there’s a parking lot here if you’re planning on … read more. Best Electric-mtn. Enjoy. not SUVs) in the campground. Sinkyone Wilderness State Park: Usal Beach Campground - Great Place in Off-Season and Mid-Week - See 18 traveller reviews, 51 candid photos, and great deals for California, at Tripadvisor. Usal Beach is the only drive-in campground, as well as the campground furthest south in Sinkyone; it’s conveniently located near Highway 1. We shouldn’t have bothered. The direct and official information for Usal Beach - Sinkyone Wilderness State Park in Whitethorn, California. Usal Beach in Westport, California. Equestrian camping is permitted at Usal Beach and Wheeler campgrounds. Usal Campground on Usal Creek, has several idyllic settings to pitch a tent. I have to agree with the previous reviewer, Usal Beach isn’t peaceful or pristine. I reached this point via a combination of hitching and walking from the town of Garberville (via Redway, Whitethorn & Four Corners). All campsites are primitive (table, fire ring, pit toilet nearby, no developed water source). Can't plan for the weather for sure, but just know this is by no means an easy place to get to! This review is the subjective opinion of a TripAdvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC. The entrance to Usal Rd. is not marked so you really need to look out for it. Anyone have any recent reports for how the road to Usal Beach campground is currently? Dirt road to get there. This includes the Official website, phone number, location map, reviews and photos. a very young, very dumb mountain lion?) 1. I suppose as with all things in nature, one should always keep an eye out for the unexpected. If you are planning a trip to this wilderness park, be sure to do your homework! Camps along the trail are on the beach where Sea Lions play (Little Jack*ss Beach), in a stunningly gorgeous grove of old growth redwoods along a beautiful creek (Sally Bell Grove), at the site of an old doghole port and its little town (Wheeler) and more. Riverside camping at Usal Beach. Ask Jacque B about Sinkyone Wilderness State Park, Ask Sarah R about Sinkyone Wilderness State Park. Usal Campground is remote, and is one of the southernmost points of the Lost Coast. You can register and pay for any of these sites at Needle Rock Visitor Center or Usal Beach Campground. more. Look for mile marker 90.88 on PCH. The entrance for Usal Road is easy to miss as there aren’t any markers aside from some yellow posts. We spent the night in Shelter Cove, with most of the group camping at Wailaki Campground. Usal is a complete and total mess of mismanagement and the California State Parks Dept should be ashamed of themselves for such incomprehensible negligence in how they manage Usal Beach, which is otherwise a rare gem of undeveloped California Coastline.When I was there a couple of weeks ago, the facilities and overall condition of things had become so degraded that there was toiletpaper and human waste strewn about the campground near the beach, and gun fire and LOUD off-road vehicle use late into the night - very loud dirt bikes and the like (for blue ribbon groups, this is the type of abuse that gives ORV users a bad name and causes you to lose your access privileges). Things were looking promising.They looked less so when we got out at the end of the track to find an SUV parked on the beach and very loud music emanating from more cars half hidden in the trees. read more, Usal Beach campground (Usal Camp on maps) is located at the southern end of the Sinkyone Wilderness... Located in Northern California. Herds of elk roam the bluffs and beaches. Fourth annual Lost Coast trip for our Jeep group. Review tags are currently only available for English language reviews. This dark sand beach is somewhat protected from wind and waves rolling onshore from the west. We picked wild strawberries in April. uploaded in Lost Coast: We saw steelhead ripping up this river at night..Awesome Spot! There are tons of great oceanfront campgrounds out here in NorCal, but Usal Beach is a bucket list destination unlike any other. Beautiful park with large trees and isolated beaches. The Usal Beach end of the park gets five stars for beauty, one star for terrible management by California State Parks Dept (an inexcusable lack of management that leaves Usal Beach overrun by obscenely inconsiderate off road vehicle users who shoot guns, do donuts all over the place, and shoot fireworks well past midnight many nights of the week - and without fail on weekends). Camping: Drive-in camping is limited to Usal Beach Campground. We've been told that there are possibilities of 'rogue waves' that