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    Año Nuevo State Park

    4.6 (193 reviews)
    Open 8:30 am - 5:00 pm

    Año Nuevo State Park Photos

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    Año Nuevo State Park
    John D.

    Deep New Sea ±4.2k-acre state park and beach, that's located almost equidistant from Half Moon Bay (±32min drive) to the north and Santa Cruz (±26min drive) to the south. It is probably the preeminent place*** to see a pinniped rookery (i.e., elephant seals) in the state, as they accumulate here by the thousands** every winter to breed. The Good: *Tours available to get you as close as possible to the Elephant Seals and are REQUIRED btwn mid-Dec to the end of March. *April to early December you can visit the park without a reservation but the number of elephant seals will be drastically reduced and certain areas will be off‐limits without a docent. *We've done the tour here around three times and the docents are always fantastic and full of great info. *Nice visitor and marine education center you check into at the beginning of the tour with restrooms, displays, and some CA park swag to purchase. *Even if you're not here for the elephant seals, the ocean views are worth the drive alone in the off-season. *Picnic tables by the VC *Trails are a nice gentle four-mile round-trip The Meh: *No dogs allowed *No bikes *$10 entrance fee *Tickets are $10.99/adults ($7 + $3.99 processing fee) and nonrefundable *The area around Año Nuevo is very desolate, and there's not much around in terms of food, so bring a snack or picnic lunch with you so you're not starving by the end of the three hour tour. A three hour tour... The Ugly: *You'll definitely need to plan well in advance if you want to have a weekend tour during the breeding season. Don't think you can just book one the week of--you pretty much need to book in October when they release the tickets for sale, even as far away as March! Weekday availability is pretty good throughout the year, though, for obvious reasons. Conclusion: Fantastic place to get your learn on, enjoy some nature, and get in a few steps while you're at it. **Some years there could be up-to 10k elephant seals! ***Also, check out the Elephant Seal Vista Point in San Simeon (near Hearst Castle)

    Teresa G.

    We had a wonderful time on a Sunday morning! Although we did not get a reservation for the Elephant Seal Guided Walk, we had a nice hike and visit. There was ample parking for a minimal fee. We browsed the exhibit and bookstore at the Marine Education Center. Cove Beach was a short walk. The surroundings were clean and well-maintained. The park staff were very welcoming and kind. We will try to sign up for the guided walk next time.

    Rosey G.

    Beautiful hike about 3.5-4 miles round trip. The state park barely has any cellphone signal, but the staffs worked there are extremely helpful and enthusiastic about sharing their knowledge. For those who don't know: One of the largest mainland breeding colonies in the world for the northern elephant seal is at Año Nuevo State Park. Their molting season is between April 1st to August 31st. The process can be a bit painful. Rule of thumb, please stay at least 100 feet away from all marine mammals. Also wear comfortable shoes as you will need to walk through a sand dune. Last but not least, please preserve our beautiful nature. Zip your food and eat them strictly at the picnic area. Don't leave any trash behind.

    Watch out
    Jim R.

    This place is somewhat of a hidden gem - located along the coast off HWY 1, it was a convenient stop off on our way back to The City from Carmel via the "scenic route." The star attraction of this bucolic spot are its elephant seals. For whatever reason, they've chose this spot as their base for giving birth (Jan/Feb) and molting (fall) and mating before heading back out to sea. We stopped by in mid July and there were around 50 bachelor males sparing in the shallow protected cove or lounging on the beach. But come late fall, there are several thousand. How it works: -pay $10 to enter/park your car -there are several viewpoints out along the beach -the trail Is mostly crushed rock/sand-but you do have to go up and over one large sand dune so you will get sand in your shoes -it takes a total of around 45 min-1 hours to walk out to the viewpoints and a similar amount coming back -expect to spend 2-3 hours -you have to stop into the visitors center inside the big while barn to get a (free) wildlife permit (aka map) in order to go out to thecwater viewpoints -during busy season, advanced reservations are required and visits to see the seals are done only via guided tour (for safety reasons) If you are anywhere nearby this is an amazing sight whether just a few or thousands of these mammoth creatures.

    Elyse W.

    I had such a magical visit to Año Nuevo! I booked a tour to see the elephant seals and it did not disappoint. The etrance fee is $10 (credit cards accepted). There was plenty of parking, restrooms, and a water fountain. Out on the trails, there was only a port-a-potty. My tour was early January. Dress warmly - the coast is cold and windy. And wear comfortable walking shoes - we hiked for 2+ miles out through the dunes. I recommend bringing binoculars to view the seals, as well as the fun variety of birds. I loved our tour guide Sarah - she was enthusiastic and I learned a lot from her. Such a unique winter day trip for nature lovers!

