More Cowell-bell!

Hike to Cowell Ranch State Beach on the San Mateo Coast

If you didn’t know it was there, you might just drive right on by it. But for those who make the 0.5-mile walk (or bike ride) to the wooden stairway leading to Cowell Ranch State Beach, the reward is sinking your toes into one of the best beaches in Northern California—with plenty of room to roam, and relax. This beach is open only on weekends and federal holidays.

From the trailhead follow the primarily flat and wide Cowell-Purisima Trail. Quiet farmland and a sea breeze surround you as you make your way towards the beach, guided by the sound of crashing waves and the scent of salty air. You’ll come upon enormous coastal views at the (marked) overlook.

On the north side of the overlook is a long wooden stairway to Cowell Ranch State Beach. While a lot of hidden beaches can feel like a bit of a tight squeeze on a busy day, the quarter mile of crescent sandy cove at Cowell Ranch means even on a crowded day you’ll be able to toss down your blanket and stretch out—no knocking elbows with strangers here! Sunny afternoons cast beautiful mauve tones over the Pacific, and the hulking cliffs backing the beach get sun-kissed too.

The water here can be reasonable to swim in, but mercurial waves on unsettled days should be avoided, and heed undertow warnings (common sense and caution should prevail). This is a beach for lollygagging or tossing a Frisbee or strolling hand in hand, sinking your feet into the soft sand.

The Cowell Ranch Beach access trail is 3 miles south of Half Moon Bay on Hwy 1. It's only open on the weekend and federal holidays. No dogs. 

Trending Stories NorCal

View all Stories
  1. Serene Las Gallinas

    A serene stroll alongside marshland, passing ponds and grasses frilled in seasonal wildflowers, with Mount Tam a beacon in the background … how nice. As part of the esteemed Bay Trail, San Rafael’s Las Gallinas Valley Birding Loop and Wildlife Ponds comprises about 3.5 miles of wide-open trail.

    View
  2. Paint Brushy

    This time of year you’ll have good reason to head for the hills—the electric-green rolling hills of Brushy Peak Regional Preserve in Livermore. This 4.5-mile loop hike is like stepping into a plein air painting.

    View
  3. Sponsored

    2025 POST Wildflower Walks

    Get flower empowered! POST’s complimentary 2025 Wildflower Walks guide blooms with the best places to see a variety of florals across the Peninsula and South Bay this spring.

    View
  4. All right, Almaden!

    Take a trip through time on this 5-mile loop in Almaden Quicksilver County Park. Explore the ruins of an old cinnabar mine and enjoy the first hints of wildflower season.

    View

Trending Stories SoCal

View all Stories
  1. Sponsored

    Weekend in Reno Tahoe

    Weekend plans? Reno Tahoe! Just a few hours by car or a short flight away, Reno Tahoe springs to the moment with great ways to combine adventure and relaxation in its beautiful mountains-meets-desert setting.

    View
  2. Hiker walking along the North Bluff Trail on Santa Cruz Island, Channel Islands National Park

    Purely Wild

    Channel Islands National Park lives up to its nickname as “North America’s Galapagos.” This less-traveled national park is an undeveloped and isolated series of five dramatic and distinct islands reached by boat. Hike the largest of the islands, Santa Cruz.

    View
  3. Woman hiking the South Kaibab Trail in the Grand Canyon

    Truly Grand Day Hike

    One of the best spring day hikes in the Grand Canyon? See layer upon layer of the park’s grandeur—including the river—on this 3-mile (one-way) journey to Skeleton Point via the South Kaibab Trail.

    View
  4. A woman stands amid an array of yellow and purple flowers at Descanso Gardens in Los Angeles

    Petal Paradise

    Tulips, lilacs, and daffodils—flower power is in full bloom at Descanso Gardens in La Cañada Flintridge. Sprawling across 150 acres surrounded by mountains, the gardens are putting on their best show right now.

    View