Coastal Trail: Flint Ridge Section

The Flint Ridge Section is a 4.5-mile, one-way point-to-point crossing from the Alder Camp Road trailhead near Old Douglas Memorial Bridge to Coastal Drive. The connected mapped trail measures about 4.2 miles, so plan around the longer posted distance. Allow about three hours one way and arrange a shuttle; walking back nearly doubles the trip. The route starts at a pond, climbs through upland redwoods, crosses the ridge and descends to the coast. It is a forest hike with occasional views, not an open coastal overlook walk.

From the east access, the trail drops through red alder and spruce to Marshall Pond, then skirts its north shore. It briefly follows dirt roads before turning uphill. The pond held logs for a nearby mill during the logging era; ducks use the water, and blackberries can ripen in early September. There is little flat ground and no picnic table here.

Above the pond, repeated steep switchbacks climb through small hardwoods and a narrow band of logged redwoods before reaching full old growth. The strongest stand is around the middle of the climb: large trunks, ferns, sorrel and salal crowd the slope. This is the strenuous part, and the grade keeps making you work.

Near two miles, the trail gains the ridge, where a glimpse into the Klamath River canyon is possible. It rolls over another high point around three and three-quarter miles, then descends through smaller redwoods, alder, spruce and dense huckleberry. The shrubs block much of the latter-half view, so treat ocean vistas as occasional rather than guaranteed. Highway 101 can hum through the forest; nearer the coast, surf may take over. The trail ends at Coastal Drive. Avoid the unofficial beach path there: it becomes steep and overgrown.

The Klamath redwoods were heavily logged before the government could buy and protect them; Flint Ridge holds onto an upland remnant. The Flint Ridge Camp spur is a separate overnight destination near the west end, not a day-use service stop. A permit is required to stay there, and there is no reliable water nearby.

If you do not have a shuttle, walk about two miles from the east trailhead and turn back where the ridge route starts descending. That is about four miles round trip and still strenuous on the return. Pets are not allowed, except service animals; bring all the water you need.