The sun sets over the Pacific Ocean at Little Blacks Sands Beach. (Bob Wick/BLM)

King Range National Conservation Area

The King Range National Conservation Area (NCA) is a spectacular meeting of land and sea as mountains thrust straight out of the surf with King Peak (4,088 feet) only three miles from the ocean. The King Range NCA encompasses 68,000 acres along 35 miles of California’s north coast. The landscape was too rugged for highway building, giving the remote region the title of California’s Lost Coast. It is the Nation's first NCA, designated in 1970. Learn more about the unique partnerships and opportunities at the King Range(link is external).

The King Range NCA’s Douglas fir-covered peaks attract hikers and hunters, while the coast beckons to surfers and anglers. World-class mountain bike trails, and 42,585 acres of coastal wilderness are two of the highlights of this incredibly unique area.

The King Range Visitor Center has updated its hours of operation. The Visitor Center will now be open Monday thru Friday 8:00AM to 4:30PM. Closed Saturday & Sunday.

Staff will be available to provide visitors with crucial services such as trip planning advice, up to date conditions information, maps, tide charts, and bear canister rentals.

If you are planning a trip to the King Range National Conservation Area, please stop by and pay a visit!

For more information on the King Range NCA call the office at (707) 986-5400. Note: phone and internet service are often unreliable in the area. If you cannot reach the King Range NCA office, please contact the Arcata Field Office 707-825-2300 or email at: BLM_CA_WEB_KR@blm.gov 

Wilderness Permits

In the King Range Wilderness, a permit quota system has been set up to protect the environment, ensure visitors a wilderness experience free of large crowds, and to provide opportunities for solitude. Permits are required year-round for overnight use in the King Range Wilderness and can be purchased on www.Recreation.gov. The quota system controls the number of permits that can be issued at one time.  Permits are not needed for day use in the King Range Wilderness.

New Permit Information as of October 1, 2023:

As of October 1, 2023, permits will be sold on a 3-month rolling window reservation system.  Each day, new permits will be available for dates 3-months in advance.  For example: on 10/1/23, permits will open for sale on 1/1/24; on 10/2/23, permits will open for sale on 1/2/24 and so on).  Each person may only reserve one permit at a time for up to three starts (people). The maximum group size is 15 people.   

Walk-up permits for 2 “starts” maximum will be sold daily at the King Range Visitor Center (1 permit for up to 2 people will be available each day) during open hours (Mon-Fri 8:00am-4:30pm). Weekend permits will be sold on Fridays.

A Special Recreation Permit (SRP) is required for organized and commercial groups and can be obtained thru the King Range Visitor Center (707) 986-5400.  Examples of organized groups are scouting troops, meet-up groups, classrooms, non-profits, church groups, etc. Commercial groups consist of businesses and universities, such as outfitters, trip guides, university activities club, and shuttle companies. The minimum fee for all organized/commercial groups is $130. Learn more about SRPs here.  No Special Recreation Permits will be issued for Memorial Day, Independence Day, or Labor Day weekends.

If you plan to hike the Lost Coast Trail, you must check tide levels to ensure your dates are passable- PRIOR to purchasing a permit.  On many dates during the year, tide levels make traversing the Lost Coast Trail impossible. See the 'Lost Coast Tide Safety Guide(link is external)' and the 'Lost Coast Tide Safety Video' below.

For additional information and to purchase permits for the King Range Wilderness visit Recreation.gov:  https://www.recreation.gov/permits/72192.

Quick Facts

Congressional Designation(link is external)
Created:  October 21, 1970
Size:  68,000 acres of public land

News

5/18/2024 - The BLM is implementing new fees for recreation sites in the King Range National Conservation Area on the North Coast, and for the Steiner Flat and Ohl Olsen campgrounds managed by the Redding Field Office, to improve access to public lands, enhance public health and safety, and better protect natural resources. Press Release.

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King Range National Conservation Are

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Contact Us

King Range National Conservation Area
PO Box 189
768 Shelter Cove Road
Whitethorn, CA 95589
Phone: 707-986-5400 
Email: BLM_CA_Web_KR@blm.gov

Bureau of Land Management
Arcata Field Office 

1695 Heindon Road 
Arcata, CA 95521-4573 2 
Phone: 707-825-2300
Email: BLM_CA_Arcata_FO_Web@blm.gov