What are the opening hours?

Monday 8am - 6pm Tuesday 8am - 6pm Wednesday 8am - 6pm Thursday 10am - 6pm Friday 10am - 6pm Saturday 10am - 6pm Sunday 10am - 6pm

Pigeon Point Light Station State Historic Park

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United States
Pescadero, CA
Pigeon Point Light Station State Historic Park

Temporary Closures
The lighthouse is currently closed to the public, but the grounds remain open. The lighthouse may still be viewed from the grounds.

Perched on a cliff on the central California coast, 50 miles south of San Francisco, the 115-foot Pigeon Point Lighthouse, one of the tallest lighthouses in America, has been guiding mariners since 1872. In December 2001, a section of the cornice on the exterior of the lighthouse fell off. The lighthouse will remain closed until the structure can be restored. Visitor Center and Park Store are open

Thursdays-Mondays, 10am-4pm, staff allowing. For current updates, call the park hotline at 650-879-2120. Location/Directions
The park is located along California Highway 1, 20 miles south of Half Moon Bay and 27 miles north of Santa Cruz. You can't miss the 115 foot tower just west of the highway. Seasons/Climate
The weather can be changeable; layered clothing is recommended.. Hostels
The lighthouse keeper's housing is restored and operated as a Hostel. The coastal areas surrounding Pigeon Point Light Station are rich with life. Marine mammals, such as seals and whales, can be seen regularly from shore as they pass by beyond the surf. The intertidal zone along this part of the coast, particularly in the rocky reefs that flank the light station, contains a diverse and numerous variety of plant and animal life. From the boardwalk behind the fog signal building, watch for gray whales on their annual migration between January and April. Walk through the tidepool area, 100 yards north of Pigeon Point.

05/28/2023

Are you missing us? 😢 We have officially moved to our new account, San Mateo Coast State Parks. Head over there to stay up to date with all the latest happenings within state parks in San Mateo County.

Image Description: Four photos of the San Mateo Coast State Parks (a close-up of an elephant seal, a scenic beach sunset view, Pigeon Point Light Station, and ocean waves crashing onto rocks in the surf) with the text “We Moved! Mateo Coast State Parks” centered in the middle.

📍Ohlone Tribal Land
Friends of Santa Cruz State Parks Coastside State Parks Association

05/27/2023

⏰ Time is running out! There is only 1 day left until we transition to our new account, San Mateo Coast State Parks. Pigeon Point will also be featured on Santa Cruz Historic State Parks. These accounts will be your one-stop shop for all things park related including park updates, interesting nature and historical facts, and connecting with fellow park lovers.

☝️ Be sure to follow us at San Mateo Coast State Parks and Santa Cruz Historic State Parks!

Image Description: a sign hanging with the text, “we’re moving” and a large number 1

📍Ohlone Tribal Land
Friends of Santa Cruz State Parks Coastside State Parks Association

05/26/2023

Do you love state parks? 🌲 Do you enjoy learning about nature? 🧐 Want to brush up on the California history? 🌁 If you answered yes to any of these questions, be sure to follow us on San Mateo Coast State Parks and Santa Cruz Historic State Parks.

We officially make the transition on May 26th so be sure to follow us on both new accounts! See you there!

Image Description: a sign hanging with the text, “we’re moving” and a large number 2

📍Ohlone Tribal Land
Friends of Santa Cruz State Parks Coastside State Parks Association

05/25/2023

📣 We have something exciting in store for you! Beginning May 26, 2023, we will be moving to a new account, San Mateo Coast State Parks. Pigeon Point is special in that it will also be featured on Santa Cruz Historic State Parks! Be sure to follow along on both accounts so you can stay up to date with the latest park happenings and connect with the community of park lovers!

Image Description: a hanging sign with the text, “we’re moving” and a large number 3

📍Ohlone Tribal Land
Friends of Santa Cruz State Parks Coastside State Parks Association

05/12/2023

Follow us at Mateo Coast State Parks and Cruz Historic State Parks
This account will be closing soon!!

Mark your calendars for our Inaugural Carrier Pigeon Day on June 10th from 10am-4pm at Pigeon Point Light Station State Historic Park!

Discover the history behind the name of this iconic landmark. Partake in shipwreck history tours with some of our knowledgeable staff and volunteers. Kids can enjoy nautical activities and games with the sea scouts while local artists showcase their work. Are you a painting enthusiast? Bring your easel and set up to paint the breathtaking lighthouse and surrounding scenery!! We encourage any medium of art: Song, dance, poem, photography, come out and show us what inspires you about the lighthouse.

Although we've been seeing lots of pigeon guillemots around the lighthouse lately, that's not why we call it Pigeon Point Lighthouse. Have you ever wondered why it's called Pigeon Point? Come join us on June 10th from 10am-4pm.

Don't miss out on this exciting day of history, culture, and fun! For more information or interest in displaying art at a booth, contact us at [email protected]

Photo description:
1.Pigeon Point Lighthouse
2.Carrier Pigeon Day flier that you might see posted around local parks and libraries.
3.Pigeon Guillemots taking a rest on some of the rocks off Pigeon Point.

Follow us at

04/28/2023

This is your invitation to follow our new account !

Our current accounts for Rancho Del Oso, Pigeon Point Light Station State Historic Park, and Half Moon Bay State Beach will be moving over to this new account on May 26th.

04/24/2023

SORRY FOR THE REPOST!

