Lost Man Creek Picnic Area

Lost Man Creek Picnic Area is a day-use picnic site just off Highway 101 north of Orick, at the trailhead for the creek’s hike-and-bike route. It’s a useful stop for lunch and an easy first look at the redwoods; the site has picnic tables, auto parking and a vault/composting toilet. No food or drinking-water service is listed, so bring what you need.

The first mile follows a fork of Lost Man Creek at a gentle grade and crosses several salmon-friendly bridges. You can keep the walk short or continue into the longer route; it eventually climbs through second-growth forest toward Holter Ridge. Cell coverage is very limited, so bring a paper map instead of relying on online directions. Pets aren’t allowed on park trails.

Much of this area was clearcut in the 1960s, and the trail follows an old logging road. Several salmon-friendly bridges installed in the 1990s help streams recover from decades of logging debris. An interpretive sign east of the trailhead marks the spot tied to Redwood National Park’s 1980 World Heritage designation. Cyclists can make a 22-mile loop back here; turning around at Bald Hills Road avoids the Highway 101 portion.