California State Parks has announced expanded access at San Gregorio State Beach in San Mateo County after the Peninsula Open Space Trust (POST) acquired the neighboring 238-acre San Gregorio Ranch for $10 million.
The beach is known as one of the oldest nude beaches in California, but upon becoming part of the California State Parks system, it will now require beachgoers to wear clothing.
The property, located at the junction of Highway 1 and Highway 84 in San Mateo County, will open to the public as an extension of the existing state beach on Wednesday, July 29, with hours from 8 a.m. to sunset daily.
What visitors can expect starting July 29
Until now, San Gregorio Ranch was a privately owned coastal property just south of Half Moon Bay. Generations of nudists have frequented the secluded coastline since the 1960s, but that era is about to end.
The transition is driven by a conservation deal. Peninsula Open Space Trust (POST) bought about 238 acres of the ranch for $10 million with the explicit goal of donating it to California State Parks later this year, which will expand the existing San Gregorio State Beach by more than 50%.
Starting on July 29th, the public will be able to access the new coastline via a new trail, although state officials have been clear that they will run the property like any other state beach. That means no nudity.
California Coastal Trail connection
The acquisition also opens a longer-term opportunity for trail infrastructure as part of the California Coastal Trail project. As the nearby segment of Highway 1 has been the site of multiple pedestrian and cyclist fatalities, planners can now explore routing the California Coastal Trail (CCT) through the San Gregorio Ranch property, which would close a dangerous gap in the trail network.
The potential reroute is just 20 minutes south of another recent CCT opportunity nearby, where POST recently donated 133 acres to expand Pigeon Point Light Station State Historic Park.
🌐 Learn more: California State Parks – San Gregorio State Beach