Introducing our new official state parks accounts - and . By following both accounts, you can get your daily dose of all the breathtaking natural beauty and rich history that the San Mateo coast and Santa Cruz District have to offer. We'll be posting Pigeon Point-specific content on every Wednesday and every Saturday.

We know this change might seem a little confusing to some of our longtime followers, but trust us, it's worth it. You'll get even more stunning photos, fascinating history, and insider tips on all the state parks in the area. Plus, for all you lighthouse lovers out there, we have some exciting news - restoration work will be starting this summer! That's right, we're talking scaffolding, hard hats, and everything.

This account will remain open so you can look back at all the cool Pigeon Point stuff over the years, but for all the latest updates and juicy details, be sure to follow and .

So, what are you waiting for? Follow us now, and join us on our mission to discover, explore, and appreciate all the state parks in the area.

Image Description:

1.Pigeon Point Lighthouse on a sunny day taken from the observation deck.

#

04/19/2023

Attention all Pigeon Point Lighthouse lovers! We're excited to announce that we have a new Instagram and Facebook account dedicated to all the amazing state parks on the San Mateo Coast. Follow us at to stay up-to-date on the latest park updates, interpretive information, and stunning photos of the California coastline.

We'll be closing this account soon, so be sure to hop on over to our new page to keep in touch with all the park news and happenings. And if you're a fan of Pigeon Point Lighthouse, you won't want to miss out on our latest post on earth day!

So come on over and join us at , and let's continue to celebrate and protect the natural beauty of our beloved California coast. See you there! 🌿🌊🐳

04/14/2023

Have you followed our new account San Mateo Coast State Parks yet? It’s got great info and fantastic photos and videos of some of your favorite state parks and beaches, including Half Moon Bay State Beach, Año Nuevo State Park, Pigeon Point Light Station State Historic Park, and the Rancho del Oso portion of Big Basin. What are you waiting for? Join us today!

⚠️Make sure to follow San Mateo Coast State Parks soon as the Pigeon Point account will be closed in May 2023.

Image description: A circle of 6 round photos highlighting San Mateo Coast State Parks including a western snowy plover, scenic view of lighthouse at Pigeon Point Light Station State Historic Park, bench at Francis Beach overlook, close-up of clarkia flower, sunset over ocean at Francis Beach, and close-up of field of California poppies. The photos have different whimsical arrows that point to the circle center where text reads, “Follow Us! ”

📍Ohlone Tribal Lands

04/06/2023

re you looking for a rewarding career and love being out on the water? Join us on Saturday, April 15 at the Rio del Mar State Beach platforms for State Park Lifeguard tryouts! Sign up with the QR code on the flyer or visit https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdSWA9s2ZOKGw5yAJScuIi6XT_25RPOWG0nIUrS0RVWtE_qJw/viewform

Test swim starts at 9 am and interviews will be held on the same day. The tryout consists of a 1000 yard ocean swim with a 20 minute cut-off and an 800 yard run-swim-run sequence (200 yd run, 400 yd swim, 200 yd run) with a 10 minute cut-off time.

For more information, contact Sergeant Byran Kine at [email protected] or (831) 212-7753.

Image description: Recruitment flyer for Santa Cruz area State Park Lifeguard tryouts

CA State Parks Jobs Friends of Santa Cruz State Parks

04/05/2023

Pigeon Point this past Sunday.

One of our volunteers spotted an emaciated Elephant seal weaner on the beach and called in the Marine Mammal Center.

What do you do if you see an animal in distress?

We posted signage and called the Marine Mammal Center. They got there around 3:45 and determined it needed to be taken in for rehabilitation. He was very reluctant to get in the carrier, but they were great, very patient & gentle. He’s on his way to get rehabbed & hopefully released after putting on some weight.

If you see something like this keep your distance, and please let any park/volunteer staff know and we will try to get the proper help!

Thank you, docent Linda, for these awesome pictures and contacting MMC! Thank you, Marine Mammal Center volunteers, for your help!

03/29/2023

Check the link in our bio for NY Times article on Pigeon Point https://likeshop.me/nytimestravel

Thank you, Bonnie Tsui, for this awesome and relatable article!! We're glad you had a great time staying at the Pigeon Point Hostel.
Thanks for sharing your adventures exploring the wonders of the Lighthouse and the San Mateo Coast.

“I couldn’t help but think of Virginia Woolf’s ‘To the Lighthouse,’” she writes, “the slim yet infinite novel that has been with me since high school, which unspools the life of an English family over two summer days in the Scottish Hebrides, a decade apart. Eudora Welty once described ‘To the Lighthouse’ as possessing a view that is multiple, ‘time-affected’: ‘Here, with this houseful of family and summer guests, on these few miles of shore and sea, with Lighthouse, life has been intensified, not constricted, not lessened in range but given expansion.’”

Check out the link to our bio to read more of the story!

We will be switching accounts follow

Photo Description
1.The lighthouse on a sunny day taken from whalers cove.
2. Elephant seal weaners “conserving energy” at Ano Nuevo

Address

210 Pigeon Point Road
Pescadero, CA
94060

Opening Hours

Monday	8am - 6pm
Tuesday	8am - 6pm
Wednesday	8am - 6pm
Thursday	10am - 6pm
Friday	10am - 6pm
Saturday	10am - 6pm
Sunday	10am - 6pm

Telephone

+16508792120

Website

http://www.parks.ca.gov/pigeonpoint

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