Fodor's Expert Review Coastal Drive Loop

The 9-mile, narrow, and partially unpaved Coastal Drive Loop takes about 45 minutes to traverse. Weaving through redwoods, the road yields close-up Klamath River views and expansive Pacific panoramas. This loop, closed to trailers and RVs, is all that remains of a longer drive. A spur road leads to the High Bluff Overlook, a premier whale-watching spot; a ½-mile trail leads down to the beach. A little less than a mile north of the overlook lies the B-71 Radar Station, which looks like a farmhouse, its disguise during World War II. About ½-mile farther along, hikers access the Flint Ridge section of the Coastal Trail, also possible off Klamath Beach Road.