Every Trail Tells a Story
Lost Man Creek
Stroll beside a tumbling creek in one of the park’s less-discovered corners.
Enjoy solitude among redwoods without the big-name grove crowds.
Step into a forest where the “lost man” became legend – and where getting a little lost yourself can feel like a gift.
A lovely tumbling creek, rocky pools, and a lush forest are highlights of Lost Man Creek, one of the park’s less discovered gems. The trail keeps you company with impressive redwoods right from the start, their bark dark and grooved, their crowns out of sight, while the creek provides the constant soundtrack of rushing water and burbling pools.
And about that name: Lost Man Creek was christened for a timber locator who headed up here in the late 1800s and, well, never returned. No one celebrates tragedy, but one can’t help but note the irony – if more timber locators had “lost” their way, more redwoods might still be standing today. The name has stuck, as place names do, and the forest seems to have taken it back for its own, turning “lost” into something hikers might like to find: a little solitude, a little mystery, a chance to lose the world for a while.
While better-known trails draw the crowds, Lost Man Creek offers something quieter and more contemplative. It’s a place to slow down, admire the mossy bridge, and follow a gentle forest path that feels more secret than showpiece.
From Highway 101, 4 miles north of Orick, turn east and follow a gravel road 2 miles to Lost Man Creek Picnic Area.
Slip past a hiker stile, pass the picnic ground, and begin a gentle climb through the forest. A quarter mile out, the path crosses an old bridge over Lost Man Creek. Admire the view up-creek of the handsome watercourse.
Ascend through a mixed forest of redwoods and Douglas fir until the road begins to climb uphill toward a logged area. This is trail’s end for the pretty part of the path and the usual turnaround point.