State Parks Near San Mateo, California
46 state park units lie within 50 miles of San Mateo. The closest is Burleigh H. Murray Ranch Park Property, about 9 mi southwest of town. 19 parks are within 25 miles, close enough for an evening visit.
- Closest park
- Burleigh H. Murray Ranch Park Property9 mi southwest
- Within 25 miles
- 19of 46 within 50 mi
- With camping
- 19parks list campsites
- Dog-friendly
- 29pets allowed
State parks near San Mateo, nearest first
Straight-line distance from central San Mateo; driving distance is usually longer.
Burleigh H. Murray Ranch Park Property
Visitors come for horseback riding, historic sites, wildlife watching, geocaching, and picnicking.
Hours, fees and rules for Burleigh H. Murray Ranch Park Property →Half Moon Bay State Beach
Visitors come for surfing, horseback riding, boating, swimming, and fishing. Water access includes a swimming beach. Camping is available: campsites, including RV sites, tent sites, group camping, and showers.
Hours, fees and rules for Half Moon Bay State Beach →Pacifica State Beach
The park supports surfing, swimming, fishing, wildlife watching, and geocaching. Facilities for water recreation include a swimming beach.
Hours, fees and rules for Pacifica State Beach →Gray Whale Cove State Beach
Things to do include surfing, boating, swimming, fishing, and wildlife watching. Facilities for water recreation include a swimming beach.
Hours, fees and rules for Gray Whale Cove State Beach →Montara State Beach
Visitors come for surfing, horseback riding, boating, swimming, and fishing. Facilities for water recreation include a swimming beach.
Hours, fees and rules for Montara State Beach →Candlestick Point State Recreation Area
Things to do include surfing, boating, swimming, fishing, and geocaching. Water access includes a swimming beach.
Hours, fees and rules for Candlestick Point State Recreation Area →San Bruno Mountain State Park
The park supports horseback riding, historic sites, ranger programs, wildlife watching, and geocaching.
Hours, fees and rules for San Bruno Mountain State Park →Thornton State Beach
Covering about 63 acres, Thornton State Beach lies in San Mateo County, in Daly City.
Hours, fees and rules for Thornton State Beach →Robert W. Crown Memorial State Beach
Popular activities here are surfing, historic sites, boating, swimming, and fishing. Facilities for water recreation include a swimming beach.
Hours, fees and rules for Robert W. Crown Memorial State Beach →San Gregorio State Beach
Things to do include surfing, boating, swimming, fishing, and wildlife watching. On the water side, there is a swimming beach.
Hours, fees and rules for San Gregorio State Beach →Pomponio State Beach
Things to do include surfing, historic sites, boating, swimming, and fishing. On the water side, there is a swimming beach.
Hours, fees and rules for Pomponio State Beach →Emeryville Crescent State Marine Reserve
The park supports surfing, boating, fishing, wildlife watching, and biking. On the water side, there is a swimming beach.
Hours, fees and rules for Emeryville Crescent State Marine Reserve →Pescadero State Beach
Visitors come for surfing, boating, swimming, fishing, and wildlife watching. Facilities for water recreation include a swimming beach.
Hours, fees and rules for Pescadero State Beach →McLaughlin Eastshore State Park State Seashore
Popular activities here are surfing, historic sites, boating, swimming, and fishing. On the water side, there is a swimming beach.
Hours, fees and rules for McLaughlin Eastshore State Park State Seashore →Portola Redwoods State Park
The park supports historic sites, swimming, geocaching, picnicking, and hiking. Camping is available: campsites, including RV sites, tent sites, group camping, and showers.
Hours, fees and rules for Portola Redwoods State Park →Albany State Marine Reserve
Things to do include surfing, boating, fishing, wildlife watching, and hiking. Facilities for water recreation include a swimming beach.
Hours, fees and rules for Albany State Marine Reserve →Angel Island State Park
The park supports snorkeling and diving, surfing, historic sites, boating, and swimming. Facilities for water recreation include a boat ramp. Camping is available: campsites, including tent sites and group camping.
Hours, fees and rules for Angel Island State Park →Bean Hollow State Beach
The park supports surfing, boating, swimming, fishing, and wildlife watching. Facilities for water recreation include a swimming beach.
Hours, fees and rules for Bean Hollow State Beach →Butano State Park
The park supports horseback riding, historic sites, ranger programs, geocaching, and biking. Overnight options include campsites, with RV sites and tent sites.
Hours, fees and rules for Butano State Park →Castle Rock State Park
Popular activities here are horseback riding, historic sites, geocaching, and hiking. For overnight stays there are campsites (tent sites).
