Coast Guard rescues hikers after injury on Northern California coastal trail

The U.S. Coast Guard on Monday afternoon rescued an injured hiker and her husband from the Lost Coast Trail in Humboldt County after the woman suffered an injury that left her unable to walk.

The Coast Guard’s Southwest District said Tuesday the rescue was requested by Cal Fire. A helicopter crew from Air Station Humboldt hoisted both hikers in a rescue basket and transported them to St. Joseph Hospital in Eureka.

The hikers reported the woman had suffered a broken leg, but the Coast Guard said it could not confirm the extent of the injury.

The Lost Coast Trail stretches nearly 34 miles through remote terrain along the Humboldt and Mendocino county coastline, according to the Bureau of Land Management. The trail is known for difficult hiking conditions that include beach sand, rocky shoreline and steep terrain. Hikers also must navigate changing tides that can make portions of the trail impassable during high water.

The trail has been the site of several Coast Guard rescues in recent years, including a 2025 incident in which a hiker fell about 100 feet down a steep cliff.