Pescadero State Beach

Pescadero State Beach is a small Northern Californian beach, located off of Highway 1 in San Mateo County. I visited this beach frequently with my children when I lived in San Mateo County, because it was often less crowded than the neighboring beaches. It was definitely one of my favorites to go to…I loved the seabirds that we could see while exploring the beautiful beach. A few things to note about this beach before visiting: dogs and fires are not permitted on the beach at any time, and collecting is not allowed. This includes sea shells and driftwood! As disappointing as this can be for some visitors, there are others that make due with creating driftwood sculptures on the beach! (Hint: See the pictures I took to see some examples of these sculptures! …and no, they were not my creations!!)

Pescadero State Beach, like many of San Mateo County’s beaches, almost always started each day with a deep roll of fog, but then later the sky would open up to give the beach a dose of sunshine to dissipate the fog faster than a lunch break! I enjoyed spending any time that I could here, watching the clouds roll by and the waves roll in while enjoying time with my kids. Pescadero Marsh Natural Preserve is across the highway for visitors to take a gander, as well. The Pescadero Marsh Natural Preserve is a favorite stop for birdwatchers and wildlife photographers alike. The Preserve is home to a variety of animals and birds, such as red foxes, deer, and blue herons. Before visiting, please read about the Pescadero Marsh Habitat Restoration and Resiliency Project. The Project Overview states: 

“California State Parks and the San Mateo Resource Conservation District (RCD) are restoring how water and sediment move between Pescadero Creek, marsh areas, the lagoon estuary, and the ocean to reverse harm done by humans over many decades and ensure a healthier ecosystem. The project is also removing non-native invasive species and increasing habitat complexity to improve conditions for wildlife. 

This work will improve water quality in the marsh and lagoon, increase freshwater and brackish (mixed salt and fresh water) habitat for multiple native fish and wildlife species, and will help the marsh be more resilient to sea level rise and a changing climate. The project will reconnect the Sequoia-Audobon Trail, parts of which have been inaccessible due to erosion.”

(A link to full details about the project can be found here.)

Pescadero State Beach should be a must-visit if you find yourself wanting to take a break from the concrete ecosystems we often find ourselves in. As beautiful as cities like Santa Cruz and San Francisco can be, there is nothing more beautiful than nature itself. Pescadero State Beach and Pescadero Marsh Natural Preserve are two places you can visit that will make you wonder why humans ever decided to create credit scores.

Park: Pescadero State Beach