Hike Purisima Creek Redwoods Near Moss Beach, CA

5 days ago
4 min read

What hiking is near Moss Beach, California?

Moss Beach puts you within easy reach of both coastal bluff trails and the redwood canyons of the Santa Cruz Mountains. Purisima Creek Redwoods Open Space Preserve — about a 20-minute drive south and east — offers one of the best forest hikes on the Peninsula, with second-growth redwoods, a creek-side canyon, and ridge views stretching all the way to the Pacific. The popular Whittemore Gulch and Harkins Ridge loop runs about 9 miles with roughly 1,900 feet of elevation gain; shorter out-and-back options start well under 5 miles.

Two Californias in One Day

Most people come to Moss Beach for the ocean. That makes sense — the tide pools at Fitzgerald Marine Reserve, the coastal bluffs above Pillar Point, the way the Pacific light moves through the living room windows at 590 Stetson in the morning. The coast is the draw.

But about 20 minutes south and east, past the Half Moon Bay junction and up Higgins Canyon Road, the landscape shifts completely. The salt air gives way to the cool, damp smell of a redwood forest. The horizon narrows to tree canopy. The sound of the ocean is replaced by running water. Purisima Creek Redwoods Open Space Preserve covers more than 5,400 acres of the Santa Cruz Mountains' western slope, and a morning or afternoon there makes for one of the better day-trip combinations this stretch of coast offers: forest and ocean, in either order, without a long drive between them.

The Whittemore Gulch and Harkins Ridge Loop

The signature hike in the preserve combines the Whittemore Gulch, Harkins Ridge, North Ridge, and Purisima Creek Trails into a loop of roughly 9 miles with about 1,950 feet of elevation gain. Plan for 4.5 to 5.5 hours, and bring layers — the redwood sections stay shaded and cool even on warm days.

The trail starts at the Higgins Canyon Road trailhead, which sits at the coastal end of the preserve. From the parking area, you drop into the forest almost immediately, following Purisima Creek through a narrow canyon lined with second-growth redwoods, ferns, and berry thickets. The creek crossings are bridged, and the understory is dense and green well into summer. It's the kind of forest that feels genuinely immersive — not a single redwood standing alone in a clearing, but a full canopy overhead and soft light filtering through from above.

As you climb toward Harkins Ridge, the trees give way to open coastal scrub. The views from the ridge are the payoff: on a clear day, you can see south past Half Moon Bay and north toward San Francisco, with the Pacific laid out below the hills. The descent back down Whittemore Gulch returns you to forest — steep in sections, with exposed roots on the trail — before leveling out at the trailhead.

If 9 miles is more than you want on a given day, the Purisima Creek Trail from Higgins Canyon Road works well as an out-and-back. You follow the creek through the redwoods without the ridge climb, and you can turn around whenever the distance feels right. It's accessible enough for older kids who are comfortable on uneven terrain, and shaded enough to be pleasant in the middle of a summer afternoon.

Getting There and What to Know

The Higgins Canyon Road trailhead is the western access point for the preserve — the closest one to Moss Beach and Half Moon Bay. From 590 Stetson, head south on Highway 1, then east on Higgins Canyon Road about 4 miles to the trailhead on the left. The parking area holds fewer than 10 cars and fills quickly on weekends, so an early start — before 9am — is the practical move. Weekdays are considerably quieter.

Wear shoes with grip and be prepared for muddy sections if there's been any recent rain; the redwood sections hold moisture. The preserve is open year-round, and while winter and spring bring the lushest conditions after the rains, summer mornings are a reliable time to go: the coastal fog that sits over Moss Beach early in the day often doesn't reach the preserve, and the temperature in the forest stays comfortable even when the exposed ridge is warmer.

After the hike, the drive back to the coast on Highway 1 takes about 20 minutes. There's enough time to stop for lunch in Half Moon Bay before returning to a patio and an ocean view at 590 Stetson — a comfortable combination of two things the coastside does well.

Purisima Creek Redwoods fills a gap that most coastal itineraries leave open: a full-day hike through old-growth-scale forest, accessible without a long drive. If you're planning a few days in Moss Beach and want more than beach walks, it's the right place to add. If you're thinking about a coastal getaway, I'm happy to answer any questions about the area or the house — reach out anytime.