Fitzgerald Marine Reserve
(scroll to bottom for photo gallery)
Location: 200 Nevada St., Moss Beach, CA 94038
Highway 1 to California Street in Moss Beach, turn right if coming from the north, left if coming from the south.
(Information links are sometimes changed at the source unexpectedly. We do our best to update.)
Fitzgerald Marine Reserve info: https://parks.smcgov.org/fitzgerald-marine-reserve
Map with trails: https://parks.smcgov.org/fitzgerald-marine-reserve-trails
Distance: Approximately 1 mile loop from Visitor Center to Seal Cove via Coastal Trail, connecting on Cypress Ave. and back along the Bluff Trail
Search "Fitzgerald Marine Reserve" online for detailed map and direction options, as well as current road conditions and closures.
This family friendly spot allows for a short walk from the visitor center parking area to the tidepools, or the easy one mile loop described here.
We usually start a visit at the tidepools, a stone’s throw from the parking area. Check online tide charts for low tide, which is gratifying for the tide pools, but if you happen to go at high tide, you’ll have easier parking and a pretty view of the ocean.
After our tidepool viewing, we turn around and walk past the parking area toward the little foot bridge on the right. If you proceed fairly straight on from the bridge, you’ll pass a forest on your right, and come to a road (Cypress Ave.) with houses. Turn right to face the ocean, and find the stairway that leads down to the beach (Seal Cove).
This is a pleasant little beach. Walk to the right after exiting the stairs to find a broader patch of tidepools to explore.
To return, from the top of the stairs, instead of going straight and back to the original trail, make an immediate left and follow the trail (Bluff Trail) that hugs the cliff line. There are stunning views through tree tunnels, silhouetted views of the sunset, and a magical forest on the right side of the trail that makes me think of classical music on winter themes by Russian composers for some reason.
At the viewing spot before the trail turns downward to lead back to the footbridge and visitor center, stop and look down at the beach line to your left. I have yet to not see at least a few harbor seals snuggled up for a nap there.
Note the signs about keeping a distance from the harbor seals, and also refraining from collecting items from the beach.
This can be a starting spot for a longer hike across the bluffs to Pillar Point Harbor, with cliff views toward Mavericks surf area. More on that in a future post.
(Fitzgerald Marine Reserve Hike Notes were originally paired with the “The Power of Small Steps” Insights post.)
Click Insights/Hike Update News for inspiring reflections. Browse hikes on the main Hikes page or on the Hike Search by Area page. Check out selected articles and interviews under Media. Click World Walks to see or share favorite family-friendly walks! Stay in touch with Lisa Louis and HikingAutism via Contact. See products with inspiring designs that support the efforts of HikingAutism under Support/Shop. The Links page lists a loose collection of helpful information links.
Check the Home page for the broader background story. If you’re not able to take one of these Northern California hikes, hopefully you can enjoy the photo galleries at the bottom of each hike page! Feel free to share and follow on Facebook at HikingAutism, follow on Twitter at @HikingAutism and Instagram at lisalouis777
(scroll to bottom for photo gallery)
Location: 200 Nevada St., Moss Beach, CA 94038
Highway 1 to California Street in Moss Beach, turn right if coming from the north, left if coming from the south.
(Information links are sometimes changed at the source unexpectedly. We do our best to update.)
Fitzgerald Marine Reserve info: https://parks.smcgov.org/fitzgerald-marine-reserve
Map with trails: https://parks.smcgov.org/fitzgerald-marine-reserve-trails
Distance: Approximately 1 mile loop from Visitor Center to Seal Cove via Coastal Trail, connecting on Cypress Ave. and back along the Bluff Trail
Search "Fitzgerald Marine Reserve" online for detailed map and direction options, as well as current road conditions and closures.
This family friendly spot allows for a short walk from the visitor center parking area to the tidepools, or the easy one mile loop described here.
We usually start a visit at the tidepools, a stone’s throw from the parking area. Check online tide charts for low tide, which is gratifying for the tide pools, but if you happen to go at high tide, you’ll have easier parking and a pretty view of the ocean.
After our tidepool viewing, we turn around and walk past the parking area toward the little foot bridge on the right. If you proceed fairly straight on from the bridge, you’ll pass a forest on your right, and come to a road (Cypress Ave.) with houses. Turn right to face the ocean, and find the stairway that leads down to the beach (Seal Cove).
This is a pleasant little beach. Walk to the right after exiting the stairs to find a broader patch of tidepools to explore.
To return, from the top of the stairs, instead of going straight and back to the original trail, make an immediate left and follow the trail (Bluff Trail) that hugs the cliff line. There are stunning views through tree tunnels, silhouetted views of the sunset, and a magical forest on the right side of the trail that makes me think of classical music on winter themes by Russian composers for some reason.
At the viewing spot before the trail turns downward to lead back to the footbridge and visitor center, stop and look down at the beach line to your left. I have yet to not see at least a few harbor seals snuggled up for a nap there.
Note the signs about keeping a distance from the harbor seals, and also refraining from collecting items from the beach.
This can be a starting spot for a longer hike across the bluffs to Pillar Point Harbor, with cliff views toward Mavericks surf area. More on that in a future post.
(Fitzgerald Marine Reserve Hike Notes were originally paired with the “The Power of Small Steps” Insights post.)
Click Insights/Hike Update News for inspiring reflections. Browse hikes on the main Hikes page or on the Hike Search by Area page. Check out selected articles and interviews under Media. Click World Walks to see or share favorite family-friendly walks! Stay in touch with Lisa Louis and HikingAutism via Contact. See products with inspiring designs that support the efforts of HikingAutism under Support/Shop. The Links page lists a loose collection of helpful information links.
Check the Home page for the broader background story. If you’re not able to take one of these Northern California hikes, hopefully you can enjoy the photo galleries at the bottom of each hike page! Feel free to share and follow on Facebook at HikingAutism, follow on Twitter at @HikingAutism and Instagram at lisalouis777
