Trinidad Head is the massive rocky promontory that shelters Trinidad Bay from the north, and the walk to its summit is the essential Trinidad activity. The trail begins at the harbour and climbs steeply through coastal scrub to the top, where a large cross marks the summit and a 360-degree panorama takes in the bay, the town, the sea stacks, and — in season — the backs of grey whales working the nearshore waters.
The headland is a California sea lion haul-out site, and the animals can usually be seen and heard (and smelled) on the rocks below the trail. The trail is short — about a mile round trip — but steep enough to be a genuine workout. At the base, a modest white memorial chapel sits in a small clearing, built by local fishing families in 1870 as a prayer spot for sailors. The combination of the chapel, the cross, the sea lions, and the ocean views makes the head one of the most concentrated scenic experiences on the Humboldt coast.