Montara Mountain Summit
Montara State Beach
Hike Data:
Length: 7.5 miles
Elevation Gain: 2,200 feet
Elevation Loss: 2,200 feet
Time: 3 hours
Difficulty: 3/5
Rating: 3/5
Other Information: There is no fee. No toilets are available.
Date Last Hiked: Sunday, May 12, 2002
Links:
Introduction:
Montara Mountain looms above the towns of Pacifica and Montara, located on the coast. From the
summit, you can get great views of the Pacific Ocean, Pacifica, and most of the Bay Area on
a clear day. The mountain is also known as McNee Ranch State Park. The trail described here
is the main, most popular route to the summit. Since you start from the beach, you have great
views of the ocean for the whole climb. An alternate route is to connect the
Brooks Falls Loop (San Pedro Valley County
Park) for a route that includes some singletrack. The route described here consists almost
entirely of fire roads. The trail is fairly steep (very steep in places) but otherwise not
too difficult.
Getting There:
From San Francisco or the North Bay: Take Highway 1 South from San Francisco through
Pacifica. The trailhead is located just North of Montara State Beach and is marked by a yellow
gate on the East side of the highway. If no parking is available, park a bit further South
at Montara State Beach.
From the South Bay: From Half Moon Bay, take Highway 1 North for about 10 miles. The
trailhead is just North of Montara State Beach and is marked by a yellow gate on the East side
of the highway. If no parking is available, park a bit further South at Montara State Beach.
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