    Elephant Seal Viewing Area - South Point
    Dong Wook C.

    4.5 stars. Nice hike. Wonderful secluded beach with a few surfers. Several viewing points for elephant seals. Bathrooms located at the parking lot and another one that's located a short walk from the staging area. Docents are stationed at various viewing points to provide you information regarding the area. $10 parking fee but you will also need to obtain a permit to continue on to the elephant seal viewing areas. The permit is free. We got ours at the staging area. Great place to view wildlife and practice walking on sand. Some areas are muddy so wear appropriate shoes.

    Dana A.

    I can't say enough about my tour today at Ano Nuevo! I have been wanting to do this for so long and it was great! The docent was so knowledgeable, and answered everybody's questions, and was so friendly and sweet. I recommend this to all families I think kids would love this. If you have somebody who maybe can't do the little hike, they can also go via shuttle.. We had a really great weather today so it made it even better but please just go do this because you will not regret!

    Kashyap J.

    It was the perfect day to be out and about. Grab your set of binoculars and head out to the coastline. You will spot all kind of wild life. It was a good walk in bright sun. There is still buy of mud on the way to Brighton beach so wear correct gear. You can stop at white barn and trick up free permit to enjoy viewing elephant seal pups lying on the shores. Definitely worth going!

    Susan S.

    Beautiful park and an amazing way to see 100s if not thousands of elephant seals up close. Definitely plan your trip between December and March during mating season. I've heard tours book up months in advance, but I found mid-week availability only a few weeks away. And you have to book a tour to get to the trail to see the elephant seals. Tours are cheap--I think only about $8 a person. You can book them through the state park site. Walking tours take about 2 1/2-3 hours. They're not strenuous, but they are long and no eating or drinking (except water) is allowed. Definitely wear sunscreen, take a sun hat, and bring layers. Also, use the bathroom beforehand. We brought our 6 and 3 year olds--my six year old is a nature fanatic and can recite about 100 facts off the tip of her tongue about elephant seals or pretty much any other species you can think of. She was the inspiration for our trip. But, note to parents: the walk is definitely not too tough for young kids, but they might not have the patience. And that's a long time to go without snacks. My kids dropped to the ground at every opportunity to play in the sand, which made us wonder if we should have just gone to China camp beach a few minutes down the road. But the other tour goers were nice retirees and didn't mind the distraction. All in all, while the tour challenged our kids' attention span, it was worth it.

    Katie R.

    Such a beautiful and well kept state park! I visited here for the 2nd time that I could remember (excluding going as a child) in November, on what was the most spectacular day, and basically had the park to ourselves! When we arrived at the kiosk the park ranger asked if we were there to see the elephant seals and then provided us with a permit that included a map. She gave directions on how to get to the seals from the parking lot and then we were off. As with most state parks there is a $10 entrance fee, but we have a stat park pass so it was free. Parking lot is pretty large, since it's a stat park they will not let you in once it's full. Typically it will be one car in one car out at that point. There were both restrooms and port-o-potties available before you headed out on the trail. The trail starts as a gravel path and eventually turns into a boardwalk, then to sand dunes, then back into a boardwalk. When we went the second viewing area was closed due to flooding, so we were only able to stop at the first. I believe there are more dunes on the way to the second. The scenery and views at the park are beautiful. You start surrounded by meadow/grass lands, then reach the point where the ocean is on you left with meadow on the right, soon you are greeted by a pond, that might just be filled with pelicans if you're lucky! Past the pond you go up a short hill and eventually reach another park ranger station. Here they have a display of different animal skulls and some elephant seal fur. The park rangers here are very knowledgeable and helpful in answering any questions you may have about the park or the wildlife. From here, if you have a permit to go see the elephant seals you continue until you reach the viewing platform. Here there are volunteer docents that are available to answer any questions and help point out the wildlife. When we went it wasn't peak season so there were only about 30 elephant seals off in the distance. They do have some big binoculars set up so we were still able to view the seals. The park does close for periods of time during the year so be sure to check that they are open before making the trek out there. It is also important to note that during peak season you are required to have a reservation and there is an additional per person fee along with the parking fee.

    Lucy Y.

    One of my fav hiking spots in the Bay Area! No admission fee and there's a parking lot with plenty of parking. Love this spot as you get the chance to see all the lazy elephant seals lounging or occasionally play fight around. The hike was on fairly flat grounds with some areas of sand to get to the different lookout points. Took about two hours round trip to reach all the different lookout points. I also liked how there were different rangers stationed at the lookout points who were very informative. Highly recommend this hike!

