A short hike involving rock scrambling and beach walk, feasible only in low tide conditions.

Location: Pigeon Point Light Station State Historic Park

» Official Trail Map: Good map showing various trails.

Route: This hike could be dangerous if you do not time it appropriately, or if tidal conditions change unexpectedly. So be cautious. This hike involves following the coastline for about 4.5 miles by walking over short sandy stretches, hopping on wet boulders and scrambling over large rocks in low tide conditions. Many of these rocks are slippery and wet, so be very careful. About 0.7 miles into the hike, the first beach starts. At the 1.5 mile mark, the second beach starts. Beyond the second beach, making progress along the rocky coastline gets increasingly difficult, so it's best to turn back when you feel uncomfortable. Return by the same route.

Notes: All along this hike, there is private property between the coastline and Highway 1. In August 2011, we did not see any path leading out to Highway 1. When further progress along the coastline became impossible, we requested a crew of construction workers building a home to allow us to cross over to Highway 1. After getting permission, we reached Highway 1 and returned to Pigeon Point Lighthouse by walking along Highway 1. Please respect private property and do not trespass.

Low Tide Conditions: It is safest to attempt this hike in zero or minus tide conditions. Please give yourself ample time to walk about 3 to 4 miles, scrambling over rocks and walking across sandy beaches. For low tides, check tide tables at AmericanTides, for example. The closest point for which AmericanTides has tide information is Ano Nuevo Island.

Location: 210 Pigeon Point Road, Pescadero, CA 94060 . Parking area is visible in Google Maps if you zoom in sufficiently.

Directions: From CA-84 West, turn left onto CA-1 South and drive for 10.2 miles. Turn right onto Pigeon Point Road and drive for 0.2 miles to reach the parking lot for Pigeon Point Hostel.

Google Maps:

Parking Fees: None (last visited: August 2011)

Capacity: Over 20 cars may be parked here.

Latitude: 37.183038     Longitude: -122.394043