Hike-in environmental camp on the Lost Coast Trail. Pay on site, no reservations.
“An environmental camp a short walk from the Needle Rock Visitor Center, at the quiet north end of Sinkyone Wilderness.”
Plan your Sinkyone Wilderness State Park trip here, then get your permit from the agency.
Walk-up permit
How to get Streamside
Streamside is issued by the agency rather than through a booking calendar. Their page has the current process and any dates.
Official permit pagePlanning another trip? See the permits we alert on.
How to get a Streamside permit
No reservation. You get the permit when you arrive.
Arrive at Needle Rock Visitor Center (Briceland Road)
Fill in the permit and pay
See the fees below.
Head out
Sinkyone trailheads and fees
- Needle Rock Visitor Center (Briceland Road)
Sinkyone trailhead in full
Primary
Needle Rock Visitor Center (Briceland Road)The access, registration and fee point, a short walk from Streamside Camp.
- Restrooms
- No water
Parking
Day-use parking $8 per vehicle per day for Needle Rock and Jones Beach. Camping fees $5 per person per night, payable at Jones Beach gate or Needle Rock, or by mail. Several parking places are available at the visitor center.
Getting there
36 miles southwest of Garberville or Redway on Briceland Road, becoming Mendocino County Road 435; the last 3.5 miles are unpaved, steep and narrow. Closed in winter and impassable in wet weather.
Nearest services
Garberville or Redway, 36 miles away.
- Type
- Overnight
- Location
- Lost Coast, CA
How this permit is issued
Get this permit in person at the trailhead or ranger station, or by phone.
Official permit page →Step 1: Check the agency page for the process
This permit is not sold online. Confirm where and when it is issued (and any fee) at California State Parks before your trip.
Step 2: Arrive early
Walk-up permits are issued first-come, first-served. Where the agency sets a daily quota, popular trailheads can run out on weekends and holidays.
Step 3: Have backup plans
Popular trailheads fill fast. Know alternate routes or dates.
More on Streamside: Live availability activity
How much a Streamside permit costs
Streamside permit fee: $5 per person per night (pay at Jones Beach gate or Needle Rock).
The Streamside hike
- Route Type
- Out & Back
- Difficulty
- Easy
Streamside landmarks
- 1Needle Rock Visitor Center
The 1920s Stewart family home, now the visitor center with year-round camp hosts.
- 2Streamside Camp
An environmental camp easily accessible from the Needle Rock House parking area.
- 3Needle Rock
A prominent sea stack with an ocean-carved arch visible from great distances.
- 4Needle Rock Barn
A refurbished barn that shelters Lost Coast Trail thru-hikers, $30 per night for up to eight people.
An environmental camp a short walk from the Needle Rock Visitor Center, at the quiet north end of Sinkyone Wilderness.
About this permit
Streamside Camp is an environmental camp at the northern end of Sinkyone Wilderness State Park, grouped by the park's 2006 general plan with Jones Beach and Needle Rock as the camps easily accessible from the parking area at Needle Rock House. That document, the only agency source publishing per-camp counts, records three sites at Streamside.
The park offers eight environmental camps, two horse camps, and two primitive camps. Primitive camps offer drive-in access, while environmental camps do not. Environmental camps and horse camps cost $5 per person per night, payable at Jones Beach gate or Needle Rock, or by mail via check to the California Department of Parks and Recreation. There is no ReserveCalifornia booking for any Sinkyone camp.
The park's own framing is worth reading before you go: some aspects of the Sinkyone keep crowds away. Its trails are steep and its campgrounds are primitive, there is no potable water, and you have to haul out your own trash. When wet, the park's twisting dirt roads are impassable for passenger cars.
The route
Streamside Camp is one of Sinkyone's eight environmental camps, which do not offer drive-in access. The park's 2006 Preliminary General Plan places it with Jones Beach Camp and Needle Rock Camp as environmental camps easily accessible from the parking area at Needle Rock House, and records three sites here.
The Needle Rock Visitor Center is the hub of this end of the park. It was the home of the Calvin Cooper Stewart family that settled at Needle Rock, a small settlement established in the 1920s as a shipping point and dairy operation, and now serves as the visitor center with year-round camp hosts and interpretive materials. The barn several hundred yards away serves as a campsite with protective walls and a roof.
Environmental camps cost $5 per person per night, payable at Jones Beach gate or Needle Rock, or by mail.
Why it matters
Streamside is one of the three camps the park groups as easily accessible from the parking area at Needle Rock House, which makes it the gentlest introduction to Sinkyone, a park whose own literature warns that help may not arrive for hours.
Streamside hike highlights
- An environmental camp with no drive-in access, a short walk from the visitor center
- $5 per person per night, paid on site or by mail
- No potable water anywhere in the park
- Vault toilets in developed use areas
- Year-round camp hosts at the nearby Needle Rock Visitor Center
- Briceland Road closed in winter
How hard the Streamside hike is
- Physical DemandFitness and endurance required2/5
- Technical SkillClimbing, scrambling, or specialized skills2/5
- Exposure RiskSteep dropoffs and fall potential3/5
- NavigationRoute finding and trail clarity2/5
- CommitmentDifficulty of bailing out mid-route4/5
Best for: First-time Sinkyone visitors who want the Lost Coast without committing to a long trail day. The camp is a short walk from the visitor center and its camp hosts.
