Pillar Point Bluff
Moss Beach, San Mateo County, CA
- Size
- 226 acres Source
- Managed by
- San Mateo County Parks
About Pillar Point Bluff
A 220-acre bluff top with a section of the California Coastal Trail and views of Half Moon Bay and Pillar Point Harbor. Source
Pillar Point Bluff offers hikers, joggers, bicyclists, and dog-walkers a chance to take in the breathtaking sights and sounds of the Pacific Ocean. The 220-acre bluff top includes a section of the California Coastal Trail and offers views of Half Moon Bay and Pillar Point Harbor, agricultural lands and the world famous Mavericks surf break.
Know before you go
Pillar Point Bluff covers 226 acres in Moss Beach, San Mateo County. Closing follows the sun here: sunset at Pillar Point Bluff is around 4:53 p.m. in mid-December, 7:16 p.m. in mid-March, 8:32 p.m. in mid-June, and 7:19 p.m. in mid-September. 4 named trails add up to about 3.3 miles inside the park; the longest is Jean Lauer Trail at 1.1 miles, and Pillar Point Bluff Trail has the most up and down (about 204 feet). Mapped trails range from 20 to 187 feet in elevation. OpenStreetMap shows 4 parking areas, including Pillar Point Bluff Trail (POST), Marsh Parking Lot, and West Point Parking Lot, plus 2 restrooms. The closest mapped bus stop is Airport Street & Harvard Avenue, about 710 feet from the park.
Facilities
- Restrooms
Facility details: OpenStreetMap
Pillar Point Bluff at a glance
- PParking · 4: Pillar Point Bluff Trail (POST), Marsh Parking Lot, West Point Parking Lot
- WCRestrooms · 2
- Named trails · 4
© OpenStreetMap · CPAD · About this map
Trails
| Trail | Mapped length | Elevation | Surface & uses |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jean Lauer Trail | 1.1 mi | 151 ft up & down100–187 ft | UnpavedBikesHorses |
| Ross' Cove Trail | 1.1 mi | 165 ft up & down20–186 ft | Unpaved |
| Pillar Point Bluff Trail | 0.8 mi | 204 ft up & down33–176 ft | UnpavedBikesHorses |
| Frenchman's Reef Trail | 0.3 mi | 47 ft up & down111–172 ft | UnpavedBikesHorses |
Getting to Pillar Point Bluff by bus
- Airport Street & Harvard Avenue · 710 ft from the park
- Airport Street & La Granada Lane · 830 ft from the park
Stops within a quarter mile of Pillar Point Bluff; confirm times with the transit agency.
Compared with nearby parks
Among the 7 other parks in this guide within 10 miles, Pillar Point Bluff is number 3 of 8 by size at 226 acres. 2 nearby parks have more mapped trail mileage than its 3.3 miles.
Closest places for what Pillar Point Bluff doesn't list:
- Playground: Junipero Serra Park (8.3 mi)
Rules & reservations
Official park page- Dogs
At Pillar Point Bluff: on leash, under the Dogs at San Mateo County Parks. Source
- Fees
Pillar Point Bluff's official page does not mention an entry or parking fee; confirm with San Mateo County Parks. Source
The Airport St. parking lot opens daily at 8 a.m. and closes at various hours by season.
Map & directions
Airport St Moss Beach, CA 94038
Nearby parks
Straight-line distanceContinue exploring
San Mateo County parksSources & verification
Last verified: Oct 15, 2026- California Protected Areas Database (CPAD) 2026aname, county, agency, access, acres
- Dogs at San Mateo County Parksdogs
- San Mateo County Parks park pageofficial_url, address, description
- Park hours pagehours, hours_note
- OpenStreetMap facilities and trailsfacilities.restrooms, trails
- U.S. Census Bureau place boundariescity
- Official park page (checked for dog and fee information)unstated.fees
- OpenStreetMap: parking, restrooms, water, trailheads, trail lines, and bus stopsvisit
- Terrain Tiles elevation (USGS 3DEP), sampled every 20 m along OpenStreetMap trail linestrails.elevation
- Official park page (introduction excerpt)intro