San Gregorio Ranch Beach Opens July 29, Nudity No Longer Allowed

San Gregorio Ranch, a 238‑acre stretch of San Mateo County shoreline that once served as a popular nude beach, will open to the public on Wednesday, July 29. The property, located west of U.S. Highway 1 and south of Half Moon Bay, will become part of San Gregorio State Beach under the management of Friends of Santa Cruz State Parks.

The Peninsula Open Space Trust (POST) purchased the ranch last spring and announced that it would donate the land to the California State Parks system this year. POST president Gordon Clark said the organization “didn’t want to let that process get in the way of opening the property for public access.” The ranch is adjacent to San Gregorio State Beach and will expand the state beach’s total acreage by about 50 percent.

The beach will be open daily from 8 a.m. to sunset, the same hours as the existing state beach. Parking will cost $8. Dogs are not permitted on the beach but may be walked on a leash on trails and in parking lots and picnic areas, according to Friends of Santa Cruz State Parks.

Nudity will no longer be allowed. “In general, nudity is not allowed at state parks,” said Bonny Hawley, the group’s executive director. The ranch was one of the first nude beaches in California, a fact noted by Friends of Santa Cruz State Parks. The new rules are consistent with state regulations that prohibit nudity in most state park areas.

The ranch offers sweeping ocean views, grasslands with native plants and wildlife, a 3‑acre pond, and a variety of bird species. “The ranch is also considered one of the first nude beaches in the state,” said Hawley. The property line ends at the high‑water mark, a standard boundary for California beaches.

POST has long monitored the parcel. The nonprofit first worked with the prior owner in 1996 to secure conservation easements that prevented future development. When the ranch’s new owners approached POST to sell, the organization seized the opportunity to add a new public beach to the state system.

The donation is part of a broader effort by POST to expand California’s public beach access. In April, POST added 133 acres to Pigeon Point Light Station State Historic Park, tripling that park’s size. Both transfers were facilitated by a state law passed last year that streamlines the acquisition of land adjacent to existing state parks.

Friends of Santa Cruz State Parks will handle day‑to‑day operations. The organization emphasized that visitors should bring layers, noting that “hot days in the valley do not mean that the weather is hot on the coast.” The ranch’s location near the intersection of Highway 1 and Highway 84 places it within easy reach of San Mateo County’s coastal communities.

POST is also exploring the possibility of routing the California Coastal Trail through the ranch. “It’s still a long way off, but it’s something that we’ve had some conversations with state parks about,” Clark said.

The opening of San Gregorio Ranch as a state beach expands public access to a previously private and culturally significant stretch of coastline. The change reflects California’s ongoing commitment to preserving natural resources while balancing public use and regulatory standards.

As of now, the ranch will operate under the same rules that govern all California state parks: no nudity, limited dog access on the beach, and a fee for parking. Visitors can expect a scenic, wildlife‑rich environment that has been open to the public for the first time since the ranch’s donation to the state.

The state park system will continue to monitor usage and enforce regulations to ensure that the area remains a safe and enjoyable destination for all Californians.