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Zmudowski State Beach
UPDATE (May 1, 2020): This beach continues to be temporarily closed to vehicular access, meaning there are no parking facilities and parking on roadways is prohibited to protect public health from the COVID-19 pandemic. Although the beach is open to local residents, they must abide by the following guidelines:
Statewide, many parks and beaches are temporarily closed or have very limited access to ensure Californians are abiding and practicing physical distancing. The goals are to make sure people are safe and to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 as much as possible. To view the list of closures and what they mean to the public, please visit www.parks.ca.gov/FlattenTheCurve.
- Stay Local: Walk or bike into the beach. Do not drive to the beach.
- Keep It Moving: Keep walking, jogging, surfing, swimming, etc. No sitting. No sunbathing.
- Leave It at Home: No coolers, umbrellas, shade tents, barbecues or chairs.
- Stay Safer at 6 Feet: Maintain a physical distance of 6 feet or more. Gatherings, picnics and beach parties are not allowed. Visitors are being asked to leave if there are too many people at the beach or on trails to allow for the required physical distance.
- Stay Clean: Be prepared. Bring soap/ sanitizer and pack out all trash.
Statewide, many parks and beaches are temporarily closed or have very limited access to ensure Californians are abiding and practicing physical distancing. The goals are to make sure people are safe and to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 as much as possible. To view the list of closures and what they mean to the public, please visit www.parks.ca.gov/FlattenTheCurve.
Phone Number
(831) 649-2836
Park Hours
Dogs Allowed?
No
Dogs not allowed beyond day-use parking lot.
Driving Directions to Zmudowski SB
The beach is located 20 miles northwest of Monterey off Highway 1. Take Stuve Road and turn to Giberson Road.Online reservations are not available for this park.
Upcoming Park Events
No events scheduled at this moment.
DAY-USE ACTIVITIES & FACILITIES
Picnic Areas
Fishing
Beach Area
Swimming
Nature & Wildlife Viewing
Windsurfing/Surfing
Geocaching
Picnic Areas
Fishing
Beach Area
Swimming
Nature & Wildlife Viewing
Windsurfing/Surfing
Geocaching
OTHER FACILITIES & VISITOR INFORMATION
Parking
Wheelchair Accessible
Parking
Wheelchair Accessible
About Zmudowski State Beach
The beach is a popular fishing area, featuring perch, kingfish, sole, flounder, halibut, bocaccio (tomcod), jacksmelt, lingcod, cabezon, salmon, steelhead and occasional rockfish.
The beach features the Pajaro River estuary, where a natural preserve has been set aside.
The sandy beach is also popular with bird watchers and equestrians. Horses are only allowed near the waterline. Swimming and water sports are hazardous because of strong rip-currents.
PARK HOURS – 8 a.m. to ½ hour after sunset.
FEES – there is no fee to visit this park.
OCEAN SAFETY – dangerous rip currents, frigid water, and deep offshore drop-offs make surfing and swimming hazardous.
DOGS are not permitted on the beach or dunes.
HORSES are permitted to access the beach only by the designated route and to ride only on the wet sand, below the high tide line to protect wildlife and vegetation. In the parking lot, owners are required to clean up after their horses, including removing horse manure. Manure and straw should be shoveled into the horse trailer. Manure and straw shall not be thrown into the dunes.
FIRES are not permitted.
DRONES are not allowed in the park. To protect wildlife and for the safety and welfare of visitors and staff, the park is closed to the use of Model Aircraft and Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS).
WESTERN SNOWY PLOVERS use Zmudowski State Beach, including the beach and foredune areas for nesting, rearing of young, and for winter habitat. This bird nests directly on the beach sand. Entering or disturbing a posted plover nesting area is a violation of state and federal law. Click this link to view a video of a hatching snowy plover nest.
Location-Directions
The beach is located 20 miles northeast of Monterey off Highway 1. Take Struve Road and turn to Giberson Road.
Seasons/Climate/Recommended Clothing
The weather can be changeable. Layered clothing is advised.
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.