Great selection of tide-pools with an excellent visitors center. Fitzgerald Marine Reserve is a 3-mile stretch of protected beach, tide pools, marshes and bluffs.
The volunteer docents are super knowledgeable and on weekends and holidays you’ll find them on hand about the reef to answer any questions and point out the really cool critters that live in the tidepools!
Adjacent to and possibly within the reserve is an endangered species of butterfly, the San Bruno elfin butterfly.
From the Fitzgerald website: at the sheltered sandy cove at the south end of the Reserve, take the trail to the bluff tops to return to the parking lot. Walk through the tangled garden of an old estate and through a century-old forest of wind-sculpted Monterey cypress trees. In the spring, California gray whales migrate north offshore. In the summer and fall, brown pelicans skim wave tops.
",us,37.510556,-122.509722,James Fitzgerald Marine Reserve ,us_pacific_coast,fitzgerald-marine-reserve,America/Los_Angeles,http://fitzgeraldreserve.org/,,"200 Nevada Ave. Moss Beach, Ca",
Bathrooms are at the ranger station near the parking lot
,Yes,Anlace,"[{""filename"": ""2020-08-28 21.59.14.jpg"", ""height"": 960, ""id"": ""attrjkoiKpEvxvSzg"", ""size"": 781759, ""thumbnails"": {""full"": {""height"": 3000, ""url"": ""https://v5.airtableusercontent.com/v1/13/13/1672632000000/btCUBw4SjPVgnEqnp1HwYw/gsBh-UfqmDn6Vg6ST9YoCJFVsBbCmKPplMOd_neyeQx3Fufiwmip29rxRbnblIxB4OXFu4HbNWWcleCMASoc6Q/aUnj6PN4dA_7DiYmriYazpwpAW9MxEzMmf8VAnbBAiI"", ""width"": 3000}, ""large"": {""height"": 512, ""url"": ""https://v5.airtableusercontent.com/v1/13/13/1672632000000/7t8GmkEBrtcWxpDZzGwTqQ/KanPLmnLz1KDXqX9Ad5lCyg_8JlBZRFurHsxq7qYic0CBq9_PsEpKRES3Su97W4_g1MR_1SfAm95E_l9NSHF4w/Q1PQ4Ku5LHl4TGGLHfZdsMmfGj6atzTnyBMAge5YgYE"", ""width"": 683}, ""small"": {""height"": 36, ""url"": ""https://v5.airtableusercontent.com/v1/13/13/1672632000000/hAK1JF1NqQwORQ04nGkSUw/V6MsHnqqRzyoY4gUzPyfIZGeiqnG3VubWbtn_NWsemYH6-LpwvB2b3PDm8TLCSOZ5GBbImqSUAVPsmTL_HYXcw/MWWeJilI4GC-LF-DskgZsdMYwLuuEXBjs9llfqSgMGs"", ""width"": 48}}, ""type"": ""image/jpeg"", ""url"": ""https://v5.airtableusercontent.com/v1/13/13/1672632000000/SW5Eh9imew-P5Cho1a339g/mVqtp93MPSTF7GpnqDXdc9cg63RvJNBX5bJKfWD7dBKJF0RLIQy0QLxwngGm5C9RQOf1slwf4jTKyBylPTG06413_vmuUBG4xGUPye-t6_M/ZronWBu_E521gAVMsMOc-VaQ6hcAptGS3B9iDpiUwIw"", ""width"": 1280}]","From Highway 1 at Moss Beach, turn west on California Avenue and proceed to the parking lot at the end of the street. The reserve’s main entrance is at the end of California Avenue.
Allow 45 minutes to reach the reserve from the intersection of Highways 280 and 92. (Buses with students can use either Highway 1 or Highway 92).
Buses will be directed where to park upon arrival.
Parking is extremely limited. If your group is traveling by car, carpooling is required.
",,"[""San Mateo County Parks""]",Yes,(650) 728-3584,Yes,Free,"Opens at 8am. Closing time varies seasonally, check the reserve website for specific openings.",,,Yes,No,There are lots of restaurants in the nearby town of Granada or in Half Moon Bay. The historic cliff-top restaurant Moss Beach Distillery is just South of the reserve and has been operating since 1927.
,"Fitzgerald Marine Reserve is in a no-take Marine Protected Area. You are not allowed to collect any sort of organisms, shells, rocks, driftwood, etc. Please do not bring buckets to the reef.
Don’t turn over rocks or put any animals in containers, don’t feed animals or pick them up.
Do not disturb the Harbor seals, Stay a safe 50ft distance away from them. If there are orange cones present on the beach or reef, stay on the side of the cones farthest away from the seals.
