PHOTOS: An Afternoon on the Cowell-Purisima Trail

Upon the opening of the Cowell-Purisima Trail last year, Half Moon Bay Patch photographer Stuart Nafey documentd the opening of the trail, three miles of well-groomed hiking trail along the coastal bluffs south of Half Moon Bay that connects up with the Cowell Ranch Beach trail.

Six months later, the trail is officialy complete and is open every day during the winter. Here's a look at the trail from a hike today, following the entire trail from south to north.

There is no beach access south of Cowell Ranch Beach because of the protected harbor seal area, but the three-mile hike from the Cowell-Purisima Trailhead to Cowell Beach is well worth the time and effort. The view of the coastline and surrounding farmland are spectacular, and it's amazing to see below you such long stretches of pristine beach with no footprints, no human impact visible, only wildlife, the sand and the waves.

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