What you need to know
Location Activities
Park Information
An icon of Northern California, Pigeon Point and its lighthouse are a must-see along this stretch of the San Mateo coastline. This public treasure was nearly lost to development before POST stepped in and saved the land in 2005. Add it to the top of your list of local places to visit and, when you do, enjoy the scenic views from Mel's Lane.
Watch for:
Dolphins, otters, harbor seals and migrating gray whales in the spring and late fall.
Our Favorite Hike at Pigeon Point
Distance: 0.5 miles round trip
Elevation change: None
Hiking time: Less than an hour
Trail surface: Hard packed sand
Best season: All year
Parking lot location: Click here for directions
Though we try to keep this page accurate, please see the State Park’s website before visiting for the latest information.
Overview:
Mel’s Lane at Pigeon Point is an easy 0.5-mile out-and-back stroll along the coast that provides great views and many nice places to stop and enjoy the scenery.
The trail is a gentle sand path that follows the coastline. It starts at the Council Circle, a seating area located to the left of the parking lot when facing the ocean that POST installed to honor our visionary campaign donors. A sturdy lookout deck affords spectacular views of the rocky cove and surrounding coastal lands, much of which POST has protected.
Behind the lighthouse’s Fog Signal Building, there is another overlook deck with benches, providing more wondrous ocean views.
Recent Photos
The Backstory
Public access to this coastal gem was almost lost forever when, in 2000, a nine-unit motel was under construction at Pigeon Point. But POST stepped up and bought the three-acre area property. A few years later, Mel’s Lane was created in honor of lifelong conservationist Melvin B. Lane, a POST co-founder and first chair of the California Coastal Commission.