USE SPECIAL CAUTION during the March-to-June harbour seal pupping season, because if a mother seal is scared away from her baby, she is very likely to abandon the pup, which will die. If you see a pup that looks abandoned, STAY AWAY and call the reserve staff. They will monitor the pup and contact the Marine Mammal Center for a rescue if necessary.
","If you’re bringing a group of 15 or more, you must reserve a time and date for a docent-led tour. Consult their website for tour dates and reservations.
","The beach and reef are not accessible to walkers and wheelchairs. However, a paved trail through part of the reserve is accessible.
Don’t run on beach or reef as you could easily slip. There are often landslides so please stay away from the bottom of the fragile cliffs, don’t dig at the cliffs.
Always watch the ocean and be aware of the rising tide. Stay with your group and your volunteer naturalist guide.
The creek is polluted. Please cross the creek, but do not play in it.
",1,1,"No dogs at all, do not bring dogs with you.",0.5,http://www.fitzgeraldreserve.org/newffmrsite/good-tidepooler-rules-of-conduct/,9414131,Magnificent reef to visit for first-time tidepoolers and experienced naturalists alike.,1.0,2,https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fitzgerald_Marine_Reserve,,,,,, 2017-11-26T01:40:59.000Z,recTsm3KeweNFb8eW,Half moon bay,"Pillar Point is awesome! there is a lot of variety in the types of pool left by the tide. The left hand side (looking out to sea) has some small pocket pools and a wide flat seagrass bed. there are lots of accessible little pools near the beach and there's a small cut parallel to the beach which is a good place to spot fish.
The pools along the deeper ravine at a 90% angle to the beach have giant green anemones, acorn barnacles and is where you'll want to head to find nudibranchs. There are some sea palms and varied fauna on the rocks next to this ravine also.
This area is a popular surfing spot, also known as Mavericks when the tide is high and the waves can come in fast and strong so you'll need to watch your back and don't underestimate the tide. The smaller cut parallel to the beach fills in first so do wear water shoes!
",us,37.49542392,-122.49865193,Pillar Point,us_pacific_coast,pillar-point,America/Los_Angeles,www.smharbor.com/pillarpoint,"Park in the parking lot at the bottom of the radar station if possible, follow the trail at the sea-end of the carpark straight out and along as the path swings to the right around the bluff. The tide pools, shallow-water sea grass beds and a secluded beach are about half a mile or so from the carpark after you pass the jetty on the left.
Keep an eye out for shorebirds in the marsh to the left, harbor seals in the secluded harbor before the jetty and nesting great blue herons in the trees on the walk to the tide pools.
",Pillar Point Harbor CA,Two porta potties are available in the carpark which is about half a mile from the site.,Yes,,,"Parking available at the radar station and in the overflow carpark. Parking is often full, best to arrive at least an hour before low tide to leave enough time to park and also walk the half mile to the tide pools.
",,,Yes,(650) 726-5727,No,Free,,37.501768,-122.496765,No,Yes,There are lots of restaurants in the nearby town of Granada or in Half Moon Bay.
,"Please be respectful of the reef and leave anything that is alive or could have alive things in it where they are. Don't move animals between pools, put them back where you found them, it's their home. If you want to fish or collect seaweed or shellfish you need a fishing license.
","Groups are allowed, buses must park at the corner of Harvard and West Point.
","As tide pools go, this is pretty accessible. It's a bit of a walk on the flat path and there is a bit of beach to navigate to get to the pools, but the pools also have a reasonably flat section. That said, there are some fast flowing cut-throughs to get over if you want to go further out and seasonally some quite slippery seaweed, so a walking stick makes a good companion.
The edge of the tide pools nearest to the open ocean on the furthest right hand side (if you are facing out to sea) can be heavily affected by wind and swell, so as always, keep an eye out on the ocean, particularly so if it looks choppy.
If you go far out, make sure to watch your exit route to ensure that you don't get cut off by the incoming tide.
If you are setting up a picnic don't sit too near to the base of the cliff because erosion can cause dangerous falling rocks.
",1,1,Dogs are allowed on-leash on the beach here.
,0.5,https://wildlife.ca.gov/Fishing/Ocean,9414131,Really varied tidepools with great Nudibranch potential!,0.5,2,https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pillar_Point_Harbor,,"Lots of space on the beach for picnics, no fires allowed though. Be careful not to sit too close to the cliffs because rock fall is common.
",,1,,https://www.surf-forecast.com/breaks/Pillar-Point/webcams/latest 2017-11-26T02:36:14.000Z,recWYDFaFuyJIR9BC,Half moon bay,"Beautiful sandstone erosion creates gullies in the cliff face. The tidepool area is quite high and accessible even when the tide isn’t all that low. This makes it a great place for summer Tidepooling.
