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Montara Staircase

If you are a Montara resident or a frequent visitor to Montara State Beach, you have watched the sad decline of the staircase at the north end of the park. At first, a few of the bottom steps eroded, and it required a big step to get to the sand. Then several more steps washed away, and it required a bit of climb down the bluff to reach the beach. When the creek shifted, it also required a wet feet approach or a traverse along the bluff. Now, March 2025, it is a nearly impossible descend, especially if you want to bring down a beach chair, surfboard, or cooler. How did this happen and why hasn’t it been fixed?

New Año Nuevo Staging Building

If you have ever been on an elephant seal tour at Año Nuevo, you have seen the very small, and leaky, staging building where visitors and rangers gather before leaving for the walk. The building had a useful life, but was showing its age and could no longer serve the docent and ranger needs or handle the scores of visitors that enjoy the park. Sparked by a very generous docent donation, CSPA raised the necessary funding to replace the building. Construction started fall of 2024, and it was officially opened in December of 2024 for visitors before the year's winter season. Please book a tour and come see the building that your CSPA donations help to create.

Pigeon Point Light Station Restoration

The biggest project in CSPA's history — kicked into high gear as restoration started on the tallest lighthouse on the west coast. This project, funded by California State Parks, started construction in January 2024. The work so far has included repairs to the lantern room, deck, railings, interior and exterior iron work as well as the oil house. We plan to furnish the Keeper's office and the fuel room, refurbish the pedestal on which the lens sits, and move the crown jewel — the first order Fresnel lens — back up to its rightful place in the tower. It will be a fantastic day to see it lit again! And you can be proud to know that you helped us get there.

Signage at McNee Ranch at Montara Mountain

At the northern end of our Coastside State Parks is McNee Ranch at Montara Mountain. The trails wind their way up the mountain through grasslands and forest providing spectacular views. Hearty individuals that hike all the way up to the summit are rewarded with both bay and the ocean views at the same time! For those that visit often, finding your way around is easy, but first-time visitors need a little help. Our supervising ranger approached us with the old signs that were faded, hard to read and covered with graffiti. Before starting the process of replacement through the State, she came to us to see if CSPA could fund the signage. We were happy to help and within a short period of time, new way-finding signs were created and installed in 2024. If you have donated to CSPA, you have helped visitors find their way!

Replacing the Fog Signal building roof at Pigeon Point Lighthouse

The historic Fog Signal building at Pigeon Point protects the invaluable Fresnel lens, serves as a museum, and, of course, houses the old foghorn. The extreme winter storms this year damaged the roof shingle by shingle until leaks began to develop. The rangers asked for help in replacing the roof and CSPA was able to provide 100% of the funding. In October 2023, a brand-new high-quality roof was completed which will protect the building for decades to come.

Año Nuevo Trail Bridges

In 2019 State Parks asked CSPA to fund the trail bridge project. Placing permanently fixed bridges allows the trail to be open as soon as the breeding season is over.  These fixtures also help the UCSC researchers navigate through the reserve year-round when tracking, monitoring, and testing the elephant seals for their research. The two bridges were installed on the North Point trail in November 2021.

Pole bridge installed over failing levée. Photo: CSPA archives
Pescadero State Beach and Marsh

CSPA funded the repair of a failing levée by installing a pole bridge. The project was completed early in 2020 and re-opened the Audubon Trail after three years of closure.

Restored Pigeon Point Fog Signal Building.
Pigeon Point Light Station SHP

CSPA funded an architechural firm that specializes in historic restoration projects to assess the work necessary to preserve and restore Pigeon Point’s Fog Signal Building.  Restoration work was completed in 2020 that restored the exterior of the building including restoring function to windows and stabilizing the exterior fog horns.

The Butano road bridge during repair construction
Butano State Park

The bridge connecting the park entrance to the campground had become unsafe and, in April of 2020, CSPA funded the replacement of the bridge decking and realignment with the connecting roadway.

Pescadero Marsh North Pond Foot Bridge installation
Pescadero Marsh North Pond Foot Bridge

CSPA coordinated donations and funding for the installation of the pedestrian bridge near the northern end of the preserve and close to the highway. This bridge is approximately 120 feet long and required the use of heavy equipment to put it in place. The bridge connects a trail that parallels the highway to a trail between two of the marsh’s larger ponds. It was installed January 2011.