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Mussel Rock Loop

Daly City, California

4.0/5
based on 2 reviews

Details

Distance

1.95 miles

Elevation Gain

322 ft

Route Type

Loop

Description

Added by Josiah Roe

Sea cliffs, wine (optional, but recommended), and excellent views up and down the coast where the San Andreas fault meets the Pacific Ocean.

Mussel rock, a three-story, 50 million year old rock that has been carried some 500 miles northwest from Southern California, is where the San Andreas fault meets the Pacific Ocean.

It's also an excellent spot to drink some wine and catch a sunset.

From San Francisco, take Highway 1 south towards Pacifica and exit at the Monterrey Road / Palmetto Avenue exit. Go right on Monterrey and take an immediate right on Palmetto. Go a quarter mile and then take a left on Westline drive till it dead-ends into a parking lot.

There are several trails around Mussel Rock park, including an unofficial trail that leads to a couple of nice ledges overlooking the rock. Throw a blanket down and enjoy the view.

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Features

Chillin
Photography
Hiking
Beach
Easy Parking
Family Friendly
Food Nearby
Groups
Picnic Area
Romantic
Scenic
Wildflowers

Mussel Rock Loop Reviews

Having never been to this area, I found myself smiling at all of the simple pleasures it had to offer. There were at least a dozen paraglider's landing and taking off; humpback whales were feeding no more than a quarter mile from shore; fishermen were reeling in crabs, halibut and striped bass; and everybody I encountered was friendly and enjoying the day. I look forward to going back and hiking more along the trails.

Unfortunately, the views weren't as easy to catch a glimpse of because we weren't able to find the unofficial trail that led to the ledges spoken of in the adventure notes. In fact the entire area seemed very lowkey and not very official, although it is listed as a city park...

Leave No Trace

Always practice Leave No Trace ethics on your adventures and follow local regulations. Please explore responsibly!

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