Headlands Trail - Harmony Headlands State Park

Overview: Headlands Trail - Harmony Headlands State Park is about 4.5 miles long and located near Harmony, California. The trail is great for hiking and normally takes 1-3 hours.

The trailhead is located on the west side of Highway 1, between Cayucos and the tiny community of Harmony (population: 18). From the parking area, the trail follows an old ranch road west over a low hill and down to the ocean. A side trail on the right at 0.5 miles leads to an old ranch bunkhouse and a porta-potty. The trail passes a pond and descends through a picturesque ravine before reaching a bluff overlooking the ocean. Here, the main road continues parallel to the ocean to the fenced park boundary. A narrow, informal trail follows the edge of the bluff, allowing for closer views of the ocean. This trail loops back to re-connect with the main trail near a park bench.

Tips: The trailhead along Highway 1 is well-signed and easy to locate.  The gravel parking lot has space for about 10 vehicles.  There is also overflow parking on the opposite side of the highway.  This is a popular trail on the weekends.

Harmony Headlands State Park is day-use only and has no facilities other than the porta-potty at the old bunkhouse.  No water is available; bring your own.

For families with small children, the main trail is suitable for jogging strollers.  The informal path along the bluffs is narrow and passes close to some steep drop-offs.  Small children should be closely supervised in this area.

NOTE: The actual elevation change for this hike is approximately +200'/-200' for the entire round-trip.