Half Moon Bay is a small city on the California coast, south of San Francisco. A string of beaches along the bay includes Half Moon Bay State Beach. Nearly all of the popular beaches are directly off of Highway 1 (the Pacific Coast Highway). The Coastside Trail leads north to Pillar Point, near the huge waves of the Mavericks surf spot. Nearby, Montara Mountain rises in the protected Golden Gate National Park, Rancho Corral de Tierra open space area. Also nearby, the Purisima Creek Redwoods Preserve is on the slopes of the Santa Cruz Mountains.