Crescent City dunes, California

trip report by site editor Rick McCharles

I had been on my way to the Oregon Dunes, a hiking destination recommended by Lonely Planet Hiking USA. (It should be added to our best hikes list.)

But the rain was pounding down when I drove through Oregon. Instead I rolled on down the Redwood Highway into northern California, staying one night in the rather forgettable town of Crescent City.

Next morning when the rain stopped, I was pleased to discover several nearby hikes strongly recommended by Moon Hiking California, one of them coastal “dunes”.

This is the Lake Earl Wildlife Area.

Also called Pelican Bay Sand Dunes, Kellogg Beach, Fort Dick Beach, … and likely some other names. By whatever name, I sincerely enjoyed a morning walk there, all by my lonesome.

Listed at 2.5mi in my guidebook, in reality you hike from one of several parking lots to the beach wandering for as long as you like.

It felt like Oregon, even though I was something like 11mi south of the State line.

See all my photos from that day hike.