Devil's Slide (Gray Whale Cove)

01.05.10 - 10:54 am | Gary Hanauer |

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One of 70 beaches and parks that under an austerity budget signed by Governor Jerry Brown June 30 will be closed by the state to save money, Gray Whale Cove is still open at this writing. It's set to remain available for use through at least July 2012, although the days and hours when it is open may be shortened, according to Roy Stearns, deputy director of communications of the California State Parks.

Rangers at the site, which is about a mile north of Montara and is more commonly called Devil's Slide, say they will enforce state anti-nudity rules on the sand only if visitors complain. Until a few years ago, nude use had been the pervasive tradition at the site. But that's no longer the case. "It's not a nude beach," Supervising state park ranger Michael Grant told us last season.

However, with state budget woes and cutbacks of personnel, there have not been any reports of nudists being chased off the sprawling, pristine beach. Even if someone wants to complain about the naked people, rangers aren't usually at the beach and cell phone reception there to try to reach them is regarded as poor.

Part of the beach isn't even within state land, so it's not subject to enforcement by rangers.

Grant told us that enforcement is being left up to individual rangers. "What we do varies, depending on the circumstances," he says. "Every case is different."

Another administrator claims that it's unlikely nudists will be told to leave. "It's a relatively remote place, so we aren't going to be pursuing enforcement against nudity at Gray Whale Cove," said the administrator, who wanted to remain anonymous. "Nothing's changed about our enforcement."

He said that if a ranger drove up and saw two groups of school children approaching, then the beach would not be regarded as "remote" anymore. In such a case, naturists would probably be asked to suit up.

Down sharply from several hundred nude or topless visitors per warm day during its heyday as a privately operated nude beach, today maybe one or two in every 20 to 30 visitors go nude at the beautiful cove.

The remaining naturists tend to hang out on the north end of the shoreline. "It's a good place to recharge from work," says regular visitor Ron, who enjoys swimming there, even though signs warn of dangerous surf. The beach is open every day. Dogs are prohibited.

Legal status:

Gray Whale Cove State Beach.

How to find it:

From San Francisco, take Highway 1 south through Pacifica. Three miles south of the Denny's restaurant in Linda Mar, turn left (inland or east) on an unmarked road, which takes you to the beach's parking lot, from which a 146-step staircase leads to the sand. "The steps are in good shape," Ron says. Coming from the south on Highway 1, look for a road on the right (east), 1.2 miles north of the Chart House restaurant in Montara. Most naturists use the north end of the beach, which some visitors regard as the prettiest part of the shore.

The beach:

Good, sandy conditions continue to be reported this year at Gray Whale Cove, a 300-foot long site surrounded by orange-hued sandstone cliffs on one side and the beautiful Pacific Ocean on the other. "The beach is beautiful" and "tucked away on the coast," so it's not "over populated with city folks," tells Jane of San Francisco in a Yelp post after a visit in January 2011. Devil's Slide is a great place to read, tan, jog, play Frisbee, or watch (true to its state beach name) gray whales, pelicans, and surfers.

The crowd:

Tourists, families, surfers, and naturists all use the beach.

Problems:

Says Ranger Grant: "There's been an increase in break-ins of vehicles parked along the highway. No matter where you park, be sure to remove any property and take it with you." Change in enforcement policy (see above); influx of suited visitors; cold water; fog; wind; landslides sometimes close Highway 1; long walk to the beach; three great white sharks seen in '80s; parking fee; some sexual activity reported in north cove area and arrests for lewd behavior; and gawking (numerous reports on message boards).