San Mateo Coast State Parks

06/17/2026

Our beloved Creek Detectives Family Rangers program is back for a limited run at Butano State Park this summer! Join long-time volunteers to explore the amazing life beneath the surface of Little Butano Creek! You can drop-in anytime between 11 am and 1 pm on select Saturdays to learn about the fascinating life cycles of bugs that rely on the creek, and even get a close up view of some alien-looking insect babies through our field microscopes!
The Saturdays you can join the program are: June 20 and 27, July 11, August 8, 15, and 22!

For questions about this program, please reach out to [email protected] or call (669) 758-1819

📍: Quiroste Tribal Lands

06/12/2026

Cruise the coast on Saturday June 13th, and join our first Coastal Family Rangers programs! 🐻 Collect the Jr. Rangers stamp and pin from Año Nuevo, Pigeon Point, and Rancho del Oso State Parks.

These three parks coordinated to stagger the timing of their programs throughout the day, allowing your family to visit each park’s program and cruise the coast with leisure. 🌱 Programs are at 11am (Pigeon Point), 1:15pm (Año Nuevo), and 2:30pm (Rancho del Oso).

📍Ohlone tribal land

06/12/2026

Got any summer blues? If you’re looking for a cure, check out these recurring programs offered from June throughout August along the San Mateo coast’s various California State Parks! 🌞

*program times are corrected here from previously posted graphic

📍 Ohlone tribal land

06/04/2026

Got any summer blues? If you’re looking for a cure, check out these recurring programs offered from June throughout August along the San Mateo coast’s various California State Parks! 🌞

📍 Ohlone tribal land

05/31/2026

California State Parks Week is just around the corner and with it, a special program coming to a park near you!

Enter :🌿🎶 Plant Tunes🎶🌿

Listen to music "made" by plants and create a unique piece of artwork inspired by the plant music! On Wednesday, June 10, meet at the Francis Beach Campground’s amphitheater at 1 pm for this two-hour program. We will get acquainted with a few different species of plants along the nearby nature trail and sit to listen to what the plants have to “say” using a PlantWave device.

Please register in advance at www.castateparksweek.org

While the event itself is free to attend, the $10 vehicle day use parking fee still applies.

Image description: Flyer for the Plant Tunes event thats part of California State Parks Week, taking place at Half Moon Bay State Beach on Wednesday, June 10, 2026 from 1-3 pm. Image shows an adult and child sitting on the ground making colorful watercolor paintings.

📍: Ohlone Tribal Lands

05/27/2026

Coming this summer to our southern San Mateo coast State Parks: Coastal Family Rangers! 🐻 Collect the Jr. Rangers stamp from Año Nuevo, Pigeon Point, and Rancho del Oso State Parks on the second Saturday of each month.

These three parks coordinated to stagger the timing of their programs throughout the day, allowing your family to visit each park’s program and cruise the coast with leisure. Programs are at 11am (Pigeon Point), 1:15pm (Año Nuevo), and 2:30pm (Rancho del Oso).

Join us on Saturday, June 13th for our first Coastal Family Rangers day, and visit Pigeon Point, Año Nuevo, and Rancho del Oso to earn your trifecta of stamps from our southern San Mateo coast State Parks! 🏆

📍 Quiroste tribal land

05/20/2026

Start collecting your Jr. Rangers stamps this weekend at Francis Beach of Half Moon Bay State Beaches! Meet at the Francis Beach visitor center at 10:30am for Nature Journaling on Saturday and Sunday, and earn a stamp your Junior Ranger logbooks 🐻 (Jr. Ranger programs are intended for children 7-12 years old.)

📍 Ohlone tribal land

05/20/2026

Coming this summer to our southern San Mateo coast State Parks: Coastal Family Rangers! 🐻 Collect the Jr. Rangers stamp from Año Nuevo, Pigeon Point, and Rancho del Oso State Parks on the second Saturday of each month.

These three parks coordinated to stagger the timing of their programs throughout the day, allowing your family to visit each park’s program and cruise the coast with leisure. Programs are at 11am (Pigeon Point), 1:15pm (Año Nuevo), and 2:30pm (Rancho del Oso).

Join us on Saturday, June 13th for our first Coastal Family Rangers day, and visit Pigeon Point, Año Nuevo, and Rancho del Oso to earn your trifecta of stamps from our southern coast State Parks! 🏆

📍 Quiroste tribal land

05/13/2026

Thar she blows! 🐋Maritime Day at Pigeon Point Light Station is coming up soon! Join us this Saturday, May 16th from 12pm to 4pm and explore maritime-themed activities and crafts and learn more about maritime history. ⚓Tag along on our historic shipwrecks walking tour and embrace the rocky coast at this free event for all ages (landlubbers welcome too).

📍 Quiroste tribal land

04/25/2026