My friend did the Lost Coast Trail over a decade ago when no permits were needed. He once found a perfect little beach camp completely by chance and stayed two nights just because he could. That random luck was the best part of the trip for him. He tried to go again last summer and every site was reserved months in advance. Following a strict schedule made the whole hike feel like a chore instead of an escape. The place is still wild, but that old sense of discovery is pretty much gone.