Montara State Beach
- Status
- Open (per official listing)Daily 8 a.m. – sunset
- Entrance fee
- Statewide rule — see below
- Day-use reservations
- None mentioned
- Dogs
- Dogs allowed6-ft leash
- Camping
- None listed
- Official site
- parks.ca.gov(650) 726-8819
Official page last checked Oct 29, 2026. How we keep this current
Overview
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Covering about 965 acres, Montara State Beach lies in San Mateo County, about 5 miles southwest of Pacifica.
Visitors come for surfing, horseback riding, boating, swimming, and fishing. Facilities for water recreation include a swimming beach.
Hours
Park, gate, office and facility hours are listed separately because they often differ. Alerts above override normal hours.
| Facility | Days | Hours | Season |
|---|---|---|---|
| Park | Daily | 8 a.m. – sunset | — |
Official wording
8am to Sunset Camping is not available at this park.
Source: official park page, checked Oct 29, 2026. Times are local to the park (America/Los Angeles).
Fees and passes
Per vehicle at most parks (vehicles of 9 people or less, walk/bike-in free); per person at State Historic Parks and museums; amounts vary by park and are listed on each park page.
Statewide fee rule from California's park system; this park’s page doesn’t list its own fees.
California park passes
- California Explorer Annual Pass — $195. Vehicle day-use entry to 134 state parks incl. high-demand Southern California beaches Details
- Golden Poppy Annual Pass — $125. Vehicle day-use entry to 112 state parks Details
- Historian Passport — $50. Admission for up to four people at per-person-fee State Historic Parks Details
- Off-Highway Vehicle (OHV) Annual Pass — $50. Entry to State Vehicular Recreation Areas that collect day-use fees Details
- SNO-Park Pass — $40 season / $15 day. 18 SNO-PARK winter recreation areas Details
From the California state guide. Confirm which passes this park accepts.
Reservations
- Day use
- No day-use reservation requirement mentioned
- Booking system
- ReserveCalifornia
- Phone
- (800) 444-7275
We link to the official booking system rather than showing live availability, which changes minute to minute.
Pets
Dogs allowed · leash up to 6 feet
Are dogs allowed? DOGS are permitted provided they are controlled with a leash of no more than six feet at all times.
Service animals are generally permitted where pets are not. Check with the park for specific areas.
Things to do
BoatingPicnickingFishingSwimmingWildlife viewing and birdingSurfingGeocachingHikingHorseback riding
Amenities
Facilities
- Restrooms
- Picnic areas
- Nature center or museum
- Parking
Water
- Swimming beach
Recreation
- Horse trails
✓ listed by the park · ✕ the park says it is not available. Anything not shown here isn’t mentioned by the official source — that means unknown, not unavailable.
Accessibility
Overview
Montara State Beach is a popular spot for sunbathing, strolling, nature study, surfing, and more. The beach, west of Highway 1, has high bluffs and a sandy shore nestled between bounding low hills. To the east, Montara Mountain (also known as McNee Ranch) looms above. Phone (650) 726-8819 for more information.
Picnic Area
The Martini Creek day use area includes two accessible picnic areas, accessible vault restrooms, and accessible parking. A paved accessible route connects the provided parking to the restrooms and picnic areas. One picnic table is adjacent to the restrooms and the other is approximately 180 feet north of the restrooms on a bluff overlooking the ocean. The picnic areas, and the accessible path that connects them, are constructed from compacted aggregate.
Official accessibility information
Conditions change. Contact the park to confirm specific accessible features before your visit.
Getting there
- Address
- 130 2nd St
Montara, CA 94037 - Nearest town
- Pacifica — about 5 mi southwest (straight line)
- Coordinates
- 37.5455, -122.5144
- Phone
- (650) 726-8819
- SMPermits@parks.ca.gov
Entrances
- Directions point
Google Maps directionsApple MapsOfficial park map (PDF)
Directions from the park
About 20 miles south of San Francisco, the beach is located 8 miles north of Half Moon Bay on Hwy 1. There are two beach access points from the bluff area: One access point is across from Second St; the other access point is about 1/2 mile north, west of Hwy 1.
Nearby state parks
Sources and freshness
- California State Parks — park page — last checked Oct 29, 2026
- California State Parks Listing page (one link per unit, page_id = officialId), unioned with the CSP Enterprise GIS 'ParkEntryPoints' ArcGIS layer (coords, address, county, unit number, management status) and the 'CSPParkUnit_CurrentStatus' layer (open/partial/full closure)
- Wikidata
- USGS PAD-US 4.1 (boundary and acreage)
- Photo: Montara Surf Check (Unsplash).jpg — CC0 1.0 (public domain dedication), Josh Austin joshaustin
“Last checked” is when our system last read the official source. No change has been detected since this page was first published. Hours, fees and rules can change without notice — confirm with the park before you go. Methodology