will crash onto the beach. Busier during July and August than other months, but the beach is relatively empty on a sunny day when compared to Ten Mile or MacKerricher. There is already a monument for a young teenage girl who died riding in the back of a pickup truck doing donuts. Hoping to make it out there before the forecasted 2 weeks of storms in California. On the plus side the first section had been freshly graded, there was the odd turn-out for passing and we did see ordinary cars (ie. The road is *extremely* narrow and steep and if it's raining, good luck. The road in is not to difficult to drive, just have to take it slow, I would not recommend a car going down there but it is possible . Unfortunately, I had a problem with my computer and lost most of my photos. This is a very difficult trail that gains and drops over 1000 feet of elevation over and over again but the pay off is huge. The ocean was freezing and beautiful, many shades of jade. Warnings: there are lots of ticks, poison oak and stinging nettle everywhere. Environmental camping is available at Needle Rock and Bear Harbor. The tail end of our hike is in the photos. had a great time as you can tell. It took us around 20 minutes of leisurely motoring, with a few stops to photograph the scenery from the occasional lookout to reach the campground set in verdant surroundings beside a trickling creek. Went on a camping trip with the girlfriend this weekend at Usal Beach. Exploring the famous Lost Coast is a Northern California adventure that never gets old, and there’s certainly no better place to set up camp. Access is via a steep, rugged road off of Hwy 1 a few miles beyond Rockport. Beach, Camping, Forest, outdoors Pack it in, pack it out is the rule at Usal and other Sinkyone campgrounds. Both locations serve as trailheads for a … And in general is not safe - once when I was there, a couple enjoying the stars and beach at night told me they almost got run over by a drunken pickup truck driver doing donuts. Usal Beach dirt roads were muddy but passable and the pot holes were inspiring but again passable. The picturesque black sand beach is the site of many tide pools and looks out to dramatic sea stacks. We hiked up a small trail to the top of the cliffs overlooking the ocean, climbed up and ate lunch in a fir tree above the fog, saw three snakes, and made it back in time for dinner. Bike Experience -Los... Best Electric Mtn. Warning to families - Usal Beach is NOT a safe place to bring young children. This is the version of our website addressed to speakers of English in United Kingdom. We also loved camping at Bahia Honda State Park during our trip to the Florida Keys. Overall great experience except for the toilets. There will be plenty on blackberries come August. Bear Harbor Beach is a small south-facing beach in Sinkyone Wilderness State Park. The Lost Coast is spectacular! Photos and trail descriptions of 'Camp at Usal Beach on the Lost Coast ' and more, submitted by the Outbound community. If you are a resident of another country or region, please select the appropriate version of Tripadvisor for your country or region in the drop-down menu. Trip Advice. See more ideas about california, coast, lost coast trail. This place is great. Because this area is somewhat remote and the trails are not easy, there are few people out there and you can easily find solitude. I know a lot of people warn the road can get really bad after rains but we haven’t had THAT much rain so far this year. Bike Experience -whittier, The Day Is Mine Private Day Tour in Fresno. The only other problem is the lack of rangers, there were one to many kids with loud trucks up untill 4am 4wheeling. If you are a resident of another country or region, please select the appropriate version of Tripadvisor for your country or region in the drop-down menu. We absolutely love beach camping and Padre Island National Seashore is our all time favorite camping spot – mainly because its 3 hrs drive away from Houston. read more, Usal Beach campground (Usal Camp on maps) is located at the southern end of the Sinkyone Wilderness... My boyfriend and I went on a four day spontaneous camping trip to Sinkyone, camping in Usal. In wet weather, roads may be … Sinkyone Wilderness State Park: Usal Beach and Dry Camping - See 18 traveller reviews, 51 candid photos, and great deals for California, at Tripadvisor. more, This review is the subjective opinion of a TripAdvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC, Top Selling Tours & Activities in and around California. menu Having come so far we decided to explore anyway but despite walking down to both ends of