Bean Hollow Rd - Pescadero, CA

Bean Hollow Rd is one of those short ribbons of asphalt that most riders blast right past without ever noticing, but it is absolutely worth the detour.

Located just outside Pescadero, CA, Bean Hollow Road parallels Highway 1 and cuts inland through rolling coastal ranchland. The road itself is only a few miles long, but it serves up immediate access to dramatic oceanfront bluffs, open pastureland, and sweeping views of the Pacific that are completely hidden from the main highway, plus being a leg in the below route list. The area remains beautifully rural, flanked by agricultural parcels and massive, wind-swept coastal ranches.

The route takes its name from nearby Bean Hollow State Beach—a rugged, jagged section of the San Mateo Coast famous for its rich tide pools, towering sea stacks, and secluded rocky coves.

From a riding perspective, Bean Hollow Rd isn't a destination for dragging pegs or scraping knees. Instead, it’s a place to drop a gear, slow down, and soak in the raw atmosphere. The pavement is no-center-line, traffic is non-existent, and the combination of coastal meadows, twisted cypress trees, and ocean views gives it a distinctly remote, isolated feel—despite being less than an hour from the hustle of the South Bay.

If you are out exploring Highway 1 between Half Moon Bay and Santa Cruz, Bean Hollow Rd makes for a perfect side trip of the main highway. You can easily connect Bean Hollow with a handful (below) of other narrow coastal backroads on the SF Peninsula that parallel Highway 1 to create a fantastic, all-day, slow-paced detour off the beaten path.

Try this Watsonville to Half Moon Bay backroads route:

Eureka Canyon Rd • Highland Way • Soquel San Jose Rd • Laurel Glen Rd • Branciforte Dr • Granite Creek Rd • Mount Herman Rd • Felten Empire Rd • Empire Grade • Jamison Creek Rd • Highway 236 • Highway 9 • Highway 35 • Alpine Rd • Pescadero Rd • Cloverdale Rd • Pigeon Point Lighthouse • Bean Hollow Rd • Stage Rd • Tunitas Creek Rd • Lobitos Creek Rd • Purisma Creek Rd • Higgins Canyon Rd • Half Moon Bay