Mike White was raised in the southeast suburbs of Portland, Oregon, in the shadow of Mount Hood (whenever the Pacific Northwest skies cleared enough to allow such things as shadows). As a teenager, Mike began hiking, backpacking, and climbing in the Cascades of Oregon and Washington, and he then honed his outdoor skills while attending Seattle Pacific University. After acquiring a BA in political science, Mike and his new wife, Robin, relocated to the high desert of Reno, Nevada, where he discovered the joys of exploring the Sierra Nevada.

After leaving his last “real” job, Mike began a full-time writing career. He is the author or coauthor of 24 outdoor guidebooks, including the award-winning Top Trails: Lake Tahoe and 50 Classic Hikes in Nevada. Mike has also contributed to Sunset and Backpacker magazines and the Reno Gazette Journal. A former community college instructor, Mike is also a popular featured speaker for outdoor groups.

The Top Trails Series

Northern California’s Redwood Coast Map

Northern California’s Redwood Coast Trails Table

Using Top Trails

Introduction to the Redwood Coast

On the Trail

1. Mendocino County

• Big Hendy Loop
• Montgomery Woods Trail
• Fern Canyon & Pygmy Forest Loop
• Chapman Point & Spring Ranch Headlands
• Big River Haul Road
• Mendocino Headlands
• Russian Gulch Loop
• Point Cabrillo Light Station
• Ecological Staircase Trail
• Chamberlain Creek Falls Loop
• Ten Mile Beach

2. The Lost Coast

• Lost Coast Trail: Needle Rock to Bear Harbor
• Lost Coast Trail: Needle Rock to Whale Gulch
• Lost Coast Trail: Hidden Valley to Nicks Camp
• Lost Coast Trail: Black Sands Beach to Gitchell Creek
• Lightning Trail to King Peak
• Lost Coast Trail: Mattole River to Sea Lion Gulch
• Lost Coast Headlands: Fleener Creek & Guthrie Creek Trails

3. Humboldt County

• Franklin K. Lane Loop
• Stephens Grove Loop
• Nature Trail Loop
• Founders Grove & Mahan Loop
• Rockefeller Grove Loop
• Big Trees Loop
• Bull Creek & Homestead Loop
• Bull Creek Flats & Big Trees Loop
• Allens Trail
• High Rock River Trail
• Girdled Tree
• Drury-Chaney Loop
• Cheatham Grove
• Elk River Trail

4. Redwood National Park & Vicinity

• Trinidad Head Loop
• Agate Beach & Rim Trails
• Stone Lagoon
• Redwood Creek Trail
• Lady Bird Johnson Grove
• Tall Trees Grove
• Emerald Ridge Loop
• Dolason Prairie Trail
• Lyons Ranch Loop
• Coastal Trail: Skunk Cabbage Section
• Trillium Falls Loop

5. Prairie Creek

• Fern Canyon Loop
• Irvine & Miners Loop
• Big Tree Loop
• Brown Creek Loop
• West Ridge & Prairie Creek Loop
• Hope Creek & Ten Taypo Creek Loop
• Ossagon Trail

6. Del Norte Coast Redwoods

• Yurok Loop & Hidden Beach
• Coastal Trail: Hidden Beach to Klamath Overlook
• Damnation Creek Trail
• Coastal Trail: Crescent Beach Overlook to Enderts Beach

7. Jedediah Smith Redwoods

• Boy Scout Tree Trail
• Stout Grove Loop
• Leiffer & Ellsworth Loops
• Simpson-Reed & Peterson Loop
• Myrtle Creek Trail

Appendix 1: Top-Rated Trails

Appendix 2: Campgrounds & RV Parks

Appendix 3: Hotels, Lodges, Motels, & Resorts

Appendix 4: Major Organizations

Appendix 5: Useful Resources

Index

About the Author