Overview

The Concept

The dream of a trail along the entire length of the California coastline has been around for a long time. The need for more access to this beautiful shoreline is apparent. Just as the Sierra Nevada beckoned to those who love and use the mountains to create the Pacific Crest Trail, the thin band of land and sea at the Pacific shore, loved by many for its bountiful but fragile natural treasures and spectacular scenery, beckons those who love it to create the California Coastal Trail.

Creating any trail can be a daunting task, but the Coastal Trail poses its own particular set of difficulties. It is confined to a narrow corridor of land, the topography is difficult in places and natural features such as rivers block the path. Even more difficult are the issues of private ownership, conflicting governmental jurisdictions, and the many zoning laws involved. In order to complete the trail, everyone from homeowners to state and federal agencies must be dealt with. Fortunately, we have a strong foundation from which to begin.  We are further encouraged because in this year, 2002, a final push to plan and complete the Coastal Trail has begun: The Coastal Trail Project.

Points of Historic Interest along the California Coastal Trail by Lucy Kortum

• Del Norte County
• Humboldt County
• Mendocino County
• Sonoma County
• Marin County
• San Francisco County
• San Mateo County
• Santa Cruz County
• Monterey County
• San Luis Obispo County
• Santa Barbara County
• Ventura County
• Los Angeles County
• Orange County
• San Diego County