Day-use Area 8am to Sunset
Visitor Center and Park Store Hours
Thursdays through Mondays 10am-4pm
Pigeon Point Light Station State Historic Park
Phone Number
(650) 879-2120
Park Hours
Driving Directions to Pigeon Point Light Station SHP
On California Highway 1, 20 miles south of Half Moon Bay and 27 miles north of Santa Cruz.Online reservations are not available for this park.
Upcoming Park Events
OVERNIGHT FACILITIES
Lodging
Lodging
TRAIL USE
Hiking Trails
Hiking Trails
DAY-USE ACTIVITIES & FACILITIES
Historical/Cultural Site
Picnic Areas
Env. Learning/Visitor Center
Exhibits and Programs
Fishing
Guided Tours
Interpretive Exhibits
Beach Area
Swimming
Nature & Wildlife Viewing
Windsurfing/Surfing
Geocaching
Historical/Cultural Site
Picnic Areas
Env. Learning/Visitor Center
Exhibits and Programs
Fishing
Guided Tours
Interpretive Exhibits
Beach Area
Swimming
Nature & Wildlife Viewing
Windsurfing/Surfing
Geocaching
147th Anniversary Celebration of the Pigeon Point Light Station
1– 5pm: Welcome tent – hosted by Coastside State Parks Association
1– 5pm: Food truck, face painting, live music & plant sale in picnic area
1– 5pm: Children’s activities in dining hall
1– 4:30pm: Tower base tours every 30 minutes, starting at flag pole; Tickets are $10 and can be purchased in the park store
1–5pm: Author JoAnn Semones book signing in the fog signal building
5– 7pm: Visitor center/Fresnel lens & park store remain open
Join California State Parks and Coastside State Parks Association for the celebration of the 147th anniversary of Pigeon Point Light Station on Saturday, November 16 from 1 to 7pm. This free event includes tours, information booths, live music, face painting, children’s activities, maritime author JoAnn Semones, a food truck, and a native plant sale. The visitor center and park store will remain open through 7pm to show off the first order Fresnel lens, the original lighthouse beacon. For more information, please call (650) 879-2120, or email Volunteers.PigeonPoint@Parks.CA.gov. Event made possible by California State Parks and Coastside State Parks Association.
Visiting Pigeon Point Light Station
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Perched on a cliff on the central California coast, 50 miles south of San Francisco, the 115-foot Pigeon Point Lighthouse, one of the tallest lighthouses in America, has been guiding mariners since 1872. Its five-wick lard oil lamp, and first-order Fresnel lens, comprised of 1,008 prisms, was first lit at sunset, November 15, 1872. The lens stands 16 feet tall, 6 feet in diameter, and weighs 2,000 pounds. Now on display in the Fog Signal building, it sat in a lantern room constructed at the Lighthouse Service's general depot in New York before being shipped around the Horn. Although the original Fresnel lens is no longer in use, the lighthouse is still an active U.S. Coast Guard aid to navigation using a Vega Marine Rotating Beacon.The coastal areas surrounding Pigeon Point Light Station are rich with life. Marine mammals, such as seals and whales, can be seen regularly from shore as they pass by beyond the surf. The intertidal zone along this part of the coast, particularly in the rocky reefs that flank the light station, contains a diverse and numerous variety of plant and animal life.
Lighthouse Closed for Repairs
In December 2001, a section of the iron belt course on the exterior of the lighthouse fell off. The lighthouse will remain closed until the structure can be restored. The lighthouse may still be viewed from the grounds. For more information go to Lighthouse Restoration
Activities
Tours: Half hour guided history walks around the lighthouse grounds are available staff permitting, or upon request by calling 650-879-2120
Basic Park Information
DOGS are not permitted on the lighthouse grounds (except for service animals).
ADMISSION & PARKING is free.
SMOKING is not permitted in the park.
DRONES are not allowed in the park. To protect wildlife and cultural resources, and for the safety and welfare of visitors and staff, the park is closed to the use of Model Aircraft, Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS), and Gliders in flight.
FACILITIES — The park has restrooms near the parking lot, a pay phone, and limited picnic tables. A park store is located in the historic carpenter's shop. A small public beach is located 100 yards from the main parking lot.
PIGEON POINT HOSTEL is run by hosteling international for guests who are interested in staying overnight. For more information and reservations, please click here.
WEDDING & SPECAIL EVENT PERMITS: SMPermits@parks.ca.gov or (650) 726-8815
FILM & PHOTOGRAPHY PERMITS: For information on obtaining these permits please contact the park directly.