I thought the 'no campfires' rule on the Lost Coast Trail was overkill

I did the 25 mile stretch last fall and figured a small fire on the beach would be fine. A ranger at the Mattole River trailhead told me the wood is needed for bugs and birds, not just fire risk. After three days seeing how little driftwood there was, I got it. Has anyone else changed their mind on a trail rule after seeing the place?

3 comments

3 Comments

henry4921mo ago

Oh, I read a study about driftwood ecosystems once.

simonh781mo ago

Honestly, I still think a tiny, careful fire is okay in some spots. I get the driftwood thing, but on a cold night it can be a real morale boost. Some of my best trail memories are from sharing stories by a small fire. The blanket ban feels like they don't trust people to use common sense.

vera_lewis1mo ago

Yeah, I get where you're coming from, @simonh78. A small, safe fire on a beach does feel like a special part of camping (and you're right about the cold nights). But I guess the problem is, for every ten people who are careful, there's one who isn't, and that's all it takes to start a real problem, you know?