parks -
state -
beaches
Gray Whale
Cove State Beach or Devil's Slide is
located in California
along
a portion of Highway 1 that wraps
around Montara Mountain between Pacifica and
Half Moon Bay. The road can be treacherous,
especially at night or during rains when the
paved lanes are difficult to see. Closed
numerous times for extended periods when cliffs
become unstable and make the road unsafe, it's
incredible history and ongoing efforts to either
stabilize the road or build another commuter
road for San Francisco Bay Area traffic.
The beautiful
beaches in this stretch of coast include Gray
Whale Cove State Beach and Montara State Beach.
Montara SB is popular for surf fishing and tidepools. The beach, which is bounded by hills
to the north and south, includes Montara
mountain or McNee Ranch. As the northernmost
location of the Santa Cruz Mountains, Montara
State Beach features the only undisturbed
Coastal Mountain Habitat found along the coast
in a 100-mile stretch. The beach is located in
San Mateo County eight miles north of Half Moon
Bay on Highway One. Two beach access points from
the bluff area include one across from Second
Street, immediately south of the Outrigger
restaurant and the other about a half-mile north
on the ocean side of Highway 1. The paths down
to the beach are steep.
Gray Whale Cove State Beach is
one of the few beaches in California
officially recognized as a naturist or clothing
optional beach. Named for its bluff-top views of
the whale migrations along the coast, the beach
actually sits at the base of mountains and
requires descent along a steep trail. The
only available parking is located on the east
side of Highway 1. For State Beach information,
call
650-726-8819.
Places to stay overnight near
these magnificent beach locations include
Pacifica and Half Moon Bay.
Nude beaches in California
for clothing optional sunbathing
are extremely popular, yet extremely limited for the
size of population and penchant of international
vacationers who seek the relaxed California beach
vacations. Nude beaches are not advertised by those who
enjoy naturist activities.
