Purisima Charisma

Purisima Creek Redwoods HIke

Beautiful old-growth redwoods have been at Purisima Creek for a long time, but the purple, pink, white, and yellow blossoms popping right now are spring fresh. Combine a canopy of redwoods and newly blooming wildflowers on a 5.4-mile loop in this Half Moon Bay haven. The hike will stretch your limbs (look up at the redwoods doing the same) as you climb moderately steep switchbacks on a dirt trail. With a deepening gulch to one side and an expansive fern-covered rock wall to the other, you'll be mingling among young and old redwoods, moss-covered oak, clovers, and lush green vegetation. Cross footbridges and keep an eye out for slow-going banana slugs on the trail. Wildflowers look Easter primed, enhanced by sunlight piercing through the branches overhead. Common blooms include wild iris, lupine, California poppy, and forget-me-nots. About a mile up you'll encounter a fairy circle, where a cluster of young redwoods have emerged around the location of a dead redwood. Continue up for valley vistas before looping around for the return trip back down. This spring, your cup is half-moon full!

The trailhead to Purisima Creek Redwoods is located 4.2 miles down Higgins Canyon Rd. in Half Moon Bay. For the 5.4-mile loop, hike left uphill 2.2 miles along the Whittemore Gulch Trail. At the first intersection, continue left uphill for 0.3 mile, angling downhill for 0.6 mile when you meet a wooden gate. When you again intersect Whittemore Gulch, follow the trail back down to where you began. Free parking, although the lot is limited. Download a map on the official website. No dogs.

Trending Stories NorCal

View all Stories
  1. Afternoon on the Island

    What is it about tiny islands in the middle of lakes? There’s something that just draws you in. It’s even more fun when getting there is half the adventure because you have to reach it by canoe, kayak, paddleboat, or a ranger-guided boat tour!

    View
  2. Golden Gate's Blue Heron

    Golden Gate Park’s Blue Heron Lake is home to birds of many feathers, turtles lounging on rocks, visitors from afar, and locals who love this urban oasis in San Francisco. Try the "Boats and Breakfast" rowboat or pedal boat deal.

    View
  3. Rio Del Mar-velous

    Rio Del Mar State Beach in Aptos might be one of the best places for a treasure hunt. Its location between two other beaches makes for a good stroll featuring a spectacle of wildlife as you search the sand for sea glass and seashells.

    View
  4. Aloha from California

    Say Aloha without leaving California with a 7-mile out-and-back hiking adventure to Lake Aloha in El Dorado National Forest. You can also camp here, a premier place for stargazing.

    View

Trending Stories SoCal

View all Stories
  1. Gentle Giants

    Some people visit national parks to marvel at the iconic sights, while others come seeking solitude in nature. With visitation on the rise, it can be hard to find both. But in Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks, this pair of trails offers both....

    View
  2. Walking the Los Angeles River Trail Through Frogtown

    Frogtown Strutter’s Stroll

    Don’t go dismissing the Los Angeles River as merely a 51-mile concrete channel. It’s a genuine urban artery that links real neighborhoods, and its riverside bike/ped paths endear i

    View
  3. Griffith's Golden

    With over 4,200 acres and hundreds of trails, Griffith Park is the gold standard. Opt for the lesser-hiked northwestern end of the park and visit the 2.25-mile Skyline and Oak Canyon loop from Travel Town.

    View
  4. Sponsored

    Fall for It All in Reno Tahoe

    The best kind of getaway? Less time on logistics, more time on memory-making. Jackpot! You’ve got Reno Tahoe.

    View