    One of the lookouts
    Byron B.

    What an amazing spot to go see awesome wildlife and learn about the coast of California . I would def go and bring the kids. The best time to see activity is in the winter with a guided tour or after April when you can go by yourself. Seeing the animals was so cool. Dress warm, bring a change of clothes and be prepared to walk a pretty good distance

    Elephant seals are among the most studied animals in the world because they consistently return to the same California beaches every year.

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    Fantastic docent led tour. Saw so many elephant seals. Was not expecting to see them as close as we did. Must do!

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    Review Highlights - Año Nuevo State Park

    $10 parking fee but you will also need to obtain a permit to continue on to the elephant seal viewing areas.

    Mentioned in 33 reviews

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    Wilbur's Watch

    Wilbur's Watch

    5.0
    (2 reviews)
    10.3 mi

    This is a really nice hike especially for the hiker who likes a nice mild hike. The terrain is low…read morelevel grasses, and the view is magnificent! You can see Pigeon Point Lighthouse throughout the whole trail. When you get to the top there is a nice bench and a viewing lens to look out towards the sea with. You pass a quaint old windmill, and the wildflowers are in abundance. You will experience a symphony of the many different birds in the area. It does get a bit windy, so hold on to your hat! The cars passing by on highway one probably pass this place all the time and don't even know what an incredible experience they could have if they just stop and venture off on this trail!

    Wilbur's Watch trail is a nice little hike from the Pigeon Point Lighthouse hostel where I work and…read morelive. We always promote it to our guests because it is the perfect walk in the afternoon with the setting sun. It provides a nice overlook of the lighthouse and the grade is perfect for everyone. I remember when the contractors cut the trail and when Sunset Magazine did an article on the new trail featuring myself and a few of the kids that lived at the hostel. The trail crew does a pretty good job of keeping the trail clear as there are few ticks when the grass gets too tall.

    Photos
    Wilbur's Watch
    The long stretch of eucalyptus and pine? trees make for a dramatic entrance to the trail ahead
    The long stretch of eucalyptus and pine? trees make for a dramatic entrance to the trail ahead
    The view of the lighthouse from the end of the trail. Spectacular.

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    The view of the lighthouse from the end of the trail. Spectacular.
    Castle Rock State Park

    Castle Rock State Park

    4.6
    (430 reviews)
    12.6 mi

    Have long eyed the Castle Rock State Park and glad we finally went! The park charges a nominal…read moreparking fee ($10 at time of writing); the parking fee is waived if you have one of the supported passes. Check their site for more info: https://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=538# We really enjoyed our hike here. The space is beautiful, and the trails are well-maintained. The trailhead had plenty restrooms as well. We made it up to Goat Rock Lookout, back down, then detour to the waterfall. It took ~1.5 hours in total, which was perfect for a end-of-day hike before the park closes at sunset. The view up at Goat Rock Lookout was breathtaking!

    If you're looking for another place that has breathtaking views surrounding the whole Santa Cruz…read moreMountains (but don't want to go all the way to Portola Valley), Castle Rock State Park is the place for you. This place is usually my go to when the weather is just perfect and you want good views of the mountains viewing the Monterey Bay and the Santa Clara Valley. In addition, the park is even open during the cold winter season, where it occasionally will snow (because of how high the elevation is, the main base is situated at about 3,200 feet above sea level). This place has been my go-to park for hiking for a while, because of its terrain. At the same time, it's also been because of how much snow they get when cold fronts come into effect. They are also open year-round, so definitely swing by this state park when you do get the chance to! It's a decision you'll never regret.

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    Castle Rock State Park
    Castle Rock State Park
    Castle Rock State Park

