Enjoy this 7-mile round-trip trail near Half Moon Bay, California. Generally considered an easy route, it takes an average of 2 h 24 min to complete. This trail is approximately 3.6 miles from one end to the other and meanders along cliffs overlooking the ocean. Parking is available both at the start of the North Trail and in the south.
Both trails have ample parking and the difficulty of the trail from either end is the same. Cowell Ranch Beach is only accessible via this trail. The short path to the sand is well worth the effort, and its remoteness keeps this beach away from large crowds even in the summer months. The Cowell-Purísima Coastal Trail is a 3.6-mile, gently sloping trail that borders coastal cliffs between Cowell Ranch State Beach, at the northern end of the trail, and the Cowell-Purisima Coastal Trail parking lot, at South.
The Cowell Ranch State Beach parking lot is about three miles south of Half Moon Bay. Parking is free, but the small parking lot is usually full on weekends. Some visitors choose to park along the road. If you do, be sure to leave room for bikes to pass safely. There are restrooms at both ends of the trail.
The Cowell-Purísima Coastal Trail begins at the west end of the half-mile-long gravel road that connects the parking lot to the coastal viewpoint. The Cowell-Purísima Trail, located just south of Half Moon Bay, is a picturesque 3.6-mile trail along the California coast. As part of the ambitious California Coastal Trail project, it offers visitors a unique combination of ocean views, farmland and natural beauty, plus access to remote Cowell Beach Ranch. The Cowell-Purisima Trail is a 3.6-mile, gently sloping trail that meanders along cliffs where farmland meets the Pacific Ocean.
It forms part of the California Coastal Trail, which will one day cover the entire state. This area contains coastal and beach scrub ecosystems. Just south of Half Moon Bay, the Cowell-Purísima Trail would be a nice addition to the wish list of any avid trail user. The start of the North Trail provides access to Cowell Ranch Beach (managed by California State Parks) via a staircase approximately half a mile from the parking lot.
