What’s the Tide Today?
Follow this link to find out what the tides are today. Look for a date when the tide will be lower than 1 foot for the best tidepooling conditions.
Why Come at Low Tide?
To get the most out of a visit to the tidepools, plan to come during a low tide – the lowest low water level for a particular day. Low tides occur twice a day, but the lowest low tides tend to occur around the full moon and the new moon each month.
Tidepool creatures can be most easily seen when the low tide is one foot (1′) or less in height. You can visit the tidepools on your own during any suitable low tide.
What if there’s “no suitable low tide” when you want to visit? What this means is that the tide pools are under water that is too deep to see the tidepool creatures, or that the low tide does not occur during daylight visiting hours (8 a.m. – sunset, daily). Even if the tide is not low enough for tidepooling, there are blufftop trails to explore. Pick up a Self-Guided Brochure at the Ranger’s Station for an overview of the trails and the section of the California Coastal Trail that runs through the park.
If you’re bringing a group of 15 or more, you must reserve a time and date for a docent-led tour. Consult the list of tour dates, then telephone San Mateo County Parks at 650-363-4021.