The drive to high buff look out is kind of scary. It’s a 2.5 miles loop on a narrow road with steep grades and sharp curves, and last part to high buff overlook is one way only, but once you made it, it’s totally worth it. You see a panoramic views of the Pacific Ocean and Klamath River opening to the Pacific ocean, misty fogs on the surface at the river opening. My nose start running cuz It was so cold. but It’s so beautiful! On our way out, we saw a haunted farm house(it looks like it! it has scary old canning pickles jars line up on the glass windows).Only to find out later that it was a World War II radar station in disguised. We also saw the flood memorial from 1964. It’s so sad, but It’s nice to see that how history were preserved.
Kelly B.
Rating des Ortes: 5 Orange County, CA
So it was a drizzly, foggy summer morning when we went but it was still gorgeous. This is where the Klamath River empties northwestern California into the Pacific Ocean. It is a short drive from the Trees of Mystery.
Dawn C.
Rating des Ortes: 4 Silver Spring, MD
Redwood National Park rivals Glacier for me. Well, the Northern California/Southern Oregon part anyway. Klamath Overlook is not part of the formal park, but it’s definitely a must-stop on any trip to this region, just two and-a-half miles off 101 on Requa Rd. By the way, are you staying at the Old Requa Inn? You should. The times we’ve stopped, we’ve been the only ones except for the whales. My favorite part is seeing the Klamath meet the Pacific. It it a truly inspiring part of the west coast.
Shirley N.
Rating des Ortes: 5 San Francisco, CA
First of all, woo hoo!!! Strong AT&T cell signal up here. We drive up here while on our annual camping trip. Check the weather first. On a foggy cloudy day, you won’t be able to see anything once at the top. On a clear sunny day you can get a sweeping view of the mouth of the Klamath River and of the Pacific Ocean. It’s breathtaking. This time we spotted a couple of whales near the mouth. Sometimes sea lions too. It helps to have binoculars but not necessary. There’s a hiking trail you can take down to get a better view. Allow about a half hour down and much shorter time to climb back up. A few picnic tables and public restrooms.(no, not outhouses, but actual restrooms).
Rick C.
Rating des Ortes: 5 Houston, TX
Park ranger told us of whale sitings… but alas no luck for us today… mother nature still deserves 5 stars…
Cherie C.
Rating des Ortes: 5 Denver, CO
What an amazing view. The drive is a bit scary, but there’s a great payoff. See the Klamath River meet the Pacific Ocean. Bring binoculars in the winter and go whale watching. If you enjoy birding, this is a good spot too. Bring a sweater because it can get chilly. And beware of the wind, which can be brutal at times. There are two trails from the overlook. The aptly named Klamath Overlook Trail is ½ mile down to a lower vista point. Remember, though, that to get back you have to hike ½ mile uphill. The second trail is a section of the coastal trail. It’s at least four miles to the lagoon creek parking area. The trail is not for beginners, but it’s a nice hike north along the coast. You’ll have to hike through tidepools, so check the tide timetables so you can be sure you can pass through. There are wildflowers in the spring, and in fall there are tons of wild blackberries lining the trail, plus caterpillars and butterflies. In all, it’s about 5 ½ miles of gorgeous coastal trail. There are goats who live in a nearby home who often hang out in the road. And there are bears. We saw another hiker who had just seen a bear on a recent hike. We cut our hike short when we found fresh bear scat on the trail. But I’ll be back for more – it’s one of the most beautiful coastal hikes I’ve taken.
Janet D.
Rating des Ortes: 5 Denver, CO
To get there, take the Requa Rd. off 101 north and drive 2−½ . It’s a magnificent view that awaits you once you get to this overlook. There was a group of Whale Watchers the day we were here. This is the place to see the big creatures with your binoculars. Unfortunately they did not materialize that day. The trail head to the hike down was to the left of the overlook as you drive in. On the walk down you will see wild daisies. A perfect view of the Pacific Ocean is a great gift from this view. Wind blowing and very narrow trail I suspect would be a difficult combo for some. Wear layers and comfortable shoes. Hiking shoes not nescessary. It’s a short ½ mile very easy trek and some areas are wet and muddy when we were up there. There is a bathroom by the parking lot and it takes at least 30 minutes to get to this place from Trinidad City where we came from.