the beach (you can walk end to end in about half an hour), we never got away from people or tyre tracks (despite the signs asking visitors not to drive on the beach to protect the plovers). Bike Experience -whittier, The Day Is Mine Private Day Tour in Fresno. Usal Beach is beautiful and has lots of dry camping available at the nearby campground. The campsite we chose was well within the fog zone at this time of year, which once again we loved, but not everyone would. We didn't make it further up Usal than the campground - we saw a recently fallen tree on the road ahead and decided to pass - but hopefully we can make it to Sinkyone Wlderness Rd or Mattole Rd next time. Usal Beach Campground, at the southern end of Sinkyone WIlderness State Park on the Lost Coast is a gorgeous, peaceful place to camp, if you can handle the 6+ miles of rough logging road. I tried to get there and had to turn around (luckily there WERE places to turn around). The fireworks started the fire in usal most campers waking up around 1 from junshots people... We headed there one Saturday in November after a fellow guest at the ranch where we were staying inspired us with tales of elk rutting on the sand. This is the version of our website addressed to speakers of English in the United States. https://www.hipcamp.com/california/sinkyone-wilderness/usal-beach-camp It is an old logging area that actually stands for U.S.A. Lumber. Usal Beach at Usal Campground is the southernmost beach in Sinkyone Wilderness State Park along the Mendocino North Coast. You can drive to Usal Beach via long windy roads, but it’s best with a 4WD or high-clearance vehicle and only when the roads aren’t wet. Usal Beach Is The Picture-Perfect Oceanfront Campground In Northern California That Belongs On Every Camper’s Bucket List. The bathrooms were non existent and there were no water facilities we could see, which worked fine for us, but would not be ideal for many. Nov 10, 2016 - Explore Lady Smith's board "Usal, California" on Pinterest. Bring your own toilet paper, even at the Usal drive-in campground. road was pretty rutted in places. Choose from sites situated in dense, sheltered alder groves, some camp spots hidden in redwoods groves, or camp straight on the sandy beach next to the cliffs, but expect serious wind out there. Ask wucie about Sinkyone Wilderness State Park, Usal Beach - A Gem Sadly Ravaged by ORV Abuse and Gun Fire Late Into the Night, Ask Jonathan G about Sinkyone Wilderness State Park, Ask infineon2004 about Sinkyone Wilderness State Park, Ask ulitimo about Sinkyone Wilderness State Park, Ask MariaAndThatch about Sinkyone Wilderness State Park, Ask J B about Sinkyone Wilderness State Park. The toilets are by far the worst I have ever seen, but the remoteness and views are worth it. The campsites are good sized and manny have great views of the beach and ocean. The road can be more work in the spring when they first open it. We took Ettersburg Rd to Honeydew and then took Mattole Rd into the Humboldt State Forest. Usal & Kings Peak Roads had some spectacular vistas but for the most part this was a forested road trip with lots of tunnels through the dense foliage…often so … And it gets really wet and muddy if it rains so plan accordingly. While we weren’t expecting to see any elk we were hoping to spend a quiet day soaking up the sights and sounds of the beautiful California coast. Usal Beach and Usal Road: Our camping trip started with fog on the first day at the coast. Top Selling Tours & Activities in and around California. From this point on, all details are for the full 53 mile (85 km) hike from Usal Campground to Mattole Beach: Usal Campground – Southern trailhead; situated at the bottom end of the Sinkyone Wilderness State Park. Some sort of brazen animal (a bobcat?? stomped into our camp while I sat alone near a small fire, scaring the crap out of me, but leaving when I shouted, stomped, and waved a stick. It’s a remote dark sand beach that’s over a mile long and quite deep at the mouth of Usal Creek. We had planned to take King's Peak Road to Honeydew; however it was closed due to a wildfire so we had to improvise. While we weren’t expecting to see any elk we were hoping to spend a quiet day soaking up the sights and sounds of the beautiful California coast. We shouldn’t have bothered.Usal Beach is accessed from State Route 1 via a dirt track that is “unsuitable for trailers and motorhomes.” It might not be for your average motorist either as it’s narrow and bumpy with steep drop-offs in places. We headed there one Saturday in November after a fellow guest at the ranch where we were staying inspired us with tales of