RELAXING AT DEVIL’S SLIDE

I was having a casual conversation with a friend at work on a Friday afternoon. As usual we were exchanging our plans for the weekend when he told me he was going to Devil’s Slide. The word Devil and Slide in the same sentence was music to the adrenaline junkie in me. I felt my imagination go into overdrive imagining a big slide or a roller coaster in a park somewhere. In my very unassuming voice while knowing exactly what Devil’s slide was I asked him “What is Devil’s Slide?” While it did sound adventurous it did not include a slide or roller coaster. Devil’s slide I was told was this dangerous hilly road by the Pacifica that used to be dangerous for cars and bikes to drive on. If you did manage to survive riding on the Devil’s slide, you were awarded with some of the most beautiful views ever.

I have been living in California for twelve years now, yet had never heard about Devil’s Slide. I have done the tourist things like Pier 39, Lombard Street- visited places my Californian born husband had not even heard about in some instances. Not having heard about Devil’s slide gave me the passage to feeling local suddenly. So I did what most people with no idea of something does- Google it. Wikipedia describes Devil’s Slide as a coastal promontory in San Mateo County in California between Montara and Pacifica. I was ready to experience the steep and rocky coastal promontory in person.

We began our trip early because we were told there is limited parking which gets filled up as the day progresses. They paved a section of the Devil’s Slide into a trail, which allows for hikers, joggers to enjoy the view while walking the 1.3mile trail. It is off of Highway 1, which is known for its scenic landscape and landslides in some instances. There are two parking lots, one on the north end and one on the south end. If you are looking for an easy walk the south end is the one for you. We decided to walk the north end.

While some might find the trail challenging, I found it easy. There are several ups and downs, but nothing too challenging. The trail is 1.3 miles so it is not too long where your legs are hurting. There are benches at various points of the trail to rest and enjoy the view or as my husband does to stretch yourself as well. I was bowled over by the beauty around me. There are several species of birds with plaques at various places on the walk for information. We even found some people who were studying the birds on our walk who gave us insights plaques could not provide.

While the road might have been called Devil’s Slide, the scenery reminded me of what heaven might look like. Beautiful, serene, calm and not the least bit devilish! The hike could have been longer, the path more challenging but the landscape around makes everything trivial in comparison.