Devil's Slide Trail
Benches overlooking Pacific Ocean on Devil's Slide Trail
Length2.8 mi (4.5 km)
LocationCalifornia, United States
TrailheadsDevil's Slide Trail (North Parking Lot), Pacifica, California
UseMountain biking, hiking, trail running
Elevation change344 ft
DifficultyEasy
MonthsYear-round
SightsPacific Ocean, Devil's Slide
HazardsLandslides, erosion

The Devil's Slide Trail is a hiking trail between Pacifica, California and Montara, California in the San Francisco Bay Area. The trail is a segment in the California Coastal Trail, which stretches from Oregon to Mexico.

History

After the Mexican American War, the rural edges of San Francisco became San Mateo County.[1] In 1879, the first coastal road connected Colma to Half Moon Bay.[1] In 1905, the Ocean Shore Railroad connected San Francisco to Santa Cruz, but after damage suffered from landslides and the 1906 San Francisco earthquake, the railroad closed in 1920. In 1937, the former railroad route was converted into a section of California State Route 1, but it was temporarily closed due to erosion in 1940, 1983, and 1995.[1]

In the mid-1990s voters approved a referendum to bore the Tom Lantos Tunnels through Montara Mountain and convert the stretch of cliffside road into a trail. Construction began in 2005, the tunnels opened in 2013, and the Devil's Slide Trail opened in 2014.[2]

Trail

The trail was created by CalTrans and is a pedestrian- and bike-only zone.[3][4] The trail has separate lanes for hikers and directional bike traffic and is accessible for equestrians as well.[5] The trail includes amenities such as pet waste stations, bike racks, drinking fountains and restrooms.[6] A World War II military bunker is viewable from the trail.[7][8]

Geology

The geology on Montara Mountain is sedimentary and is soil that used to be ocean floor mud and sand lifted by tectonic plates movement.[9] Geologists consider the region to be a site of violent upheaval. The north end of the trail is marked by striated sedimentary rock and to the south granitic rock.[9]

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Devil's Slide Trail". San Mateo County Parks Foundation. Retrieved 29 July 2023.
  2. ↑ Guttery, Carol. "Walking the Devil's Slide Trail: Everything You Need to Know". California Crossings. Retrieved 29 July 2023.
  3. ↑ Ferrell, Jamie. "This Abandoned Highway Is Now A Hiking Trail With Breathtaking Views". Secret San Francisco. Retrieved 29 July 2023.
  4. ↑ "Devil's Slide Trail". San Mateo County Government. Retrieved 29 July 2023.
  5. ↑ "Devil's Slide Trail: From Treacherous Highway to Breathtaking Pathway". KCET. Retrieved 29 July 2023.
  6. ↑ "Devil's Slide". Visit Pacifica. Retrieved 29 July 2023.
  7. ↑ "Devil's Slide Trail: Hiking or Biking Old Pacific Coast Highway". California Through My Lens. Retrieved 29 July 2023.
  8. ↑ Brooks, Eric. "Why did a tech tycoon buy a WWII bunker near San Francisco?". SFGATE. Retrieved 10 August 2023.
  9. 1 2 Ramirez, Garrick. "Devil's Slide Trail: Rails to Trails". Visit Half Moon Bay. Retrieved 29 July 2023.

37°34′49.46″N 122°30′59.86″W / 37.5804056°N 122.5166278°W / 37.5804056; -122.5166278

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