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    Whitehouse Ridge Trail

    Whitehouse Ridge Trail

    5.0
    (1 review)
    10.3 mi

    I'm sure if you read my reviews you'll see that I sound like a broken record when I talk about all…read morethe nature and hiking around the Bay Area. Yet, I'm still amazed when I discover a new area like the redwood-lined woods along the Whitehouse Ridge Trail. This trail is hidden away off the Pacific Coast Highway between Santa Cruz and Half Moon Bay, a place I find myself weekly. However, I only recently discovered this trailhead down Whitehouse Canyon Road. You'll have to be vigilant to notice the street because it's unmarked off of the PCH 1, but about 2.3 miles up a very uneven dirt road you'll come to a little parking area right before a private residence area. The Whitehouse Ridge trail is 1.2 miles but moderately strenuous in my opinion (maybe a little less depending on your fitness level) but is worth it for the totally amazing views of Franklin Point, Pigeon Point lighthouse, and Año Nuevo Point. You can choose the lower vista for a short hike or go up to the higher vista point for better views and further exploration amongst the redwoods. This area skirts Big Basin State Park and continues onto Chalk Mountain to eventually connect with the West Ridge Trail. To do the whole thing from Whitehouse Ridge to West Ridge would take all day so do some exploring before you attempt it all because it would not be a walk in the park (heh). This is one of my favorite hikes in Northern California. If you're looking for a moderate hike in a shaded area try this. Here's a link to a Google maps with markers to aid you: https://goo.gl/zx0e2b

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    Whitehouse Ridge Trail
    Whitehouse Ridge Trail
    Whitehouse Ridge Trail

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    Skyline to the Sea Trail

    Skyline to the Sea Trail

    4.6
    (11 reviews)
    2.4 mi

    I've only hiked about 16 miles of this trail, but my oh my is it absolutely breathtaking! This is…read moretruly a hiker's and backpacker's dream trail. I've hiked about 8 miles of this trail through Castle Rock State Park and another 8 miles through Big Basin Redwoods State Park. I hiked this trail with a friend last year up to Berry Creek Falls and it was absolutely stunning! The actual trail itself is almost 30 miles long and stretches from the Santa Cruz Mountains all the way to Big Basin Redwoods State Park. The trail begins at the Saratoga Gap which is a ridge within the Santa Cruz Mountains. It makes its' way up the coast past the Pacific Ocean, then through the beautiful mountains of Castle Rock State Park, and finally through the amazing Redwoods within Big Basin Redwoods State Park. This trail has such an amazing variation of different terrains. From your typical coastal ridge paths, to hilly and mountainous inclines, to flat and paved excursions through the Redwoods; this trail seems to simply have it all. I'd have to say that my favorite section of this trail was definitely being able to hike through the Redwoods. Big Basin is California's oldest park and you'll get to see the most amazing old growth Redwood trees. I've always been fascinated by Redwoods, so exploring them while on this trail was so much fun. Aside from the Redwoods, the stretch of this trail through Big Basin is extremely green and filled with a plethora of different plant species and vibrant flowers. And of course, there's Berry Creek Falls which is pretty much the icing on the cake. This waterfall is beautiful and worth the extra miles to get there. I can't forget to mention the incredible rock formations that you'll see while hiking the section that goes through Castle Rock State Park. These views are equally mesmerizing. It's definitely a great workout as much of the trail ascends and descends through the mountains. Lots of water is must and I would recommend bug spray (at least for the portion that runs through Big Basin). I would love to hike the rest of this trail at some point and hopefully make it down to the beach one day. Either way, any hike along this trail will be enjoyable whether it's 5 miles or 30. Would highly recommend this hike if you're planning on visiting Big Basin Redwoods, Castle Rock, Sanborn County Park, or Saratoga Gap Open Space Preserve.

