Shelter Cove is a census-designated place in Humboldt County, California. It lies at an height of 138 feet (42 m). Shelter Cove is on California’s Lost Coast where the King Range meets the Pacific Ocean. A nine-hole golf course surrounds the one-runway Shelter Cove Airport at the center of Shelter Cove’s advertisement district. Utilities are provided by the Humboldt County Resort Improvement District #1 and boating entry to the sea is managed by the Humboldt Bay Harbor, Recreation & Conservation District. The population was 803 at the 2020 census.

Shelter Cove shares a ZIP code (95589) with the hamlet of Whitethorn, California, located to the southeast. The community is inside area code 707. Sinkyone Wilderness State Park is not quite 6 miles (9.7 km) south of Shelter Cove on the coast. There are next parks such as Black Sands Beach, Mal Coombs Park, Seal Rock Picnic Area and Abalone Point. Much of the land in checking account to Shelter Cove is in the King Range National Conservation Area, managed by the Bureau of Land Management. Cove amenities complement hiking trails, a community center, deli, coffee shop, restaurants, multiple inns, a general store, and several gift shops. Other amenities in Shelter Cove enhance a small aircraft airstrip, a ship launch, and RV parking. Some facilities not simple in Shelter Cove are in the towns of Redway and Garberville upon the U.S. 101 corridor, about 20 miles (32 km) of winding county road to the east.

The area around Shelter Cove was originally home to Native Americans known as the Sinkyone people.

Near Shelter Cove upon July 21, 1907, the coastal passenger steamer Columbia collided when the steam schooner San Pedro amidst dense fog. The Columbia subsequently sank, killing 88 people. Although atrociously damaged, San Pedro stayed afloat and helped to rescue Columbia’s survivors.