Touring *

Fifteen miles north of Trinidad on U.S. 101, take the Patrick's Point State Park exit. Follow Patrick's Point Drive half a mile south of the exit and park on the wide gravel shoulder outside the park's entrance to avoid the $5 day use fee. Pick up the park's map at the entrance kiosk. Map: Patrick's Point State Park Map and Guide, 4150 Patrick's Point Drive, Trinidad, CA 95570.

Save your visit to Patrick's Point for a fog-free spring or fall afternoon when you can better appreciate the spectacular views and beautiful scenery. You definitely don't want to skate on the roads until the sun has been shining brightly for a few hours; otherwise you may be dealing with a surface that's treacherously slick with moisture. Starting from outside the entrance of the park on Patrick's Point Drive, skate into the park on the smooth and down-pitched slope past the entrance kiosk. (Stop here to pick up a map from the friendly staff.) Still gently flowing downhill, the road enters a stand of trees--mostly spruce, hemlock, pine, fir, and red alder. As you curve to the right, you'll come upon a wide meadow filled with bright wildflowers and thick grasses in the spring and early summer. At the far side of the meadow, a handsome rock formation stands guard like a medieval castle. When you reach an intersection, ignore the invitation to branch off to the left. The road and parking lot in that direction have the worst pavement at Patrick's Point, although you can hike down to the park's namesake rock formation from there. Follow the signs pointing to campsites 86 through 123. Several lookout points offer great views over the lagoon. If you walk through the trees to reach the cliff side, watch out for poison oak, especially in spring when it's still colored camouflage green. As you enjoy the vistas from here, you can't help but envy the campers who were lucky to nab sites 98 through 101 (available first-come, first-served). Just around the corner from the rest rooms, a long flight of stairs leads down to Agate Beach. The road circles around the campsites and then past a branch to the Yurok village, finally bringing you back to the meadow. Skate back up the hill and through the trees. Just before you reach the entrance kiosk, go right at the sign for campsites 1 through 85. Here you'll find mostly smooth pavement and green hills that roll through the forest toward the south end of the park. Traffic lessens on the road beyond the two campground entrances. Halfway down, you'll hit a very rough patch of asphalt, but it's fairly short. Skate to the end of the road at the edge of the cliff and enjoy the view from the sunny meadow. If you packed along your hiking shoes, you can climb down the cliff to the seashore.