Half Moon Bay State Beach
About
Half Moon Bay State Beach is a 203-acre state park in California, about a mile from the town of Half Moon Bay. It is managed by the state park agency, and the park holds two campgrounds, making it a base for overnight stays as well as a day visit. Late summer into early fall is the most comfortable time to go. Typical averages from a nearby weather station in Half Moon Bay show highs around 66°F from August through October, with only six to eight wet days a month, while winter brings highs near 59°F and about 13 to 14 wet days a month. Several trails lie close by. The California Coastal Trail is about 1.4 miles away, the Midcoast Multi-Modal Trail about 1.7 miles, and the Meadow Trail about 2.1 miles. Climbers can head to the Pacifica Headlands, roughly 9 miles off.
Park size
203 acres
Inside this park
Campgrounds
Location
Half Moon Bay State Beach
California
Data source: USGS PAD-US 4.1 (Protected Areas Database, public domain)
Facts about this place
When to go
Best time to go: Mar–Nov. The mildest months here, with typical highs of 60–66°F and lows of 44–54°F.
Typical monthly averages (not a forecast) from the Half Moon Bay, CA weather station, 0.6 mi away. High / low in °F, and days with snow.
- Jan59° high43° low
- Feb59° high43° low
- Mar60° high44° low
- Apr61° high45° low
- May62° high48° low
- Jun64° high50° low
- Jul65° high53° low
- Aug66° high54° low
- Sep66° high51° low
- Oct66° high48° low
- Nov63° high45° low
- Dec59° high43° low
Where it is
- Half Moon Bay State Beach · State park
- Nearest town
- Half Moon Bay, California · 1 mi
- Managed by
- State Park and Recreation
Nearby
California Coastal TrailHikingPhoto: btwashburn, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)1.4 mi- Midcoast Multi-Modal TrailHiking1.7 mi
- Meadow TrailHiking2.1 mi
Coastal TrailHikingPhoto: Christopher Michel, CC BY 2.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)2.8 mi- Clipper Ridge TrailHiking3 mi
Flat Top TrailHikingPhoto: MUSTAD MARINE, Public Domain Mark (via Flickr)3.1 mi- Pacifica HeadlandsRock climbing9.3 mi
- Handley Rock ParkRock climbing10 mi
Source: Roamze catalog (indexable pages within 10 miles, PostGIS distance)
Best time to visit Half Moon Bay State Beach
Best months: April–November. Best months have typical highs of 55–85 °F, lows of 30 °F or warmer (32 °F where the station doesn't record snow), at most one snowy day and no more than 12 wet days.
Jan
59° / 43°
14 wet
Feb
59° / 43°
13 wet
Mar
60° / 44°
14 wet
Apr
61° / 45°
9 wet
May
62° / 48°
7 wet
Jun
64° / 50°
5 wet
Jul
65° / 53°
7 wet
Aug
66° / 54°
7 wet
Sep
66° / 51°
6 wet
Oct
66° / 48°
8 wet
Nov
63° / 45°
11 wet
Dec
59° / 43°
13 wet
Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Half Moon Bay, CA, 0.6 mi away at 27 ft. We don't have this place's elevation, so higher spots nearby can run cooler. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.
