San Mateo County will open Don Horsley County Park at Tunitas Creek Beach on Monday, August 17 at 8 a.m., transforming a once-private stretch of the coast into the County’s first newly created park in more than a decade.
Located on Highway 1, midway between Half Moon Bay and Pescadero, the 58-acre Don Horsley County Park at Tunitas Creek Beach is designed to give visitors of all backgrounds a unique coastal experience. It features scenic overlooks, picnic areas, interpretive exhibits, accessible trails and direct access to nearly a mile of sandy beach.
"This new park is a jewel,” said San Mateo County Supervisor Ray Mueller, whose district includes the park. “What was once a privately owned property, through the vision of former Supervisor Don Horsley and his team, has become a place where people can enjoy a day at the beach with truly spectacular views. It is also a place where we can protect sensitive coastal natural resources while creating new opportunities for people to connect with nature.”
Monday’s opening caps nearly a decade of land conservation, environmental restoration and park development. Although the beach itself was public, Tunitas Creek Beach previously lacked official public access points. Visitors instead used a network of unofficial trails to reach the shore, and the unmanaged area became known for parties, illegal camping, litter and environmental damage to the creek delta. At the urging of then Supervisor Don Horsley, for whom the park is now named, Peninsula Open Space Trust (POST) acquired and protected the property in November 2017 and partnered with San Mateo County Parks to create this breathtaking new park.
“Don Horsley County Park at Tunitas Creek Beach is a testament to what can be accomplished when a community comes together around a shared vision,” said Interim San Mateo County Parks Director Emma Gonzalez. "The late County Supervisor Don Horsley recognized the importance of protecting this remarkable stretch of coastline while creating lasting public access for future generations. He was instrumental in bringing POST to the table and securing the State and County funding needed to turn that vision into reality. Today, we're opening more than a new park: We are welcoming everyone to experience the beauty of our coast while protecting the natural resources that make it so special. San Mateo County Parks is proud to welcome Tunitas Creek Beach as the newest addition to our park system, and we look forward to seeing families, friends, and visitors enjoy it for generations to come.”
58 Acres of Environmental Abundance
The property’s transformation included extensive environmental restoration work to protect sensitive coastal habitats. The beach, with the Tunitas Creek estuary at its northern end, is a seasonal resting spot for the western snowy plover, a threatened coastal bird species that winter on the beach. Tunitas Creek itself offers habitat for the California red-legged frog, a species listed as threatened by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, as well as native steelhead trout. The beach is framed by soaring yet fragile sandstone cliffs that have taken shape over the past five million years and support numerous, biodiverse coastal ecosystems.
“From the moment we saw this property in 2017, we knew we had to jump on the opportunity to preserve this special place. It is our close public-private partnership with the County that has turned the ambitious vision we sparked more than nine years ago into a reality,” said Gordon Clark, president of POST. “Residents and visitors alike will be wowed by the beauty and amazing natural resources of this new park. Knowing that both people and wildlife will be able to thrive here for decades to come is one of the great outcomes of this project. POST is very grateful for the outpouring of support from the many contributors who helped make this happen.”
Right: New blufftop park entrance where a house used to stand (2026); photo courtesy Robert Cala for San Mateo County Parks.
History of Tunitas Creek Beach
Tunitas Creek Beach is located on the ancestral lands of the Ohlone peoples. The site was used for centuries as a village and was a stopping point on the Spanish Portolá Expedition. The entire property was in private ownership for more than 100 years before POST protected it in 2017. In prior decades, environmental degradation and unsanitary conditions generated by unsafe and unmanaged use had damaged the beach and sensitive bluffs. Through an extensive public process, San Mateo County Parks worked with local community members to outline the vision, values and priorities that have informed the park’s design and construction. They also designed and implemented an ecological restoration plan.
Project Costs and Funding
The total cost of this project was roughly $24M, of which more than $12 million was funded by generous individual and foundational gifts to POST, including from the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation. The remainder was funded by the State of California, San Mateo County, the California State Coastal Conservancy, the Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District and California Prop 68 funds.
“Opening access to places like Don Horsley County Park at Tunitas Creek Beach is what the Coastal Conservancy was created to do,” said Amy Hutzel, executive officer of the California State Coastal Conservancy. “Safe, public access to our state’s beaches is a deeply held Californian value. Over the last 50 years, the Coastal Conservancy has opened over 2,000 public accessways to help more people enjoy the coast; today we are proud to celebrate public access coming to a jewel of the San Mateo County coast."
What to Know Before You Go to Tunitas Creek Beach
The public may access Don Horsley County Park at Tunitas Creek Beach starting Monday, August 17. The park will be open year-round, opening daily at 8 a.m., with closing times changing seasonally; visitors should check the website and posted signage. There is no entrance fee. County Parks rangers will staff and patrol the site as time permits. No lifeguards are on duty. Park officials urge visitors to be safe around water and never to turn their backs on the ocean.
Visitors to the park will find:
- Bluff-top parking for up to 80 vehicles
- Restrooms and other visitor amenities
- An ADA accessible pathway connecting the parking lot to the mid-bluff overlook
- Scenic overlooks with panoramic ocean
- Picnic and gathering sites for visitors and community groups
- Interpretive exhibits highlighting the area’s natural and cultural history
- Nearly one mile of sandy shoreline views
Visitors can also experience a free audio tour of Tunitas Creek Beach, available in English through the TravelStory app; a Spanish-language version is forthcoming. Funded by POST, the guided tour allows listeners to learn about Tunitas Creek Beach’s rich history and biodiversity while on location or at any time through an easily downloadable mobile app. For information about this and other parks, booking a group visit with a ranger, or for more information, visit the San Mateo County Parks website or check the hours of operations for Tunitas Creek Beach on the park website.
About San Mateo County Parks
San Mateo County Parks manages parks, preserves, trails, and historic sites to preserve public lands and provide opportunities for education and recreation. The Department’s 24 sites are located throughout San Mateo County and encompasses more than 16,000 acres that represent the region’s wondrously diverse natural settings. Learn more about San Mateo County Parks.
About Peninsula Open Space Trust
POST protects open space on the Peninsula and in the South Bay for the benefit of all. As a private nonprofit land trust, POST has been responsible for saving more than 97,000 acres since its founding in 1977. POST works with private landowners and public agencies to create a network of protected lands so that present and future generations may benefit from the careful balance of rural and urban landscapes that makes our region extraordinary. Visit openspacetrust.org for more information on POST.
Jeneane Crawford, San Mateo County Parks
jcrawford@smcgov.org
(650) 399-6431