San Mateo County residents and visitors will gain legal, straightforward access to a mile of sandy shoreline starting Monday. The change ends years of restricted entry and unauthorized gatherings at the site eight miles south of Half Moon Bay. County officials have completed upgrades that turn the former private holding into a managed public space open daily without charge.
From Private Ownership to County Park
The 58-acre property passed through several hands before reaching public hands. A trust linked to musician Chris Isaak sold it to the Peninsula Open Space Trust in 2017. That nonprofit transferred the land to San Mateo County in 2020 at a reduced price. The transaction preserved coastal views and prevented potential private development that could have limited access.
Former county supervisor Don Horsley played a central role in steering the purchase. Leaders later named the park in his honor after his death in 2023. The project marks the county’s first major new beach park in more than five decades.
What Visitors Will Find on Opening Day
The park opens at 8 a.m. Monday with basic facilities in place. An 80-space parking lot, restrooms, a ranger station, and accessible trails lead to the beach and bluff overlooks. An amphitheater will host occasional ranger programs. The site closes at varying times by season.
Rules prohibit dogs, alcohol, and camping. No lifeguards will patrol the water. Rangers note that rip currents remain a hazard common to the northern California coast. Tunitas Creek flows through the property and supports steelhead trout and other wildlife.
Timeline and Funding Details
Planning and construction stretched across several years. The COVID-19 pandemic slowed early work. Winter storms later triggered landslides that required repairs and pushed the opening from 2025 into summer 2026. Total investment reached roughly $19.6 million from county funds, state grants, private donations, and the Peninsula Open Space Trust.
Stakeholders include local residents who once dealt with cleanup after large gatherings, environmental groups that secured the land, and county parks staff now responsible for daily operations. The result provides a stable, maintained option for coastal recreation where none existed under county management before.
Practical Changes for the Coast
Public access becomes reliable rather than dependent on informal routes or trespass. The new infrastructure reduces environmental strain from past unmanaged use. Families, hikers, and bird watchers gain a controlled setting with clear entry points and basic services.
Long-term stewardship now rests with county rangers who will enforce posted regulations. The park adds one more protected stretch of shoreline to the regional system while respecting the natural character of the bluffs and creek mouth.
AI Disclaimer: This article was created with the assistance of AI tools and reviewed by a human editor.