Pescadero State Beach () is alongside State Route 1, located 14.5 miles south of

Half Moon Bay Half Moon Bay is a coastal city in San Mateo County, California, United States, approximately south of San Francisco. Its population was 11,795 as of the 2020 census. Immediately at the north of Half Moon Bay is Pillar Point Harbor and the un ...

and 1.5 miles west of the city of Pescadero in

San Mateo County, California San Mateo County ( ), officially the County of San Mateo, is a county (United States), county located in the U.S. state of California. As of the 2020 United States Census, 2020 census, the population was 764,442. Redwood City, California, Redwoo ...

. The beach has a mile-long shoreline with sandy coves, rocky cliffs, tide pools, fishing spots and picnic facilities. Across the highway is Pescadero Marsh Natural Preserve, a popular spot for bird watchers and other naturalists.

About

Pescadero State Beach has two distinct beach areas that are divided by the Pescadero creek. The northern beach is wider and more sandy and the southern beach is more rocky. The northern beach eventually connects to Pomponio State Beach and

San Gregorio State Beach San Gregorio State Beach is a beach near San Gregorio, California, United States, south of Half Moon Bay. Part of the California State Park System, the beach lies just west of the intersection of California State Route 1 and State Route 84. G ...

, depending on the tide levels. This park is also host to a natural marsh and wetlands area. The nature preserve is a refuge for steelhead, blue heron,

kite A kite is a tethered heavier than air flight, heavier-than-air or lighter-than-air craft with wing surfaces that react against the air to create Lift (force), lift and Drag (physics), drag forces. A kite consists of wings, tethers and anchors. ...

deer Deer or true deer are hoofed ruminant mammals forming the family Cervidae. The two main groups of deer are the Cervinae, including the muntjac, the elk (wapiti), the red deer, and the fallow deer; and the Capreolinae, including the reindeer ...

raccoon The raccoon ( or , ''Procyon lotor''), sometimes called the common raccoon to distinguish it from other species, is a mammal native to North America. It is the largest of the procyonid family, having a body length of , and a body weight of ...

fox Foxes are small to medium-sized, omnivorous mammals belonging to several genera of the family Canidae. They have a flattened skull, upright, triangular ears, a pointed, slightly upturned snout, and a long bushy tail (or ''brush''). Twelve sp ...

skunk Skunks are mammals in the family Mephitidae. They are known for their ability to spray a liquid with a strong, unpleasant scent from their anal glands. Different species of skunk vary in appearance from black-and-white to brown, cream or ginge ...

barn swallow The barn swallow (''Hirundo rustica'') is the most widespread species of swallow in the world. In fact, it appears to have the largest natural distribution of any of the world's passerines, ranging over 251 million square kilometres globally. ...

, and

weasel Weasels are mammals of the genus ''Mustela'' of the family Mustelidae. The genus ''Mustela'' includes the least weasels, polecats, stoats, ferrets and European mink. Members of this genus are small, active predators, with long and slender bo ...

. A common bird of northern California's rocky shoreline that are seen here too are the

black oystercatcher The black oystercatcher (''Haematopus bachmani'') is a conspicuous black bird found on the shoreline of western North America. It ranges from the Aleutian Islands of Alaska to the coast of the Baja California peninsula. The black oystercatcher ...

. The shoreline at the center and southern parking areas is protected from the ocean waves by offshore rocks with numerous tide pools and areas of open water. This habitat is frequently occupied by both the

Steller sea lion The Steller sea lion (''Eumetopias jubatus''), also known as the Steller's sea lion and northern sea lion, is a near-threatened species of sea lion in the northern Pacific. It is the sole member of the genus ''Eumetopias'' and the largest of t ...

and the

harbor seal The harbor (or harbour) seal (''Phoca vitulina''), also known as the common seal, is a true seal found along temperate and Arctic marine coastlines of the Northern Hemisphere. The most widely distributed species of pinniped (walruses, eared sea ...

. These

pinnipeds Pinnipeds (pronounced ), commonly known as seals, are a widely range (biology), distributed and diverse clade of carnivorous, fin-footed, semiaquatic, mostly marine mammal, marine mammals. They comprise the extant taxon, extant family (biology ...

alternately sun themselves by hauling onto the offshore rocks and sliding back into the water to hunt nearby. No dogs on beach. No camping. No beach fires. Fishermen seek fish and mollusks here, primarily

mussel Mussel () is the common name used for members of several families of bivalve molluscs, from saltwater and Freshwater bivalve, freshwater habitats. These groups have in common a shell whose outline is elongated and asymmetrical compared with other ...

s, and a California State fishing license is required for these activities. File:On the beach (296005828).jpg, Pescadero State Beach File:Pescadero beach.JPG, Pescadero State Beach File:Pescadero State Beach May 2017.jpg, ''

Lupinus arboreus ''Lupinus arboreus'', the yellow bush lupine (US) or tree lupin (UK), is a species of flowering plant in the legume family Fabaceae. Description ''Lupinus arboreus'' is an evergreen shrub growing to tall (hence the alternative common name, tree ...

'' in bloom File:Pescadero Beach - panoramio.jpg, ''

Armeria maritima ''Armeria maritima'', the thrift, sea thrift or sea pink, is a species of flowering plant in the family Plumbaginaceae. It is a compact evergreen perennial which grows in low clumps and sends up long stems that support globes of bright pink flow ...

'' ''californica'' in bloom. File:Pescadero marsh.JPG, Pescadero Marsh Natural Preserve File:Pescadero Marsh.jpg, Pescadero Marsh Natural Preserve File:Pescadero Lagoon 1 (8057662628).jpg, Pescadero Lagoon

References

External links

Official California State Parks webpageCoastal Images
California State Beaches Parks in San Mateo County, California San Francisco Bay Area beaches Beaches of San Mateo County, California Beaches of Northern California {{SanMateoCountyCA-geo-stub

About

See also

References

External links