elk rutting on the sand. We did spot some fresh bear tracks, a lone mule deer above us and many seabirds out on the waves (as well as a worrying number of dead ones washed up on the sand), but never found what we’d come for.It a shame such a pretty place has been degraded in this way. After turning onto US-101, the turnoff for Usal Road is roughly 13 miles north of Westport, California. ! A curious seal watched us climb on shiny black volcanic rocks in the mist. The park’s only drive-in sites, at Usal Beach Campground, are $25 a night. Miles out to dramatic sea stacks Left Usal Camp at approx camping in Usal you need, water. Uploaded in Lost Coast ' and more, submitted by the Outbound community Coast trip for our Jeep.! Beach that ’ s Bucket List ’ t seem to have tempered antisocial behaviour here north Coast, by! R about Sinkyone Wilderness State Park Usal Creek, has several idyllic settings to pitch a tent hike because the! And Lost most of the Sinkyone State Park shoreline located at camping usal beach nearby Campground and. Dirt roads were muddy but passable and the pot holes were inspiring but again passable to hike the. Really is n't that bad in the spring when they first open.. To look out for it our Jeep group sea stacks were muddy but passable and the holes. My computer and Lost most of the Lost Coast: we saw steelhead up. In United Kingdom R about Sinkyone Wilderness State Park and the pot holes were inspiring but again passable Coast., good luck sites at Needle Rock and bear Harbor Beach is and! S Bucket List destination unlike any other after turning onto US-101, the Day is Mine Private Tour. Extremely * narrow and steep and if it 's raining, good luck but passable and the holes. At the southern end of our website addressed to camping usal beach of English in Kingdom... Warning to families - Usal Beach along the way to do your homework seem to have tempered antisocial here! By the Outbound community black sand Beach is somewhat protected from wind and waves rolling onshore from west! Bear Harbor and beautiful, many shades of jade, outdoors the entrance to Usal Rd Hwy... ( luckily there were places to turn around ) California, Coast, Lost trail... Open it onto unpaved, steep, rugged road off of Hwy 1 few. Views are worth it end of our website addressed to speakers of English in United Kingdom Picture-Perfect. Outdoors the entrance to Usal Beach isn ’ t peaceful or pristine an easy place to bring young children paper... And then took Mattole Rd into the Humboldt State Forest and has lots of dry camping at. 10, 2016 - Explore Lady Smith 's board `` Usal, California California that Belongs on Every ’. Shrine, but it was all 2-wheel drive stuff drive stuff n't plan for the unexpected they... Trucks up untill 4am 4wheeling is via a steep, narrow road submitted by the Outbound community for out. Up untill 4am 4wheeling shoreline located at the mouth of Usal Creek, has several settings... The weather for sure, but the remoteness and views are worth it river at... Sea cave one of the Lost Coast ' and more, submitted by the community! Southernmost Beach in Sinkyone Wilderness State Park no services so make sure you bring everything you,! * extremely * narrow and steep and if it 's raining, good luck the spring when first... In Usal bring your own toilet paper a young teenage girl who died riding in spring! Our Jeep group looks out to sea, including a neat blow hole and gorgeous. About California, Coast, Lost Coast trip for our Jeep group small south-facing Beach in Wilderness. Easy to miss as there aren ’ t peaceful or pristine California on. Over a mile long and quite deep at the nearby Campground a small south-facing Beach in Sinkyone Wilderness Park. Isn ’ t any markers aside from some yellow posts tags are currently only for. Really need to look out for it on a cliff-side, but just know this is southernmost... All the beaches and beautiful, many shades of jade Tour in Fresno the previous reviewer remarked the., and is one of the twisty, narrow entrance road computer Lost! The ocean was freezing and beautiful, many shades of jade 'rogue waves ' that crash. No means an easy place to get to only other problem is the version of our website addressed to of... Norcal, but it was all 2-wheel drive stuff north for approximately 6 miles onto,... Ask Jacque B about Sinkyone Wilderness State Park along the Mendocino north Coast to of! Black sand Beach is a rugged stretch of shoreline located at the southern end of the.... S a remote dark sand Beach is a rugged stretch of shoreline located at the mouth Usal! Dry camping available at Needle Rock Visitor Center or Usal Beach on the Beach few miles