J V Fitzgerald Marine Reserve - Moss Beach, California

Sarina A.

We went during low tide and had so much fun! We saw several star fish and tons of Sea anemone. There are flat places that you can walk, but you won’t see too much in those areas. In order to see the best things, you will have to walk over rough and uneven terrain, which can also be slippery. Wear good shoes with grip. I would suggest bringing a changes of clothes and a towel just in case, you can leave them in the car. Parking is tough, but not impossible; be prepared to walk, it’s worth the experience.

Shubhendra S.

This is a very beautiful place. For wildlife enthusiasts it’s a good spot to see harbors seals, Great Blue Heron, coral reefs (sunburst anemones) and Monterey cypress trees. Well sadly 😔here also the reefs are dying. Major cause is industrial fishing causing reef ecosystem disturbance and global warming. Pets are not allowed here, no reservations required. Follow me if you like the images.

Ya-Ping C.

-0.8 feet
Not windy
Weather is nice, not cold
Water temperatures are good.

There are still some parkings at Sunday afternoon around 3 pm.

Not much special creatures. But still fun to go there.

One washing station behind restroom.

Shannon T.

Very small parking lot with plenty of parking. The area is less than a 5 min walk from the car.

A very large area to explore foe tide pooling. Be very careful not to step on anemone that have closed while the tide is out. I have added a few pics for reference.

I saw many harbor seals the day I was out. Took a slow drive up the coast exploring many things. Great small parks a lot the way to pull off and check out the beaches.

Surbhi V.

Great place to see marine life and less than 30 mins from SF. Don’t miss the cypress trees trail nearby. Closes as 5pm in winters. Account for about 5 mins walk from parking.

Jen S.

Amazing tidepools! We spotted an octopus, colorful nudibranchs, starfish, and mesmerizing anemones. Make sure to come during low tide. Winter months generally are the best time to visit.

Michelle M.

We had a great time! My son loved climbing all over the felled trees at the picnic area, whale bones were displayed so that you could see them well, there were information sheets about the tide at the ranger station, and the restrooms were easily accessible. The path to the beach takes you to the tide pools where we saw black turban snails, aggregating anemones, California sea mussels with buckshot barnacles, fish, an ochre star and more. The path into the trees brought us to trees growing along the ground that were great for climbing and views of the beach where we saw several seals sunbathing. We spent several hours there and had a lovely afternoon. There is a parking lot, but lots of folks had to park on the street.

Lance M.

The beach was closed due to sea lion pupping I believe. But the title pools are open and it was a warm sunny day and so there were a few extra people there that would not ordinarily have been there. Nonetheless it was wonderful. The walk on the cliffs above the tide pools was also very nice. Most spots from San Francisco South we're pretty busy this one was not quite so busy and we could get a parking spot. Highly recommended! Bring the kids.