Railroad Camp

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Bear Harbor Railroad used to run through here, but now all that’s left are some mysterious rusty tracks jutting off the cliffside.

This bizarre railroad formerly carried lumber to the Eel River, but nature decided to reclaim the wilderness. A 1991 Los Angeles Times article wrote, “Disaster plagued the railroad from the start. A Pacific storm destroyed Bear Harbor wharf in 1899, owner Harvey Anderson was killed in an industrial accident in 1905, and the 1906 San Francisco earthquake caused major damage to the tracks and trestles. Today, rusted rails dangling down the cliffs at Bear Harbor, and faint traces of the rail bed in Railroad Canyon, are all that remain of the railroad." If that brief history lesson didn’t intrigue you enough to check out this campground, we don’t know what will. Maybe the fact that there are some killer views of the ocean?

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Available campgrounds nearby

Top-rated for location, privacy, and amenities near Sinkyone Wilderness State Park

96%

(5036)

More to explore nearby

/ night

Streamside Camp

4 sites · RVs, Tents In Railroad Camp

Bear Harbor Camp

8 sites · RVs, Tents In Railroad Camp

from

$25

/ night

Your guide to camping in Railroad Camp

Overview

Fishing

With the entire ocean in front of you, there are endless opportunities to fish here. Fishing is allowed in the park, but there is very little information on it (that only goes to show how rarely this amazing park is visited). Shelter Cove, a small fishing town, is located on the Lost Coast and has legendary salmon fishing. There are also rockfish, cod, halibut, and easy abalone diving! Contact the park if you’re interested in fishing here, then get out there and set some records! Who knows what the unexplored northern coast has to offer?

Hiking

Jones Beach is only a 2 mile hike to get up close and personal with the ocean, or try Whale Gulch, a 4.5 mile round trip hike, for some amazing whale watching. The Lost Coast trail is absolutely amazing; it’s tough but definitely worth checking out for at least a few miles of the 24… Basically, you can’t go wrong with any of the trails here-- Sinkyone is an amazing wilderness to explore.

Horseback riding

There are horse trails for some gnarly horseback riding and a few horse campgrounds. This is guaranteed to be an unforgettable trip whether you go on foot or on hooves. Check out the park’s brochure to see the trails.

Wind sports

Imagine windsurfing in the Pacific with that ocean breeze all around you… Sounds great, doesn’t it? Unfortunately, this place is so dang hard to get to, and you’ll probably be the only one windsurfing, but it doesn’t matter. If you’re into windsurfing, this place is a must-visit.

Surfing

Hey surfer dudes, you NEED to check out this park. The best break can be found at Ghost Point, but be prepared to do some hiking with your board first. We promise it will be worth it. And if that doesn’t convince you, check out this rad post from the Hipcamp journal about a surf adventure we had in Sinkyone. We can’t get enough of the place.

Swimming

Think you’re ready to jump into the Pacific ocean? This whole park is a coastline… the entire ocean is yours to swim in. Bring a wetsuit if you have one, and keep your eyes peeled for sea lions, seals, and whales, oh my!

Wildlife watching

This wilderness is home to tribes of Roosevelt elk and a ton of different birds, as well as amazing marine life. How often do you get to see a whale on a camping trip? Not often at all, that’s for sure. Whales migrate from mid-January to mid-April, but there are always some elephant seals, harbor seals and sea lions that can be seen sprawling out on the shoreline.