Pigeon Point Light Station State Historic Park
- Status
- Open (per official listing)Daily 8 a.m. – sunset
- Entrance fee
- Statewide rule — see below
- Day-use reservations
- None mentioned
- Dogs
- Dogs allowed, with restrictions
- Camping
- Yes
- Official site
- parks.ca.gov(650) 879-2120
Official page last checked Oct 29, 2026. How we keep this current
Overview
Covering about 80 acres, Pigeon Point Light Station State Historic Park lies in San Mateo County, about 18 miles southwest of Woodside.
The park supports surfing, historic sites, swimming, fishing, and ranger programs. 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Day use | Daily | 8 a.m. – sunset | — |
| Visitor center | Tue, Thu | 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. | — |
Official wording
Day-Use Area: 8am to Sunset
Visitor Center & Park Store, Thursdays - Tuesdays: 10am - 4pm As staffing permits.
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, with restrictions
Not allowed in or on: the lighthouse grounds.
Are dogs allowed? DOGS are not permitted on the lighthouse grounds (except for service animals). For a list of locations that you can take your dog to in Santa Cruz County, view Where Can I Take My Dog?
Service animals are generally permitted where pets are not. Check with the park for specific areas.
Camping
Overnight facilities: Lodging
From the official park page, checked Oct 29, 2026. Site counts and prices can change; confirm when booking.
Cabins and lodging
- Lodging
Lodging
Things to do
Historic sites and toursPicnickingFishingRanger and interpretive programsSwimmingWildlife viewing and birdingSurfingGeocachingHiking
Amenities
Facilities
- Picnic areas
- Visitor center
- Nature center or museum
Water
- Swimming beach
✓ 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
Pigeon Point Light Station State Historic Park is the site of Pigeon Point Lighthouse and its related buildings, the Fog Signal Building, carpenter's shop, oil bunker, and keepers' cottages. The park grounds are open daily from 8 am to sunset and many of the buildings are open Thursday through Monday from 10 am to 4 pm. Phone (650) 879-2120 for more information.
Trails
A generally accessible boardwalk, which begins inside the park a short distance beyond the parking lot, leads to an observation deck behind the Fog Signal Building and offers breathtaking views of the rugged coastline.
Other trails may be usable; assistance may be necessary to traverse gravel areas.
Exhibits/Programs
Fog Signal Building: The museum located within this building is generally accessible.
Read more from the park
Carpenter's Shop: The park store located within this building is generally accessible.
Keepers' Cottages: These buildings are operated as a hostel by Hostelling International. There may be some degree of accessibility. Call (650) 879-0633 or visit the Pigeon Point Lighthouse Hostel website for more information.
Other Information
Designated accessible parking is available at the main parking lot near the entrance of the park. A generally accessible vault-style restroom is available at the parking lot.
Official accessibility information
Conditions change. Contact the park to confirm specific accessible features before your visit.
Getting there
- Address
- 210 Pigeon Point Road
Pescadero, CA 94060 - Nearest town
- Woodside — about 18 mi southwest (straight line)
- Coordinates
- 37.1826, -122.3936
- Phone
- (650) 879-2120
- SMPermits@parks.ca.gov
Entrances
- Directions point
Google Maps directionsApple MapsOfficial park map (PDF)
Directions from the park
On California Highway 1, 20 miles south of Half Moon Bay and 27 miles north of Santa Cruz.
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)
- USGS PAD-US 4.1 (boundary and acreage)
“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