1 site · Lodging2 acres · Petrolia, CAThe Tower is hidden away on top of a hill in the Mattole Valley, a steep 500-foot switchback hike through Douglas firs on a trail built especially to reach it. It is set within its own hilltop meadow. The property is about 2 acres all in all, with the main house just down below at the bottom of the trail where I live.
More about the trail up (as the Tower is not just about destination, it's about how you get there and turning everything into an adventure): A series of large ceramic sculptures punctuate the trail up. My father, whose idea the tower was, commissioned Jim Danisch, a great potter who lived in the Mattole, to build
a series of sculptures for the Millennium. That New Year, hundreds of people from around the area came to the Tower and climbed up the hill to celebrate with a fireworks display people still talk about. Greg Smith, one of the craftsmen who built the tower, tells the story of how his 95 year old ailing mother walked proudly to the top and died a week later after achieving her final ascent.
A special booklet compiled by Dansich is in the Tower for perusal, so you can read about what each sculpture represents (they are symbolic of life in the valley thousands of years ago) and how you might contemplate their significance in your life.
The property was designed in collaboration with local craftspeople by my late father, a radical journalist who wandered into the valley in 1990 and stayed. When he bought the house, the land it came with included a big hill behind the house. How he got up there in the first place to have the idea for the Tower, I don't know, but he did, and the result is a totally unique embodiment of a vision.
My father thought that in general people were a bit timid and conservative about expressing themselves through their properties, and that a place could be an expression of your personality. He was a 'Why Not?' type of guy - why shouldn't the place you live in express your loves and interests, as far as possible?
For example, his identity as a writer and as a writer from a family of writers is announced by his father's Remington typewriter atop a totem pole near the entrance to the Tower trail - you might miss it, but it's there, happily rusting for eternity. Reliefs on the Cider house, a square terracotta structure with a
gold-leafed domed roof, depict his life there. He championed originality, and you can feel his indelible spirit in every detail of the Tower and surrounding property.
Learn more about this land:
Enjoy total seclusion and privacy in this unusual Lost Coast hideaway. Accessible only by a STEEP 500-ft trail, you must be fairly fit to appreciate this remote spot. The climb will take you to a two-storey 'tower' built around two water tanks. The Mattole River is just over the road below. Enjoy the spectacular bird life. The remote Mattole Beach is just six miles away and makes for great hiking and beachcombing.
**Important Check-in info** The Tower is a property that preferably needs a guide to show you up there initially. It is hidden, and you’ll benefit from a quick orientation up there. Check-in before dark, please, due to the trail.
The upper storey of the Tower has a Full (double) sized bed, smaller than a Queen, and comfy. Line-dried fresh-smelling bedding. This room also has a long sofa, Deco chairs, redwood window seats and a long cherrywood table. There is also a sink upstairs for easy teeth brushing etc.
The Tower is on two floors, connected by an outside staircase. So *PLEASE NOTE* that as the bathroom is on the lower floor you will need to go down the *outside* stairs to the bathroom.
Downstairs is the bathroom, shower and kitchen in one open plan room. The lower storey also houses water tanks, wrapped in canvas painted by a local artist. The spring water is excellent for drinking.
Relax beneath the stars in the outdoor in-ground copper bath tub, with plenty of space for two and a small surrounding deck for glasses of wine, or take a hot shower outside, looking out onto the hills.
Enjoy ceramicist Jim Danisch's sculptures punctuating the trail. In collaboration with Petrolia's craftspeople, the Tower was designed by my father, a writer and lover of art.
For groceries, the local Petrolia store has most basics (including a gas pump) but its provisions are limited so please bring your own special groceries if you want more than basic. Please note there are ZERO bars and restaurants in Petrolia. Bear in mind that the Petrolia Store closes at 5pm, so be sure to bring groceries with you if you're arriving later than that, especially for that first night's dinner!
At the bottom of the hill is the main house, where I will be on hand to help out as best I can with any queries and extra conveniences. Details and directions upon booking.
To enable a real break and total relaxation, there is no WiFi! There is very limited cell service in Petrolia. There is a landline available for your private use in the Tower.
Petrolia is off the beaten track and lies at the end of a very winding, rugged road with potholes a-plenty. Ordinary cars can make it, but if you are hiring a car you will be better off hiring an all wheel car that is not too low off the ground.
Be prepared for a real rural retreat. The tower is right in the wilderness atop a hill, so be prepared to hear and see animals around.
Please note that I have been hosting on another platform for many years with lots of happy guests. Please google The Lost Coast Tower to see those reviews, to get a sense of the place from a guest's perspective . Thank you!
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