BLM Fleener Creek Trailhead in the Lost Coast Headlands closed indefinitely

FERNDALE, Calif.  – The Bureau of Land Management has closed the Fleener Creek Trailhead in the Lost Coast Headlands area west of Ferndale indefinitely while options for repairing or relocating the landslide-damaged site are explored.

Much of the Fleener Creek Trail and the parking area fell into the Pacific Ocean in a Feb. 24 landslide, and slide activity is continuing. The BLM had closed the trailhead about a month earlier when a smaller slide damaged the trail. The agency urges people to stay away from the area for their own safety.

“We encourage anyone visiting the coast to stay well away from the ledges on coastal bluffs,” said Jennifer Wheeler, assistant field manager of the BLM Arcata Field Office. “Season-long rains and saturated soils have made many areas unstable and land beneath your feet can collapse without warning.”

Those who want to enjoy hiking in the Lost Coast Headlands area can park at the main day use area just south of Centerville Beach, where an interpretive trail provides outstanding vistas of the Pacific.

The Lost Coast Headlands public lands, part of the California Coastal National Monument, provides over 400 acres of rolling hills, grasslands and patches of coastal forest. Visitors enjoy hiking, birdwatching and wildflower viewing.