Hours, fees and rules for Castle Rock State Park →Pigeon Point Light Station State Historic Park
The park supports surfing, historic sites, swimming, fishing, and ranger programs. Facilities for water recreation include a swimming beach.
Hours, fees and rules for Pigeon Point Light Station State Historic Park →Big Basin Redwoods State Park
Popular activities here are surfing, horseback riding, historic sites, swimming, and ranger programs.
Hours, fees and rules for Big Basin Redwoods State Park →Mount Diablo State Park
The park supports horseback riding, historic sites, ranger programs, wildlife watching, and geocaching. For overnight stays there are campsites (RV sites, tent sites, group camping, and showers).
Hours, fees and rules for Mount Diablo State Park →Mount Tamalpais State Park
Things to do include snorkeling and diving, surfing, horseback riding, historic sites, and swimming. On the water side, there is a swimming beach. Camping is available: campsites, including tent sites, group camping, and equestrian camping.
Hours, fees and rules for Mount Tamalpais State Park →Año Nuevo State Park
Popular activities here are historic sites, ranger programs, wildlife watching, picnicking, and hiking.
Hours, fees and rules for Año Nuevo State Park →China Camp State Park
Visitors come for surfing, horseback riding, historic sites, boating, and swimming. On the water side, there is a swimming beach and a boat ramp. For overnight stays there are campsites (tent sites and showers).
Hours, fees and rules for China Camp State Park →Martial Cottle Park State Recreation Area
In Santa Clara County, about 3 miles southwest of San Jose, Martial Cottle Park State Recreation Area covers about 137 acres.
Hours, fees and rules for Martial Cottle Park State Recreation Area →Lake Del Valle State Recreation Area
Popular activities here are surfing, horseback riding, historic sites, boating, and swimming. On the water side, there is a swimming beach, a boat ramp, and boat or kayak rentals.
Hours, fees and rules for Lake Del Valle State Recreation Area →Benicia Capitol State Historic Park
Popular activities here are historic sites and ranger programs.
Hours, fees and rules for Benicia Capitol State Historic Park →Benicia State Recreation Area
The park supports fishing, wildlife watching, geocaching, biking, and picnicking. Facilities for water recreation include a swimming beach. Overnight options include campsites, with RV sites.
Hours, fees and rules for Benicia State Recreation Area →Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park
The park supports horseback riding, historic sites, fishing, ranger programs, and wildlife watching. Overnight options include campsites, with RV sites and tent sites.
Hours, fees and rules for Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park →Samuel P. Taylor State Park
Popular activities here are horseback riding, historic sites, wildlife watching, geocaching, and biking. Overnight options include campsites, with RV sites, tent sites, group camping, equestrian camping, and showers.
Hours, fees and rules for Samuel P. Taylor State Park →Marsh Creek State Park State Historic Park
The park supports historic sites.
Hours, fees and rules for Marsh Creek State Park State Historic Park →Bethany Reservoir State Recreation Area
Visitors come for surfing, boating, fishing, wildlife watching, and biking. Facilities for water recreation include a boat ramp.
Hours, fees and rules for Bethany Reservoir State Recreation Area →Carnegie State Vehicular Recreation Area
Its trail network totals roughly 80 miles, according to the park.
Hours, fees and rules for Carnegie State Vehicular Recreation Area →Santa Cruz Mission State Historic Park
The park supports historic sites, ranger programs, geocaching, and picnicking.
Hours, fees and rules for Santa Cruz Mission State Historic Park →Olompali State Historic Park
Visitors come for horseback riding, historic sites, ranger programs, geocaching, and picnicking.
Hours, fees and rules for Olompali State Historic Park →Wilder Ranch State Park
Things to do include horseback riding, historic sites, ranger programs, wildlife watching, and geocaching. On the water side, there is a swimming beach.
Hours, fees and rules for Wilder Ranch State Park →Natural Bridges State Beach
The park supports surfing, historic sites, ranger programs, wildlife watching, and geocaching. Facilities for water recreation include a swimming beach.
Hours, fees and rules for Natural Bridges State Beach →Twin Lakes State Beach
Popular activities here are surfing, boating, swimming, fishing, and geocaching. On the water side, there is a swimming beach.
Hours, fees and rules for Twin Lakes State Beach →Lighthouse Field State Beach
Things to do include historic sites, fishing, wildlife watching, geocaching, and biking. Water access includes a swimming beach.
Hours, fees and rules for Lighthouse Field State Beach →New Brighton State Beach
Visitors come for surfing, fishing, geocaching, and hiking. On the water side, there is a swimming beach. For overnight stays there are campsites (RV sites, tent sites, group camping, and showers).