Often one of the less popular beaches in half moon bay, it offers stunning cliff views and exciting wildlife in the tidepools.
",us,37.4365721,-122.4447811,Redondo beach,us_pacific_coast,redondo-beach,America/Los_Angeles,https://www.californiabeaches.com/beach/redondo-beach-half-moon-bay/,The smoothest way down to the tidepools is to walk along the scenic bluff trail to Poplar beach (or park there) and take the steps down. It’s a bit of a scrabble but it’s also possible to get closer access from the Redondo parking down one of the many steep ravines that the rain has carved out of the cliff. Wear sturdy shoes and bring a walking stick if you have one.
,"Redondo Beach Road, Half Moon Bay,",You might be able to find bathrooms nearby with Half Moon Bay being so close.
,No,Natalie Downe,"[{""filename"": ""2020-09-08 17.04.50.jpg"", ""height"": 2268, ""id"": ""attxoPAMVDM9pHsYH"", ""size"": 5533607, ""thumbnails"": {""full"": {""height"": 3000, ""url"": ""https://v5.airtableusercontent.com/v1/13/13/1672632000000/KReFoEg3XVetgqAEKMvHvQ/zLvJYqHVv7DVdbgfe6h8dRbo7M0yc5_83jIyWbkqufsXt_YEZcjkyYw8prfeU18csP0HNwMu1dB34sC7VLsOCQ/sa2U3PsL3yeWaeCgoAToVr_HCy2FIwfUKRbJJ9f1s4Y"", ""width"": 3000}, ""large"": {""height"": 512, ""url"": ""https://v5.airtableusercontent.com/v1/13/13/1672632000000/ThbnizTZk_PTzbx4szM5yg/4bnMSHc6TOh2xtpR5MFVlHnINQhd8rZABzwCGlX85DVRM3CNABwAfoLCOs1lGSM4Ri_bU00NARP2xFA4APrIBg/2sKVJ6z4Lhb5NgtVqbFfd1rWuQFXlM2Ef3I7TKh-OSo"", ""width"": 910}, ""small"": {""height"": 36, ""url"": ""https://v5.airtableusercontent.com/v1/13/13/1672632000000/zZk5ZvCKo44KqZPFxOKhSA/zzH1h54hh7sOxzKmoq3IBuEXwa3IWENOOOSI9-GZpQa0uv53teOlgU0DQgw1Eg61_FGqFYB2HVYNJchgCj1wSA/vjAxqeCGC64NOo8J12WFmQUnTGbXgPnSY7qd2xQ2COw"", ""width"": 64}}, ""type"": ""image/jpeg"", ""url"": ""https://v5.airtableusercontent.com/v1/13/13/1672632000000/_KZm3fKpy0qP2Qf5RkQ_jQ/9NNSByLM2zzYzFpIXIjStq1kZ6pIV1pNT0MAha_cPeRfOmhtizG5exUsssR3EZo3h3c82T545yCPvQxKr3f7rZNKOp9OqIKIyFuHDwR0ve4/sl1VYE_I-FncSwU9ldgbqKygsnwAy-Rz_eNKtTyOsb0"", ""width"": 4032}]","There is a larger paid parking spot at the Poplar State beach parking on Poplar st but if you are lucky you will be able to get a spot in the small, free, unpaved (and rather bumpy) parking at the end of Redondo Beach Road. Careful how you drive if your car has a low chassis. People park on the side of the road leading up to the carpark also.
",,"[""Coastside Land Trust""]",Yes,,No,Free,,37.4392236,-122.4430648,No,Yes,Close to Cameron’s Inn but also only about a 10 min drive from lots of dining options in Half Moon Bay.
,"Please be respectful of the reef, don’t pry any shellfish or creatures off their homes. You’ll need a Fishing license if you want to fish and bear in mind that depending on the time of year shellfish may be poisonous and you could get Paralytic Shellfish poisoning.
Watch where you step and don’t step on living things if you can possibly avoid it.
","Buses and groups may want to park in the more official car park at the end of Poplar beach road, head down the steps and walk a mile along the beach.
",Depending on the route you take down to the beach it can be quite treacherous. Be careful especially if you are going down or back when it is dark. Always watch your step and never turn your back on the tide.
,1,1,Dogs must be on leash ,0.5,"https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Redondo_Beach,_California",9414131,Quiet Tidepooling spot with lots of little pools on a rocky ledge with some stretching out further,2.0,2,"https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Redondo_Beach,_California","Poplar beach, Half moon bay",Definitely take a picnic here! Sit on the cliff and soak up the incredible views or navigate down to the beach and eat there. No fires allowed.
,http://blog.natbat.net/,1,,