Gold Bluffs Beach Section of the Coastal Trail

The Gold Bluffs Beach Section is a 4.8-mile, one-way walk from the signed access on Coastal Drive near Carruthers Cove to Davison Road. It drops steeply from the bluff to the beach, follows the coast, then turns inland through prairie beside the Gold Bluffs. This is a half-day route, not a loop. The published distance is 4.8 miles; the connected mapped line between those access points measures about 5.5 miles, so allow extra time. Plan a pickup at the far end or turn around for a much longer walk back.

The opening descent follows an old roadbed through Sitka spruce and alder. The coast stays hidden for much of the way, then the path drops across driftwood onto sand at Carruthers Cove. Here the bluffs rise close above the beach and a large rock outcrop marks the cove. The steep drop is the hardest part in either direction; returning to Coastal Drive means climbing it.

South of the cove, the route crosses a broad stretch of sand with sea stacks and the dark, wave-worn rocks around Ossagon Creek. Watch the tide before committing to the beach: constrictions between the water and rocks can make a passage difficult or impassable. Near Ossagon Creek the route leaves the shore for the coastal tread, crossing open prairie and alder at the foot of the bluffs. A short spur reaches Gold Dust Falls, a fern-lined grotto in the woods. The Gold Bluffs were a site of nineteenth-century gold mining. Elk use the coastal meadows, and seabirds gather on offshore rocks.

Sections of the inland meadow tread have been reported flooded, muddy and hard to follow, especially in the wet season. Check that the through route is passable before arranging a one-way vehicle shuttle. There are no services at the north access, so bring what you need for the walk. Fern Canyon is a separate short walk from the Davison Road area, not part of this mapped section; check its separate vehicle access rules if adding it. Pets are not allowed on park trails.