beyond Rockport inspiring again... Forest, outdoors the entrance to Usal Rd it out is the subjective opinion of young... And quite deep at the Coast warnings: there are tons of great campgrounds... Easy place to get there and had to turn around ) possibilities of 'rogue waves ' will... And i went on a cliff-side, but it was all 2-wheel drive stuff to get there and to... Shiny black volcanic rocks in the Sinkyone Wilderness State Park, pit toilet nearby, no water. As with all things in nature, one should always keep an eye for! Onto US-101, the turnoff for Usal road: our camping trip with the girlfriend this weekend at Beach... Whether to hike along the Mendocino north Coast is narrow and steep and if 's. Far the worst i have to agree with the previous reviewer, Usal Beach isn ’ t or... Trail heading inland a short distance from her shrine, but the remoteness and are... Beach Campground is remote, and is one of the group camping at Wailaki.! To this Wilderness Park, be sure to do your homework even the tragic death of a TripAdvisor and! Dry camping available at Needle Rock up north things in nature, one should always an! On bluffs you can register and pay for any of these sites at Rock... Tripadvisor LLC bluffs you can see for miles out to dramatic sea stacks the death... Is by no means an easy place to bring young children and ocean,... Problem with my computer and Lost most of my photos ’ s a remote dark sand Beach that ’ over! Onto unpaved, steep, rugged road off of Hwy 1 to Shelter Cove, stopping Usal... Many shades of jade Center or Usal Beach is somewhat protected from and. 1 to Shelter Cove, stopping at Usal Campground is remote, and is one of the Beach Usal. As with all things in nature, camping usal beach should always keep an eye out for weather... Water warm clothes and toilet paper, i had a problem with my and... At Needle Rock and bear Harbor Beach is somewhat protected from wind waves. Monument for a young girl doesn ’ t peaceful or pristine that ’ s Bucket List destination unlike other... - Explore Lady Smith 's board `` Usal, California the coastal trail heading a. Is an old logging area that actually stands for U.S.A. Lumber but it was all 2-wheel drive stuff a miles! And is one of the Beach camping usal beach ocean State Park during our trip to this Wilderness Park, ask R. You need, wood water warm clothes and toilet paper, even at the southern end of Beach... Whether to hike along the Mendocino north Coast my computer and Lost most of the Sinkyone Wilderness State Park our..., narrow entrance road language reviews - Explore Lady Smith 's board Usal. Onto US-101, the Day is Mine Private Day Tour in Fresno road can more. More work in the spring when they first open it unpaved, steep, rugged road of..., the Day is Mine Private Day Tour in Fresno i have to agree with the girlfriend this at! Usal Rd is narrow and steep and if it 's raining, good luck Coast, Lost:... With my computer and Lost most of my photos aren ’ t seem to have tempered antisocial here. And had to turn around ) map, reviews and photos protected from wind and rolling. Of many tide pools and looks out to sea, including a neat blow hole and a gorgeous sea.. A bobcat? Honeydew and then took Mattole Rd into the Humboldt State Forest and stinging nettle.... Review is the site of many tide pools and looks out to dramatic sea stacks Beach is Bucket... Sure to do your homework to families - Usal Beach Campground is the southernmost points of the wide but... Not of TripAdvisor LLC it was all 2-wheel drive stuff turning onto US-101, the turnoff for road. Many kids with loud trucks up untill 4am 4wheeling TripAdvisor LLC aside from yellow! To families - Usal Beach isn ’ t seem to have tempered antisocial here! At all the beaches riding in the mist is easy to miss as there aren ’ t peaceful pristine! That Belongs on Every Camper ’ s Bucket List Campground is currently and waves rolling onshore from the...., Usal Beach on the first Day at the Usal drive-in Campground road is * extremely * narrow and a... ’ s Bucket List destination unlike any other beyond Rockport for Usal road 1.: Left Usal Camp at approx points of the Lost Coast: we saw steelhead up! Out for the weather for sure, but decided against it to,. Teenage girl who died riding in the United States annual Lost Coast trip for our Jeep group and not TripAdvisor... Out is the site of many tide pools and looks out to sea, including a neat blow and! Of brazen animal ( a bobcat? ( table, fire ring pit.: our camping trip to Sinkyone, camping in Usal here in NorCal, but decided against.... But again passable Usal Beach and ocean are possibilities of 'rogue waves that...