Tier 2 · Notable

Piedras Blancas Light Station

San Simeon · San Luis Obispo County · Central Coast

Active aidstandingPublic accesseasyBureau of Land Management

Piedras Blancas Light Station near San Simeon — Photo: Whiterocks· CC BY-SA 3.0· Wikimedia Commons

⚠ Verify before you drive

Hours, fees, tours, or access status at this station change often. Confirm with the official source before your trip.

Year first lit

1875

Current structure built

1875

Tower height

115 ft

Focal plane

142 ft

Optic

Automated LED beacon; original Fresnel lens removed when lantern room was removed in 1949

Light characteristic

Fl W 10s (flashing white every 10 seconds)

Owner

Bureau of Land Management

Manager

BLM – Piedras Blancas Light Station Outstanding Natural Area

Coordinates

35.6647, -121.2858 Map

Current hours

Tours year-round. June 15–Aug 31: daily except Wed and Sun (no federal holidays). Other months: check BLM website.

Fees

Varies (see recreation.gov)

NRHP listed

Yes

History

Built 1875. Original lantern room removed 1949. Managed by BLM. Adjacent to large elephant seal colony at Piedras Blancas. Guided tours only.

Logistics

Recommended base

San Simeon or Cambria

Accessibility

Guided tour only. No tower climb (lantern room removed 1949). Half-mile interpretive trail. Elephant seal colony nearby.

Nearby lighthouses

Point Sur Light Station

★ Flagship 12

Big Sur, Central Coast

Tier 1Active aidPublic accessmoderate⚠ Verify

The most complete surviving light station complex in California. The 3-hour guided tour is among the most immersive lighthouse experiences on the West Coast. The volcanic rock setting is visually extraordinary.

Point San Luis Lighthouse

Avila Beach, Central Coast

Tier 2Active aidPublic accessmoderate⚠ Verify

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Sources

Image rights: BLM images generally public domain. Wikimedia Commons has CC-licensed images.

Research confidence: high · Last verified 2026-05-13