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Trinidad Head Lighthouse

4.7 (14 reviews)

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Montage of images from Trinidad Head
Ed U.

If you want further proof that Trinidad is a charmer of a spot, come visit Trinidad Head, which is this little hamlet's defining geological feature. Subconsciously it was this odd-looking rock that drew me here since it provides the ideal Instagram moment of a Lost Coast weekender. When I arrived, the beach drew me rIght away, but it was the short, mile-long circular trail that lingered more in my memory. The views of the coastline were particularly nice, especially as I went further up the incline. There were several benches along the way. Although there's no directional signage, when you reach the cross toward the summit, beer toward the narrow trail which looks headed to the ocean. This is the path that gets you back to Trinidad Beach. RELATED - Lost on the Lost Coast? Here's a collection of places I've visited and reviewed: http://bit.ly/2A1YVjy

You can access this trail right from the parking lot behind Seascape restaurant!
Shayla B.

Never made it to the Trinidad Head Lighthouse, but all of the glorious views from the hike up the Trinidad Head trail is enough for me to call this visit a success. This was an impromptu hike that I ended up doing after hanging out at Trinidad State Beach. I kept seeing people walking up this paved trail behind the memorial lighthouse. Being the curious one that I am, I decided to follow behind. The trail starts right behind the Trinidad Memorial Lighthouse (not to be confused with the Trinidad Head Lighthouse) and it's a short but brisk hike up Trinidad Head to the top. There's a beautiful viewpoint right at the beginning of the trail with a few benches that all face the beach. Here, you can also find a trail map with a few blurbs about the lighthouse and its' history. There are two small trails that are only about a mile each in length. Both of them will loop you back to the start of the trailhead, but once you get to the cross, you're supposed to continue straight up the path to get to the lighthouse (if you that's your intention). Unfortunately, I didn't know of this until after I had hiked the loop. But no worries; the loop trail was a beautiful heart pumper that offered some amazing views of the Pacific Ocean and the Northern Coastline. At the start of the trailhead, you can either go left up the paved path, or take a right up a dirt trail. The dirt trail looked to be more scenic and adventurous, so this was the one that I decided to hike. The entire first half is all uphill, but the higher you climb, the more rewarding the views become. You'll come to a few trail makers that say "spur" and these are secluded viewpoint with benches that you can sit on to relax and enjoy the view. There's one part of the trail where if feels like you're walking through a cave because the trees are all rounded off above your head. It's the neatest thing! There are so many different plants and trees on Trinidad Head! Take your time and really enjoy the scenery if you can because it's truly gorgeous. The best view of the loop trail is right before you reach the cross. There's a "spur" where you're basically sitting on the edge of the ridge, and you can see straight down to the ocean. Super scenic and super peaceful! I bet the sunrises sunsets are marvelous up there! I was only able to catch the beginning of the sunset while I was up there, but it was still a breathtaking view. I wish I could have brought a sandwich up there and just chilled. It's the perfect place to relax and to take in all that nature has blessed with us. This was such a great find in Trinidad and I would highly recommend it for the beautiful scenery

View of the beach
Kelsey M.

I'll lead with this: i gave it it four stars because the actual light house is only open one Saturday a month. I kind of wish that I had known that before I hiked to the top of the island, but perhaps I just didn't look at the signs long enough. That being said HOLY CRAP YOU NEED TO GO HERE! There's a nice little hike around the island with really cool tunnels and STUNNING ocean views. I'm literally obsessed with this little place. Don't miss it!

The lighthouse
Leisyka P.

Lighthouse property is open the first Saturday of every month during daylight hours. The lighthouse building is only open from 10 -12 on the first Saturday's of the month. The historic building is opened by very nice and informative volunteers of the Trinidad Museum Society. Not to be confused with the Trinidad Memorial Lighthouse with the red roof in the parking lot, this is the actual working lighthouse on the western tip of Trinidad Head. An opportunity to visit this spectacular location is a treat. It has recently changed ownership from the Coast Guard to the Bureau of Land Management. This public agency is opening it with increased frequency.

Views from the top

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Beautiful place must-see anytime you go by stop take take a break, I see it is a little San Francisco Bay gorgeous

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The lighthouse building is only open from 10 -12 on the first Saturday's of the month.

