State park
Lighthouse Field State Beach
Lighthouse Field State Beach is a state park in Santa Cruz County, California. Hours: Park: 6 am to sunset Parking Lot: 8 am to sunset.
Lighthouse Field State Beach map
Lighthouse Field State Beach boundary from USGS PAD-US or the managing agency, simplified for display. Not for navigation or legal boundaries.
Fire restrictions
Fire restriction orders for this unit are not tracked here yet. Restrictions change with the season, so check the current orders before any campfire, stove or target shooting.
Common questions
- Sites can be reserved in advance.
- Hours: Park: 6 am to sunset Parking Lot: 8 am to sunset.
- No, day use at Lighthouse Field State Beach does not need a reservation; pay the entry fee on arrival.
- Yes, dogs are allowed at Lighthouse Field State Beach.
Before you go
Day use needs no reservation; pay the entry fee on arrival.
Camping at Lighthouse Field State Beach
Sites can be reserved in advance.
Trails
- Lighthouse Field headland trails Hiking and bike trails across one of the last open urban headlands
What to see
- Historic site Mark Abbott Memorial Lighthouse Houses the Santa Cruz Surfing Museum at Point Santa Cruz
- Overlook Steamer Lane overlook Headland view over the Steamer Lane surf break
- Feature Monarch wintering trees One of several central-coast parks where monarchs overwinter
- Feature mblsp.org . This park is part of the area that forms the nor mblsp.org . This park is part of the area that forms the northern boundary of Monterey Bay
Public lands next to Lighthouse Field State Beach
- BLM unitLighthouse Field State Beach borders California Coastal National Monument.
- State parkTwin Lakes State Beach, a state park, is 0.9 miles away, straight line between the two boundaries.
- State parkNatural Bridges State Beach, a state park, is 1.2 miles away, straight line between the two boundaries.
- State parkSanta Cruz Mission State Historic Park is 1.6 miles away, straight line between the two boundaries.
- State parkWilder Ranch State Park is 2.2 miles away, straight line between the two boundaries.
Measured between the units' boundaries as mapped in USGS PAD-US. Distances are straight line, not driving.
- https://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=550 (accessed 2026-09-29)
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_California_state_parks (accessed 2026-09-28)