    What a fantastic trail! 30+ miles over 3 days starting at Castle Rock campground to Waddell Beach…read more(stopping at Waterman Campground and Jay Campground at the Big Basin HQ). Almost all shaded by the trees (lots of redwoods!) and fantastic scenery the entire time, will well marked trails. You pretty much can't get lost at all. If you do, you deserve to get lost! Also all these campsites have piped drinking water and pit toilets so you probably don't need to bring your water pump. You'll need to make these reservations quite early too since they're pretty limited. State park # is (831) 338-8861 to make the reservations. NIGHT 0: Castle Rock Campground. We ended up not actually staying here because we thought (and there wasn't anything that indicated otherwise) that the campground was right at the trailhead. Instead it's 2.7 miles in. Thus as we had prepared for car camping the first night and were meeting others the next morning at the trailhead, we decided to find another campground elsewhere that was next to the road. Parking at Castle Rock trailhead gets crazy packed on the weekends so come early! The parking lot also closes at sunset so you'll need to make sure your car is in before then. DAY 1: This will be the most "complicated" path since you have to take a couple different trails. As you hike towards Castle Rock (assuming you didn't stay there the night before), you'll see a bunch of day climbers and boulderers. Gorgeous views above the tree skyline along the way. http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/skyline-to-the-sea-trail-davenport?select=mjXU08P2ueRqY-WvlfHxSw#yvfjWy3mdAw7PSTrD67dWw After you past Castle Rock, take the Travertine Springs Trail for ~2 miles which will connect to the Saratoga toll road trail for another mile until you hit an uphill dirt road on your right. It's 0.4 miles going up a couple hundred feet so not too bad. This will take you to the Skyline to the Sea trail (finally!) in which you'll take this for another ~2.6 miles to Waterman camp. You'll hug Highway 9 pretty closely so you'll see a couple abandoned cars that fell off the road. This one more recent. http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/skyline-to-the-sea-trail-davenport?select=mjXU08P2ueRqY-WvlfHxSw#QekFu-9mgaN6xt7NUH5KsA. And this one from a while ago! http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/skyline-to-the-sea-trail-davenport?select=mjXU08P2ueRqY-WvlfHxSw#UnpOYfPqPlJ-impxBrz65A NIGHT 1: Waterman Gap Campground Your instinct may be to tucker down at the sites right around the pit toilet. My advice is to walk a little further towards the back to sites 5 and 6. It's a a bit extra of a hike but totally worth it since you get your privacy. Campsite isn't too far from Highway 9 too so you may hear some speedracers zooming by at night like we did. This is also the first (and only) area where you do get cell phone reception. DAY 2: You pretty much stay on Skyline to the Sea trail the entire way from here now. Your goal now is to get to the Jay Campground at Big Bason HQ. You still hug the road sometimes and even cross it a couple times. Again gorgeous views along here. http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/skyline-to-the-sea-trail-davenport?select=mjXU08P2ueRqY-WvlfHxSw#WIfT7_JSDYc7zXVP0uHMWA NIGHT 2: Jay Campground You're at the park HQ so good time to stock up on stuff or get a bit of real food if you're tired of your freeze dried! THEY DO HAVE BEER THOUGH. And showers too (1 quarter = 2 min), The camp shop does not carry propane for Jet Boilers in case you run out like we did. However you can ask them to use their hot water though to heat up your freeze dried foods. DAY 3: You're almost there! A slight change in scenery here. No more hugging highways and more bridge crossing and waterfalls. Oh and way more banana slugs. http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/skyline-to-the-sea-trail-davenport?select=mjXU08P2ueRqY-WvlfHxSw#mjXU08P2ueRqY-WvlfHxSw I swear, the last ~3 miles felt like FOREVER. The trail opens wider and the trees start thinning in front of you which makes you constantly feel like you're almost there. Then you immediately smell the salty ocean breeze and which iswhen you know you're at the end!

    Photos
    Skyline to the Sea Trail
    Another abandoned car that fell off Hwy 9 into the trail!
    Another abandoned car that fell off Hwy 9 into the trail!
    Skyline to the Sea Trail

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    Purisima Creek Trail

    Purisima Creek Trail

    4.6
    (61 reviews)
    22.3 mi

    We drove to the Purisima Creek Road Parking Area, arriving at 9:50 on Friday as the 5th car in the…read more7 spaces lot. Toilet at trailhead; out of TP by afternoon so BYOpaper just in case. Walking next to the creek was easy and tranquil. Looped up Craig Britton Trail for vista views. Had a trail lunch at a u turn. Later at Harkins Ridge Trail, we were treated to see and hear a beautiful bird pecking on a tree trunk. I think the best part of hiking this trail is the lack of people; we had the forest to ourselves. We finished this 7.4 miles loop in 4 hrs, including a lunch stop.

    Did the Whittemore Gulch and Harkins Loop trail a few weeks back and boy oh boy, the the hike was…read moreamazing. Route was strenuous, as advertised but awesome. The hike was about 80% shaded in some of the most gorgeous redwood forests, with crisp woodsy air, and lots of flora and wildlife. Wooded trails were nice and cool, which afforded a welcome respite from the warmer ambient temperature (non forested). Saw a lot of banana slugs, some dear, and a bunch of flowers of different types-some endemic and sadly some invasive to the bay. The hike offered views of the bay (at the expense of no shade) on top of the ridge, which was neat. Elevation gain of the hike was approximately 1500 feet, which was gradual in some parts but more steep on others. Didn't use a hiking pole, but wish I did because my legs felt like jello afterwards! The hike which was advertised as around 7 miles took my friend and me about 3h45m (advertised recommended time as 4h-4h30m) with a bunch of rest breaks. Definitely would be back to explore the other trails and get a good dose of trees and nature.

    Photos
    Purisima Creek Trail
    Purisima Creek Trail
    Purisima Creek Trail

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    Año Nuevo State Park - beaches - Updated August 2026

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