This coastal area is one of the least accessible stretches of coastline in California. The King Range comes to an abrupt end at the edge of the sea, forming a giant well of rock, the likes of which are found at few other places on Earth. The highest point in the King Range is 4,087 feet and less than 3 miles inland. In many places, there is no beach at all, just sheer cliffs nearly straight down. At others are narrow strips of black sand beaches at the foot of the cliffs.

This rugged terrain forced the builders of Highway 1 to go inland around the King Range. With this obstacle to transportation, mostd settlements, businesses, and now tourists have bypassed the area, hence the "Lost Coast" is only lost from the encroachment of modern civilization.

In fact, the area has been continuously inhabited for over 2500 years. First by the Sinyone and Mattole Indians who left evidence of their presence in the form of shell mounds, called "middens", scattered along he beach.

White settlers came into the area about 1850 and brought livestock to take advantage of the abundant grazing land. This was the cornerstone of the local economy for nearly 100 years.

Planning for the conservation of the King Range was started as early as 1929. Introduced in Congress in 1962, it became law in 1970 by the establishment of the King Range National Conservation Area. This will insure the King Range is preserved for generations to come, and that the "Loast Coast" remains lost.

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