The Cowell-Purisima Trail showcases a distinctive coastal landscape: the trail is 3.6 miles long and climbs gently. Along the coastal bluffs, farmland meets the Pacific Ocean. Beach and coastal scrub ecosystems line the trail; harbor seals, pelicans, hawks and wildflowers may be seen here. The San Mateo County Coastside covers more than 300 square miles and offers access to sandy beaches, redwood forests and open spaces. The region thus stretches from the coast to wooded and open landscapes.
Clifftop Trails and Coastal Views
The Devil’s Slide Trail connects the coast with a piece of road history: it follows a former section of Highway 1. The 1.3-mile multi-use trail gives hikers, runners, cyclists and horseback riders access to the rocky heights of Devil’s Slide above the Pacific Ocean. Its amenities include viewpoints with benches and viewing scopes, as well as bike racks, drinking fountains and restrooms.
At Coyote Point Recreation Area, activities on the water go hand in hand with recreation on land. Visitors can picnic, swim, windsurf, cycle, jog, fish, boat and sail. The options range from peaceful breaks to different ways of spending time outdoors.
Trails on Different Scales
The Crystal Springs Regional Trail is planned as a 17.5-mile route from San Bruno to Woodside; 15.3 miles have been completed so far. The completion status may change as construction progresses. The trail is used for walking, running, skating or rollerblading, cycling and horseback riding. The planned total length and the section currently completed are two different figures.
Hikes in Pescadero Creek Park can take anywhere from about an hour to a full day, depending on the trail; the trails vary in difficulty. Horseback riding is allowed on all trails, though some may close in winter. San Pedro Valley Park has seven trails through different habitats, with varying lengths and difficulty levels. Views from the Montara Mountain Trail in the park stretch across the Pacific to the Farallon Islands.
The redwood areas each have their own character, too. Butano State Park offers 40 miles of hiking trails through more than 4,000 acres of canyons and uplands. Its landscape includes a peaceful canyon, tall second- and third-growth redwoods, and babbling streams. In Portola Redwoods State Park, 18 miles of hiking trails follow winding creeks through coast redwood forests. In Huddart Park, coast redwoods shape the creeks and canyons, creating a cool, deeply shaded environment.
Nature from the Tidal Zone to the Redwoods
Fitzgerald Marine Reserve includes a tidal zone with algae, crabs, sponges, starfish, mollusks and fish. It is located within Montara State Marine Reserve, a marine protected area established under the California Marine Life Protection Act. At Edgewood Park and Natural Preserve, woodland and grassland alternate across 467 acres. Impressive wildflowers bloom there in spring, and visitors can also hike and observe nature.
Brooks Falls offers a seasonal natural spectacle: during the rainy winter and spring months, the water plunges 175 feet in three cascades. Its flow depends on precipitation. Each year, up to 10,000 northern elephant seals return to the Natural Preserve at Año Nuevo State Park to breed, give birth to their pups and molt among the dunes and beaches. The Marine Education Center is housed in a historic 19th-century dairy complex belonging to the Dickerman/Steele family.
Historic Sites and Discoveries
Sánchez Adobe stands on the site of a mission outpost dating to 1786. Construction of the adobe residence began in 1842. Rancho Day features demonstrations such as brickmaking and corn grinding. The event takes place annually in September; dates may vary. Woodside Store is a house museum, where period artifacts are displayed in the style of the time, offering a glimpse into the past of what was once a thriving logging area.
Further historical perspectives can be found at the San Mateo County History Museum, housed in the 1910 County Courthouse, and in the historic Fog Signal Building at Pigeon Point Light Station. The building houses the original Fresnel lens, along with exhibits about the lighthouse and its keepers. At Coyote Point, CuriOdyssey complements the nature experiences with exhibits and animals that connect children with science and nature.
Discover more destinations: San Carlos, Burlingame, Daly City, Half Moon Bay, Menlo Park, Millbrae, Pacifica, Redwood City, San Bruno, South San Francisco, Brisbane, Belmont, Moss Beach, Montara, Foster City, San Mateo, Hillsborough, Pescadero, Woodside, Colma, Atherton.
For the main travel overview: California.
