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Half Moon Bay is home to a number of wonderful areas that are
perfect for hiking and nature walks. The photograph above was
taken at
Purissima Creek Redwoods Open Space Preserve. It is a
fantastic 3,120-acre preserve that is located on the
western slopes of the Santa Cruz Mountains overlooking Half Moon
Bay.
To
review our listings of hiking trails and nature walks, please scroll down the
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New Listings on Explorer1.com
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Ano Nuevo State Reserve
New Year's Creek Road, off Hwy 1
Pescadero, CA 650-879-0227
This
4,000 acre Reserve is a major gathering area for northern elephant
seals, which may be seen year-around. The males battle for mates
on the beaches. The females give birth to their young on the
dunes.
Two short hikes/nature walks are
available -- the Pond Loop Trail and Cove Beach Trail are open
year-round and do
not require hiking permits.
More >> |
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Coastside Trail - Half Moon Bay
State Beach
95 Kelly Avenue, Half Moon Bay, CA
(650) 726-8819
Perfect for nature walks -- The Half
Moon Bay Coastside Trail runs along the eastern boundary of the four
beaches providing close to a three mile stretch to walk, jog or ride
bikes. The trail continues north to Pillar Point Harbor.
A horse trail parallels the
Coastside Trail from Roosevelt Beach to Francis Beach. While in the
state parks, horses are restricted to the designated horse trail and
are not permitted on State Beaches.
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Bean
Hollow State Beach & Pebble Beach
650-879-2170
The beach features fishing, picnicking and beachcombing. Visitors
can explore tide pools with anemones, crab, sea urchins and other
marine inhabitants. The beach also has a self-guided nature trail
perfect for nature walks and short hikes.
Located on the
San Mateo Coast, Bean Hollow is 17.5 miles south of Half Moon Bay
and three miles south of Pescadero on Hwy. 1.
More >> |
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Big Basin Redwoods
State Park --
Rancho Del Oso, Hwy 1
831-338-8860
Perfect for hiking -- Located 25 miles south of Half Moon Bay on Hwy. 1, the park has miles of trails, which serves hikers and equestrians, links Big Basin
to Castle Rock State Park and the eastern reaches of the Santa Cruz range.
More
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Maps
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Burleigh Murray State Park
Mills Creek Ranch Rd., Half Moon Bay (650) 726-8819
Perfect for nature walks/hiking --Take
Hwy. 1 south of Half Moon Bay for about 1 mile and turn left on Higgins Purisima Road.
Travel about 1½ miles to the park's parking on the left side of
the road.
More
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Butano
State Park — Campgrounds
1500 Cloverdale Rd., Pescadero, CA (650)
879-2040
Perfect for hiking --A 2,200-acre redwood park in the Half Moon Bay Mountains, featuring excellent hiking
through the redwood groves. Only three miles from the Pacific coast, the park's trails
offer views of the Pacific Ocean and the Año Nuevo islands.
More
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Cowell Ranch State Beach
Highway 1, Half Moon Bay (650)
726-8819
Perfect for nature walks/hiking --Take
Hwy. 1 south for a little over 3 miles and park in the
park's
marked parking lot.
More
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Gray Whale Cove - McNee Ranch State Park
1½ miles north of Montara State Beach. 650-726-8819
Perfect for nature walks/hiking -- The one mile trail is
mostly flat, and is visually spectacular with ocean and mountain
views. During the spring, you can also enjoy one of the best
location for spring flowers such as Douglas irises, hollyhocks and
buttercups.
More
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Pescadero Marsh Natural Preserve
Hwy 1, 16 miles south of Half Moon Bay (650) 879-2170
Perfect for nature walks -- Pescadero
Marsh Natural Preserve is a popular spot for bird watchers and other
naturalists. The Reserve is a refuge for blue heron, kites, deer,
raccoons, foxes and skunks.
As one of
the most important remaining wetlands on the California Coast,
each year thousands of birds rest and feed at
the preserve -- providing a wonderful opportunity to watch almost 200
species of birds.
The best bird watching times
are late fall and early spring. If you are interested, the
Audubon
Society offers walking tours.
More
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Pillar Point Marsh
(Fitzgerald Marine Reserve) (650) 728-3584
Perfect for nature walks -- This unique marsh may be small, but it is an important habitat for
local and migrating birds. Bird watchers at Pillar Point Marsh
have sighted nearly 20% of all North American
bird species. The other amazing
fact about this marsh is it is fed by both fresh and salt water.
More >>
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Portola Redwoods
State Park
650-948-9098
Perfect for hiking --The park has a rugged, natural basin forested with coast redwoods, Douglas fir and
live oak. Eighteen miles of trails crisscross the canyon and its two streams, Peters Creek
and Pescadero Creek.
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Purissima Creek Redwoods Open Space Preserve
Half Moon Bay, CA (650) 949-5500
Perfect for hiking -- The 3,120-acre preserve
is located on the western slopes of the Santa Cruz Mountains
overlooking Half Moon Bay. The preserve was established with a
gift of $2 million from the Save-the-Redwoods League.
The centerpiece of the
Preserve is Purisima Creek Canyon, with its towering redwoods,
creek, ferns, berries, and wildflowers. Coastal scrub, tanoak,
madrone, and Douglas fir border the canyon. The coast and Half
Moon Bay are visible from the northern part of the preserve.
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THE ABOVE INFORMATION IS SUBJECT TO CHANGES AND
POSSIBLE INACCURACIES. CHECK DIRECTLY WITH THE LOCAL
OPERATORS FOR THE LATEST,
MOST ACCURATE INFORMATION.
NOTE: Some of the
content for the park overviews
were generously provided by California State Parks. The
State retains all copyrights over their
material.
All original material that may appear on this
page (text, graphics, and photos) are copyrighted by Digital
Renaissance Multimedia.
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