How to Get a Wheeler Permit
A hike-in camp at Jackass Creek where the Hotel Gulch trail from Usal Beach ends at the Lost Coast Trail — no road reaches it.
Check Wheeler permit availability$5 per person per night (pay at Jones Beach gate or Needle Rock)
Permit Cost
strenuous
Difficulty
About Wheeler
Wheeler Camp is a hike-in environmental camp at Jackass Creek, on the roadless section of the Lost Coast Trail between Usal Beach and Bear Harbor. Environmental camps do not offer drive-in access; the two primitive camps, Usal Beach and Needle Rock, are the only drive-in options in the park. Two routes reach it. The Lost Coast Trail runs 22 miles within Sinkyone and remains a foot trail from Usal Beach Campground until it reaches Bear Harbor. Separately, the former Hotel Gulch Road extends from Usal Beach Campground to the Wheeler campsite at Jackass Creek, ending at the intersection with the Lost Coast Trail; it is also available for horses. The park's 2006 general plan records four sites at Wheeler, and notes that environmental campsites along the Lost Coast Trail are equipped with a fire ring and vault toilets nearby. No current visitor publication breaks the park's inventory out by camp. The agency's warning about this trail is explicit: though beautiful, this trail is rugged, strenuous, and not recommended for beginner backpackers or hikers. There is no potable water in the park and you haul out your own trash.
Wheeler sits on the roadless section of the Lost Coast Trail inside Sinkyone, between Usal Beach and Bear Harbor. The park describes that trail as rugged, strenuous, and not recommended for beginner backpackers or hikers, and Wheeler is where you find out whether it meant it.
The Experience
A former mill town site where the forest has taken everything back. Steep ground down to the creek, Douglas fir above, and the ocean audible below.
Wheeler Camp, Little Jackass Creek Camp and Anderson Gulch Camp are environmental camps located along the Lost Coast Trail, between Usal Beach and Bear Harbor. Environmental camps do not offer drive-in access.
There is a second way in. The second longest hiking trail in the park is the former Hotel Gulch Road, which extends from the southern end of the park at Usal Beach Campground to the Wheeler campsite at Jackass Creek where the trail ends at the intersection with the Lost Coast Trail. The Hotel Gulch trail is also available for horses from Usal Beach Campground to Wheeler, and the 2024 park map shows both the environmental and horse-camp symbols at Wheeler.
The park's 2006 general plan — the only agency source with per-camp counts — records four sites at Wheeler and notes that environmental campsites along the Lost Coast Trail are equipped with a fire ring and vault toilets nearby.
What to Expect
A genuinely roadless camp on the Lost Coast Trail
A fire ring and vault toilets nearby, per the park's general plan
$5 per person per night, paid at Jones Beach gate, Needle Rock, or by mail
No potable water anywhere in the park
Horse access via the Hotel Gulch trail from Usal Beach
A trail the agency calls rugged, strenuous and not for beginners
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Permit Requirements
Environmental camps and horse camps cost $5 per person per night, payable at Jones Beach gate or Needle Rock, or by mail.
Except for service animals, dogs are not allowed on trails.
Store food and any scented items in a bear canister when camping; items may also be stored in a locked car.
Haul out your own trash — there is no trash service in the park.
Day use areas open sunrise to sunset.
No trails in this park are Americans with Disabilities Act-accessible.
Because the Lost Coast Trail crosses land managed by both BLM and California State Parks, regulations for trail use and camping differ between them.
Gear & Preparation
Required Gear
- •All your drinking water, or a filter and a plan for creek sources — the park has no potable water
- •A bear canister for food and scented items
- •Full trash carry-out capacity
- •Boots for steep, rugged trail
- •Warm, waterproof layers for a fog-bound coast
Recommended Gear
- •A tide table, since shoreline sections of this coast are tide-dependent
- •Trekking poles for steep descents to creek crossings
- •A satellite messenger — cellphone connectivity is limited and help may take hours
- •Feed for horses, if riding in via Hotel Gulch
- •An itinerary left with someone at home
Hazards & Safety
The Lost Coast Trail here is rugged, strenuous, and not recommended for beginner backpackers or hikers.
Sinkyone Wilderness SP is one of the most remote parks in California. In an emergency situation, help may not arrive for hours.
Hiking on the shoreline can be dangerous, and cellphone connectivity is limited.
The cold waters off the rugged North Coast are unpredictable and can be deadly, even for experts.
There is no potable water in the park.
Black bears — a bear canister is required for food and scented items.
Access roads at both ends are seasonal and can be impassable in wet weather.
Best Time to Visit
Summer and early autumn, when both access roads are open and the trail is driest. Usal Road and Briceland Thorn Road are both closed in winter.
100+ wilderness permits, extensive backcountry experience
This guide is based on personal experience obtaining wilderness permits and is regularly updated to reflect current policies and strategies.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a permit for Wheeler?
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Yes, a permit is required. Walk-up permits are available at the trailhead or visitor center, but arrive early as they may be limited.
When is the best time to visit Wheeler?
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Summer and early autumn, when both access roads are open and the trail is driest. Usal Road and Briceland Thorn Road are both closed in winter.
How difficult is Wheeler?
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Experienced backpackers walking the Sinkyone section of the Lost Coast Trail, and riders using the Hotel Gulch trail from Usal Beach.
What gear do I need for Wheeler?
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Essential gear includes: All your drinking water, or a filter and a plan for creek sources — the park has no potable water, A bear canister for food and scented items, Full trash carry-out capacity, Boots for steep, rugged trail, Warm, waterproof layers for a fog-bound coast.
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Cancellations happen every day. PermitSnag monitors Wheeler availability 24/7 and alerts you the moment a spot opens up.
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