State Beach

Salinas River State Beach

Monterey County, CaliforniaAbout 286 acres
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(831) 649-2836

Official page last checked Oct 29, 2026. How we keep this current

Overview

11th Armored Cavalry Regiment Horse Detachment rode at Salinas River State Beach, Moss Landing, California on May 13, 2023
11th Armored Cavalry Regiment Horse Detachment rode at Salinas River State Beach, Moss Landing, California on May 13, 2023. Photo: Presidio of Monterey: DLIFLC & USAG. Public domain (US federal government work)

Covering about 286 acres, Salinas River State Beach lies in Monterey County, about 7 miles north of Marina.

Visitors come for surfing, horseback riding, swimming, fishing, and wildlife watching. 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.

FacilityDaysHoursSeason
ParkDaily8 a.m. – sunset—
Official wording

8 AM – Sunset

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

Check availability and book

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 beach or dunes; this location.

Are dogs allowed? DOGS are not permitted on the beach or dunes. On-leash dogs are allowed on the trail adjacent to the wetland that runs between the Potrero Road and Sandholdt Road parking lots. PETS Dogs are not allowed at this location. Dogs on leash are allowed at Monterey State Beach (South of the Monterey Beach Resort hotel), Asilomar State Beach, Carmel River State Beach, and Garrapata State Park.

Service animals are generally permitted where pets are not. Check with the park for specific areas.

Camping

CAMPING

There is NO campground at this State Beach.

From the official park page, checked Oct 29, 2026. Site counts and prices can change; confirm when booking.

Things to do

PicnickingFishingSwimmingWildlife viewing and birdingSurfingGeocachingHorseback riding

Amenities

Facilities

  • 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.

Getting there

Address
Monterey Dunes Way
Moss Landing, CA 95039
Nearest town
Marina — about 7 mi north (straight line)
Coordinates
36.7743, -121.7932
Phone
(831) 649-2836

Entrances

  • Directions point

Google Maps directionsApple MapsOfficial park map (PDF)

Directions from the park

The beach is located one mile south of Moss Landing. Take Potrero from Highway 1.

Nearby state parks

Sources and freshness

“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

Report a correction for this park