Recommended experience: Self-sufficiency. The walk is short; the remoteness is not negotiable.
Not recommended for: Anyone in a low-clearance vehicle in wet weather, anyone needing drinking water or trash service, and anyone who cannot be hours from help.
When to hike Streamside
Best time to visit
Summer and early autumn, when Briceland Road is open and dry. Winter closes the road entirely and the rainy season makes it impassable for passenger cars.
Weather Forecast
Trailhead (5,000 ft)
Backcountry Tips
- Today: Wind gusts to 42mph. Secure tent, avoid exposed ridges.
- Windy conditions: Bring wind-resistant shelter if camping.
Today
87°
64°
Wed
87°
70°
Thu
79°
64°
Fri
79°
63°
Sat
79°
66°
Sun
79°
66°
Mon
79°
65°
Streamside photography guide
Golden Hour
Sunset from the bluffs near Needle Rock, with the arch to the north.
Best Light
Morning, before the fog burns off the coastal prairie where the elk graze.
Beat the Crowds
The whole park is quiet. Briceland Road's last 3.5 miles keep numbers down and the road closes entirely in winter.
Classic Shots
- Needle Rock's arch from the bluff
- Roosevelt elk on the prairies
- The Needle Rock Visitor Center and barn
- Fog against Douglas fir slopes above camp
Streamside rules, gear and safety
Gear checklist
Required- All your drinking water: there is no potable water in the park
- A bear canister for food and scented items
- Full trash carry-out capacity
- Warm, waterproof layers for coastal fog
- Extra food and supplies in case you are stranded
Recommended gear
- Cash or a check for the per-person fee
- A paper map and an itinerary left at home
- High-clearance vehicle for the last 3.5 miles of Briceland Road
- A satellite messenger, since cellphone connectivity is limited
- Binoculars for the Roosevelt elk herd
Rules & regulations
- 01Environmental camps and horse camps cost $5 per person per night, payable at Jones Beach gate or Needle Rock, or by mail.
- 02Except for service animals, dogs are not allowed on trails.
- 03Store food and any scented items in a bear canister when camping; items may also be stored in a locked car.
- 04Haul out your own trash. There is no trash service in the park.
- 05Due to rough driving conditions, large trailers and RVs are not recommended.
- 06Day use areas open sunrise to sunset; day-use parking is $8 per vehicle per day.
- 07No trails in this park are Americans with Disabilities Act-accessible.
Hazards & considerations
- Sinkyone Wilderness SP is one of the most remote parks in California. In an emergency situation, help may not arrive for hours.
- Hiking on the shoreline can be dangerous, and cellphone connectivity is limited.
- The cold waters off the rugged North Coast are unpredictable and can be deadly.
- There is no potable water in the park.
- When wet, the park's twisting dirt roads are impassable for passenger cars.
- Briceland Thorn Road is closed in winter.
- Black bears: a bear canister or locked car is required.
Safety & planning
Emergency Info
Emergency contacts, ranger station locations, and satellite communicator tips for Streamside.
Food Storage
Bear canister requirements, approved container lists, and rental locations for this permit.
Gear Checklist: Required and recommended gear for Streamside · Shuttle Services: Trailhead transportation options · Guide Services: Experienced wilderness guides
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Streamside FAQ
How do I get a Streamside permit?
Streamside is issued directly by the agency. It is issued in person or by phone, so there is no reservation to book and no cancellation to catch. Bring backup dates and check their page for the current process.
When is the best time to visit Streamside?
Season dates are on the agency's page. Weekdays have better availability than weekends.
How competitive is the Streamside permit?
This permit has a demand score of 6/10, making it moderately competitive.
What if I can't get a Streamside permit?
The agency awards this permit directly. Bring backup dates and check the official page for the current process and any closures.
Streamside trail conditions and trip reports
Trail Conditions
No active conditions reported
Sign in to report trail conditions.
Questions
No questions yet
Be the first to ask about Streamside.
Trip Reports
Write ReportAlternatives to a Streamside permit
- Same AreaNo permit needed
Jones Beach Camp
The other environmental camp easily accessible from the Needle Rock House parking area, above a beach the park says is not accessible by road.
Tradeoffs
A beach setting rather than a creek, and a fee-collection point. Slightly more walking.
- Same AreaNo permit needed
Orchard Camp
An environmental camp 2.7 miles south of Needle Rock along Briceland Road, with about five parking places nearby.
Tradeoffs
Further into the park along a road open only in summer when conditions allow.
- Easier AlternativeNo permit needed
Pomo Canyon Environmental Campground
Twenty-one first-come walk-in sites in second-growth redwood above the Sonoma Coast.
Tradeoffs
Porta-potties and 21 first-come sites within a quarter mile of the parking lot. But it is a far tamer coastline, well to the south.
Where to stay near Streamside
- Richardson Grove Sp Madrone Campground (sites 37-76)Richardson Grove SP
- Richardson Grove Sp Madrone Cabin Area campgroundRichardson Grove SP
- Richardson Grove Sp Huckleberry Campground (sites 1-36)Richardson Grove SP
- All California campgrounds
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