Hours, fees and rules for New Brighton State Beach →The Forest of Nisene Marks State Park
The park supports historic sites, geocaching, picnicking, and hiking. The official site lists about 30 miles of trails. For overnight stays there are campsites (tent sites).
Hours, fees and rules for The Forest of Nisene Marks State Park →Seacliff State Beach
Popular activities here are surfing, fishing, geocaching, biking, and picnicking. On the water side, there is a swimming beach. Overnight options include campsites, with RV sites and showers.
Hours, fees and rules for Seacliff State Beach →Henry W. Coe State Park
Popular activities here are horseback riding, historic sites, boating, fishing, and ranger programs. Overnight options include campsites, with RV sites, tent sites, and group camping.
Hours, fees and rules for Henry W. Coe State Park →Franks Tract State Recreation Area
Popular activities here are boating and fishing.
Hours, fees and rules for Franks Tract State Recreation Area →
Best picks by activity
Camping near San Mateo
- Half Moon Bay State Beach 10 mi southwest · Campground listed
- San Bruno Mountain State Park 12 mi northwest · Campground listed
- Portola Redwoods State Park 21 mi south · Campground listed
- Angel Island State Park 23 mi north · Campground listed
- Butano State Park 25 mi south · Campground listed
+ 14 more in the list above
Dog-friendly state parks near San Mateo
- Burleigh H. Murray Ranch Park Property 9 mi southwest · Pets allowed under park rules
- Half Moon Bay State Beach 10 mi southwest · Pets allowed under park rules
- Gray Whale Cove State Beach 11 mi west · Pets allowed under park rules
- Montara State Beach 11 mi west · Pets allowed under park rules
- Robert W. Crown Memorial State Beach 14 mi north · Pets allowed under park rules
+ 24 more in the list above
Swimming near San Mateo
- Half Moon Bay State Beach 10 mi southwest · Beach, pool or swim area
- Pacifica State Beach 11 mi west · Beach, pool or swim area
- Gray Whale Cove State Beach 11 mi west · Beach, pool or swim area
- Montara State Beach 11 mi west · Beach, pool or swim area
- Candlestick Point State Recreation Area 11 mi north · Beach, pool or swim area
+ 22 more in the list above
Hiking near San Mateo
- Burleigh H. Murray Ranch Park Property 9 mi southwest · Hiking trails listed
- Half Moon Bay State Beach 10 mi southwest · Hiking trails listed
- Pacifica State Beach 11 mi west · Hiking trails listed
- Gray Whale Cove State Beach 11 mi west · Hiking trails listed
- Montara State Beach 11 mi west · Hiking trails listed
+ 32 more in the list above
Fishing near San Mateo
- Half Moon Bay State Beach 10 mi southwest · Fishing listed
- Pacifica State Beach 11 mi west · Fishing listed
- Gray Whale Cove State Beach 11 mi west · Fishing listed
- Montara State Beach 11 mi west · Fishing listed
- Candlestick Point State Recreation Area 11 mi north · Fishing listed
+ 22 more in the list above
Questions about state parks near San Mateo
What is the closest state park to San Mateo?
Burleigh H. Murray Ranch Park Property is the closest, about 9 miles southwest of San Mateo in a straight line. Next are Half Moon Bay State Beach and Pacifica State Beach.
How many state parks are near San Mateo?
46 state park units are within 50 miles, and 19 within 25 miles. That includes parks, recreation areas, historic sites and natural areas run by the state.
Which state parks near San Mateo have camping?
19 parks list camping, the nearest being Half Moon Bay State Beach, San Bruno Mountain State Park and Portola Redwoods State Park. Check each park page for site types, hookups and how to reserve.
Are dogs allowed at state parks near San Mateo?
Yes, at 29 parks, including Burleigh H. Murray Ranch Park Property, Half Moon Bay State Beach and Gray Whale Cove State Beach. Dogs usually must be leashed, and some areas such as beaches or buildings may be off-limits.
Are there free state parks near San Mateo?
None of the nearby parks list free entry; most charge a daily vehicle fee or accept an annual pass. Fees are on each park page.
State parks near other cities
- Near Menlo Park, CA11 mi southeast
- Near Oakland, CA15 mi north
- Near Newark, CA16 mi east
- Near Union City, CA16 mi east
- Near Sunnyvale, CA20 mi southeast
- Near Fremont, CA21 mi east
- Near Berkeley, CA21 mi north
- Near San Ramon, CA25 mi northeast
Or see all California state parks or every city we cover.
Built from official park data and updated as parks change; this list was last rebuilt Oct 30, 2026. Features shown are those the official source lists. Filter these parks on the map.