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Trinidad Memorial - 05.25.25 in January 20, 2018, the lighthouse and fog bell were relocated to the harbor area

Trinidad Memorial

4.8(22 reviews)
0.6 mi

Monument for those buried at sea [Trinidad CA]…read more I wasn't sure if this Yelp page was for the concrete memorial lighthouse (or is it a replica) or of the one off of Edwards Street. Either way both are remembering those who perished at sea. The memorial on Edward's Street is a pyramid shaped marble slab engraved with sea gulls and the words "Lost At Sea," with names listed on the plaques. As more names were added through the years additional plaques were placed along the adjacent cement retaining wall. There were so many names it was sad to see and reminded me of the movie "the Perfect Storm" [2000] with George Clooney and Mark Wahlberg. The movie was based on a true story where the boat of the crew of six was caught in a storm and disappeared with no survivors. In 2012, we saw the memorial in Gloucester, Massachusetts inscribed with the names of those men. So sad. The memorials in Trinidad are free to visit. It looks like the lighthouse has moved a couple of times but it was at the harbor area where we saw the lighthouse and fog bell which served as a permanent location for the monument. Both memorial locations were adorned with wreaths during the Memorial Day weekend. The Axel Lindgren Memorial Trail on Edwards Street was currently not available due to erosion. Review #3777

This memorial that overlooks Trinidad Bay is a few steps down some stairs near the parking lot. It…read moreis a four-sided monument that has plaques with inscribed names of those that were lost or buried at sea. Additional plaques were placed along the adjacent wall as names soon outgrew the smaller monument. There used to be a replica of the 1871 Trinidad Head Lighthouse here. It housed the original Fresnel lens and the bronze fog bell from 1898. But it was moved to Trinidad Rancheria Harbor a few years ago due to erosion. I was moved by the memorial when I passed it on a walk one early morning. Each year on the last Sunday in May, this community gathers to remember the names of the people recorded on the plaques.

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Trinidad Memorial - 05.25.25 anchor at the memorial site

05.25.25 anchor at the memorial site

Trinidad Memorial - 05.25.25 Trinidad Memorial Lighthouse was hoisted atop its new foundation on December 1, 2023

05.25.25 Trinidad Memorial Lighthouse was hoisted atop its new foundation on December 1, 2023

Trinidad Memorial - 05.25.25 remembering on Memorial Day

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05.25.25 remembering on Memorial Day

Trinidad Pier

Trinidad Pier

4.8(5 reviews)
0.4 mi

This is a beautiful modern pier nestled in the relatively calm waters of Trinidad. The "new pier"…read morereplaced the "old pier" several years ago, but the primary purpose remains the same: supporting commercial fishing and crabbing operations seasonally. The last hundred feet or so of the pier is designated only for commercial fishing operators, but the rest of this private pier is open to the public. The environment surrounding this pier is breathtaking, with huge headlands towering above either side of the pier, and a gorgeous view of the rocky coastline down towards Humboldt Bay. I visited this pier twice during Thanksgiving week, fishing and crabbing in the evening with my boys. We caught a few small rockfish and white croaker, and several small crabs that were well below the size limit. Can't wait to come back here.

Taking a short walk on a long pier is better than the other way around - believe you me, especially…read moreif you do it early in the morning after the fishing boats have left. It's California's northernmost oceanfront pier (if that kind of trivia excites you) - and indeed it's eighty miles south of the Oregon border. Just for your reference, the crabbing baskets were decoratively stacked at the end of the pier (photo: http://bit.ly/355OWY8), and the surrounding scenery was near-storybook. I didn't try the Seascape Restaurant at the front of the pier, but the next time I need chowder, I'll be so there. Pretty spot it is indeed. RELATED - Lost on the Lost Coast? Here's a collection of places I've visited and reviewed: http://bit.ly/2A1YVjy

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Trinidad Pier
Trinidad Pier - 05.25.25

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Trinidad Pier - 05.25.25 fishing

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05.25.25 fishing

Redwood  Adventures - Scenic bridge

Redwood Adventures

5.0(11 reviews)
19.7 mi

We had a great e-bike tour with Grant. We went at an ideal pace that mixed the fun/speed of e-bikes…read morewith stops to learn about Redwood history, eco-system and conservation. I felt very safe (a big concern for me) and my kids (12 & 14) were secluded enough from major roads to enjoy the bikes! The scenery on the ride is stunning and is such a fun change-up to exploring the Redwood Forest on a traditional foot-hike. This tour offered an excellent value for the price!

From the first call to book a reservation, the staff was extremely kind and patient. Pearse was…read morevery responsive and helped make the process very easy. Not to mention that we took this tour in the off-season where the temperatures were rather cold. Our guide Eileen was VERY sweet and kind in accomodating my fiance and I. I had plans to propose to my then girlfriend on this tour and she was very happy to help me out. Eileen's knowledge of the area and expertise were perfect in both helping me to find a beautiful spot to propose, as well as to have a fun and educational experience learning about SO many things in that part of the forest. I will certainly be coming back to explore the many other parts of the forest with them in the future (and maybe during a more temperate season). Thank you all for making the experience as perfect as it was!

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Redwood  Adventures - Coral fungus

Coral fungus

Redwood  Adventures - Wild elk in the morning frost

Wild elk in the morning frost

Redwood  Adventures - We like to get as hands on as possible during our adventures!

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We like to get as hands on as possible during our adventures!

Trinidad Head Lighthouse - landmarks - Updated July 2026

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