A visit to the Cowell-Purisima Beach Coastal Trail and the Harley Farms Goat Dairy, with a nice Cantina lunch and wine tasting at Sante Arcangeli Family Wines.
by Majken Talbot
Jan. 23, 2024—The Cowell-Purisima Beach Coastal Trail, located about three miles south of Half Moon Bay, can be an excellent place for a brisk morning hike. The 3.6 mile trail is mostly flat and meanders south along the bluffs. Leave the dog at home—canine friends are not permitted, but parking is free. There are porta-potties stationed at both trailheads. Bring layers, a hat, gloves, and a windbreaker/rain shell for winter.
The northern trailhead offers beach access. A flat, wide gravel trail leads half a mile through artichoke fields down to Cowell Ranch Beach. Hikers are serenaded by songbirds perching along the old wire fence. Also look for hawks, pelicans, and owls. Bright wildflowers festoon the fields.
A weatherbeaten wooden staircase leads down to Cowell Ranch Beach, where beach strawberries grow wild along the ground. Be advised this is a wild, gorgeous beach to witness the awesome power of nature, not a place for quiet wading. Posted signs duly warn hikers of strong riptides.
Head back up to the bluffs to view the Harbor Seal Preserve just south of Cowell Ranch Beach. Be sure to bring a pair of binoculars—this is an ideal spot to hunt for seals lazing on the beach or to scan for migrating gray whales from January to March.
Cowell Ranch has been a working farm since the 1800s. The southern trailhead leads through cattle grazing fields. Strolling past the herd, you might catch a glimpse of some calves and their proud mamas. The trail meanders northward over bluffs, offering tantalizing vistas of untouched beaches below.
The trail is wheelchair accessible except for the midpoint where it crosses Purissima Creek—the former site of an Ohlone village. Hikers can choose to hike the whole trail or to pick one end and hike halfway.
The Cantina at San Benito House
The small city of Half Moon Bay boasts a surprising number of good eats. The Cantina housed in the charming old San Benito House offers tasty street tacos and margaritas, good to pair with some chips, salsa, and homemade guacamole. On Taco Tuesdays, the Cantina offers three street tacos for $8. It is an incredible deal. The Cantina also offers a full menu, including dishes prepared with Snake River Farms American Wagyu Beef and Kurobuta Pork. Sit outside on the patio and enjoy some coastal sun—or fog. When the weather gets cold, they turn on the outdoor firepit. It is a great, cozy spot to cuddle up and enjoy your fare. After lunch, go around the corner to Gulino's Gelato. I recommend the sensational strawberry basil sorbet.
Just down the coast from the San Benito House, outside the bucolic village of Pescadero, sits the Harley Farms Goat Dairy. If you go in Spring, you will be treated to the hysterical antics of the unspeakably adorable, wobbly baby goats. At any time of year you can meet a host of barnyard characters, including a male lama who presides possessively over the herd of female goats as if they were his private harem. You may also meet an enormous potbelly pig, several gorgeous Great Pyrenees sheepdogs, and an old, friendly barn cat.
Be sure to book your farm tour tickets online before you go. The tour, $55 per adult, lets you get up close and personal with the goats, and also see how their milk is turned into Harley Farms’ wonderful cheese. The tours are 90-minutes long and start at noon—rain or shine.
This is a working farm, so leave the silk chiffon at home. Wear jeans or something similar. Bring a pair of boots you do not mind getting a bit mucky—remember, where there are goats, there is also goat manure. Also, bring an umbrella in case of winter rain. Do not forget to pick up some delicious goat cheese, marmalade, honey, and crackers downstairs in the farm store. The luxurious goat milk soap and lotions make great gifts.
Wine Tasting at Sante Arcangeli Family Wines
Right next door to Harley Farms, wine lovers can book a wine-and-goat-cheese-tasting at Sante Arcangeli Family Wines. Their tasting room is a 3-minute walk from the farm's parking lot. You can walk up and do an impromptu wine tasting at their outdoor tasting bar. If you prefer the full-tasting experience with the cheese plate and indoor seating in their rustic 140-year-old barn, make a reservation. It's $60 per person. Sante Arcangeli is a multi-generational winery founded in the historic town of Pescadero. They boast an impressive selection of coastal Pinot Noirs. Two vineyards, the Lester Family and the Saveria, use sustainable farming practices with no herbicides to deliver quality wines. Sante Arcangeli also has a tasting room in Aptos.
If you’re headed back up north, you might want to pick up some organic, farm-fresh produce for dinner at the Blue House Farm's year-round farmstand. They also have a colorful selection of fresh flowers. The farm is nestled in a gorgeous nook between rolling hills just past the tiny town of San Gregorio. In the winter, the farm stand is open weekends from 11am-4pm.
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