Jun 19, 2017 — King Peak is best accessed via the Lightning Trail. This is a much longer out-and-back hike that uses the Saddle Mountain Trail that follows an old forest road for its majority. It's therefore a fairly boring forest with limited views of the surrounding ocean and mountains. Eventually though, the road abruptly turns into single-track and the hike becomes a bit more enjoyable. The sandy trail brings you out of the forest and into shrubby terrain where you can see great views of the Lost Coast and the other peaks of the King Range. The trail section of the hike is delightful and mostly makes up for the long road walk.
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