King Peak
King Range National Conservation Area · near Shelter Cove · North Coast
Hiking
At a glance
- Difficulty
- strenuous
- Route type
- out-and-back
- Distance
- 4.6 miles
- Elevation gain
- 1,900 ft
- Time needed
- day
- Best season
- Late spring–fall; ridge often fogged; rough roads when wet
Permits and booking
- Permit required
- No
- How the permit works
- BLM King Range NCA - no permit for day hiking (a permit + bear canister apply only to overnight King Range Wilderness camping). Access roads are rough dirt; high-clearance recommended.
- How hard the permit is to get
- 0 of 5
What is here
- Features
- Highest summit rising directly from the California coast (~4,088 ft) · Rises from sea level in ~3 miles · 360° views of the King Range and Pacific · Steep, sustained climb
Worth knowing
- Dogs
- Allowed
- Good for a first timer
- No
Hiking detail
- Intl tip
- The highest summit rising straight from the California coast - a short but steep climb (1,900 ft) to a huge Lost Coast panorama. Pick a clear day; the ridge fogs in. No permit for the day hike, but the access roads are rough. Dogs OK on leash.
The guide
King Peak is the roof of the Lost Coast - at just over 4,000 feet, the highest summit of the King Range and one of the most abr…
In the Guidebook
Everything above is yours for free. The written guide to King Peak — what it is actually like, and what we would tell a friend before they went — comes with the Guidebook.
Getting there
- Coordinates
- 40.1568, -124.1242