Walk-Up6/10
Sinkyone Little Jackass Creek Camp permit
Hike-in environmental camp on the Lost Coast Trail. Pay on site, no reservations...
Walk-UpOvernightModerate Demand
Wheeler Camp Permit
Sinkyone Wilderness State Park
Hike-in environmental camp on the Lost Coast Trail. Pay on site, no reservations.
“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.”
How to get Wheeler
Wheeler is issued by the agency rather than through a booking calendar. Their page has the current process and any dates.
Official permit pagePlanning another trip? See the permits we watch.
How to get Wheeler
Wheeler is issued by the agency rather than through a booking calendar. Their page has the current process and any dates.
Official permit pagePlanning another trip? See the permits we watch.
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Wheeler Quick Facts
Permit RequiredYes
Booking MethodWalk-Up
Demand LevelModerate6/10
Cost$5 per person per night (pay at Jones Beach gate or Needle Rock)
This permit is not bookable online
You get this permit in person at the trailhead or ranger station, or by phone. There is no online reservation to race for, so availability alerts do not apply. We still track key dates and season info for your trip.
Official permit page →Key Information
Permit Details
TypeOvernight
Booking MethodWalk-Up
Demand Level6/10
LocationLost Coast, CA
What to Expect
Route Details
Route Type
Point to Point
Difficulty
StrenuousHighlights
- •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
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.
Hazards & Considerations
- !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.
Weather Forecast
Trailhead (5,000 ft)
Today
☁️
65°
57°
Sun
☀️
65°
55°
Mon
☀️
76°
56°
Tue
🌫️
72°
56°
Wed
🌫️
70°
58°
Thu
🌫️
70°
60°
Fri
🌫️
70°
56°
View full NWS forecast →Mountain weather changes rapidly. This forecast is a guide—always be prepared for worse conditions.
How to Get This Permit
1
Check the agency page for the process
This permit is not sold online. Confirm where and when it is issued — and any fee — at California State Parks before your trip.
2
Arrive early
Walk-up permits are issued first-come, first-served, and quotas can fill early on weekends and holidays.
3
Have backup plans
Popular trailheads may be full. Know alternative routes or dates in case your first choice is unavailable.
Learn More
Difficulty Assessment
Physical Demand4/5
Fitness and endurance required
Technical Skill2/5
Climbing, scrambling, or specialized skills
Exposure Risk4/5
Steep dropoffs and fall potential
Navigation3/5
Route finding and trail clarity
Commitment5/5
Difficulty of bailing out mid-route
Best For
Experienced backpackers walking the Sinkyone section of the Lost Coast Trail, and riders using the Hotel Gulch trail from Usal Beach.
Recommended Experience
Multi-day backcountry experience on steep, rough trail with no resupply, no potable water and no reliable communications.
Not Recommended For
Beginner backpackers — the agency says so directly. Anyone without a bear canister, anyone relying on a phone, and anyone who cannot carry or treat all their water.
About This Permit
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.
The Experience
Why It Matters
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 Route
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.
The Feeling
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.
Trailhead Information
Usal Beach Campground
The southern trailhead for both the Lost Coast Trail and the Hotel Gulch trail to Wheeler. The trail remains a foot trail until it reaches Bear Harbor.
Restrooms
No water
Parking
No fees at Usal Beach. Camping fees for environmental camps are $5 per person per night, payable at Jones Beach gate or Needle Rock, or by mail. Large trailers and RVs are not recommended.
Getting There
Approximately one hour north of Ft Bragg on PCH or 15 miles west of Leggett; look for mile marker 90.88, then turn north for approximately 6 miles onto unpaved, steep, narrow road. Usal Road is closed in winter.
Nearest Services
Leggett or Fort Bragg.
Needle Rock Visitor Center (northern access)
The northern approach via Bear Harbor, where the trail resumes as a foot path south.
Restrooms
No water
Parking
Day-use parking $8 per vehicle per day. Fees payable here or at Jones Beach gate.
Getting There
36 miles southwest of Garberville or Redway on Briceland Road; the last 3.5 miles are unpaved, steep and narrow, and the road is closed in winter.
Nearest Services
Garberville or Redway.
Rules & Regulations
- •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 Checklist
Required
- 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
- 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
Plan Your Trip
🎒
Gear Checklist
Required and recommended gear for Wheeler
🚐
Shuttle Services
Trailhead transportation options
Browse all shuttles🧭
Guide Services
Experienced wilderness guides
Browse all guidesSome links may be affiliate links. Purchases support PermitSnag at no extra cost to you.
Key Landmarks
Usal Beach Campground
The southern trailhead, and the start of both the Lost Coast Trail and the Hotel Gulch trail.
Wheeler Camp
At Jackass Creek, where the Hotel Gulch trail ends at its intersection with the Lost Coast Trail.
Little Jackass Creek Camp
A neighboring environmental camp along the Lost Coast Trail; its beach is a haul-out site for migrating California sea lions.
Bear Harbor
The northern end of the roadless trail section and the largest, most protected cove in the park.
Safety & Planning
🚨
Emergency Info
Emergency contacts, ranger station locations, and satellite communicator tips for Wheeler.
🐻
Food Storage
Bear canister requirements, approved container lists, and rental locations for this permit.
Wheeler FAQ
How do I get a Wheeler permit?
Wheeler is not sold online. It is issued in person or by phone, so there is no reservation to book and no cancellation to catch. PermitSnag does not send alerts for it — check the official permit page for the current process.
When is the best time to visit Wheeler?
Check with the managing agency for current season dates. Weekdays generally have better availability than weekends.
How competitive is the Wheeler permit?
This permit has a demand score of 6/10, making it moderately competitive.
What if I can't get a Wheeler permit?
On this permit there is no cancellation queue and no alert to set, because nothing is re-released onto a calendar we could watch. Bring backup dates, and check the official permit page for the current process and any closures.
👥Community
Trail Conditions
No active conditions reported
Sign in to report trail conditions.
Questions
No questions yet
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Trip Reports
Write ReportPhotography Guide
Golden Hour
The bluffs above Jackass Creek at sunset, where the trail opens out of the forest.
Best Light
Late summer and early autumn.
Beat the Crowds
No road reaches Wheeler. The park's own description of the trail as rugged, strenuous and not for beginners does the rest.
Classic Shots
- 📍The Lost Coast Trail dropping through Douglas fir toward the creek
- 📍Sea lions hauled out on the beach at Jackass Creek
- 📍The steep, forested descent that defines this section
- 📍Fog pouring over the ridge above camp
- 📍The trail junction where Hotel Gulch meets the Lost Coast Trail
Can't Get a Wheeler Permit?
Consider these alternatives if your preferred dates aren't available.
Little Jackass Creek Camp
Same AreaThe next environmental camp north along the Lost Coast Trail, whose beach is a haul-out site for migrating California sea lions.
No permit needed
Tradeoffs
Equally remote and equally roadless, with better wildlife. No horse access.
Bear Harbor Camp
Same AreaThe northern end of the roadless section, on the largest and most protected cove in the park.
No permit needed
Tradeoffs
Reachable by Briceland Road except in the rainy season, which makes it far easier to get to.
Usal Beach Camp
Easier AlternativeThirty drive-in campsites on a black sand beach at the trail's southern terminus, currently free.
No permit needed
Tradeoffs
Drive-in and free, and the staging point for the walk to Wheeler. But it sees the most use in the park.
🏕️
Where to Stay
Nearby campgrounds to complete your Wheeler trip
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