Tier 2 · Notable

Piedras Blancas Light Station

San Simeon · San Luis Obispo County · Central Coast

Piedras Blancas Light Station is an active lighthouse on the Central coast of California, first lit in 1875, owned by Bureau of Land Management.

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 near San Simeon. The original 115-foot tower's lantern room and first-order Fresnel lens were removed in 1949; the lens is now on display at the Veterans Memorial Building in Cambria. The truncated tower, with a 142-foot focal plane, remains an active aid to navigation under BLM management.

Why it matters

One of the rare California stations where you can take a structured guided tour of the grounds and outbuildings, paired with one of the largest elephant seal rookeries on the coast immediately to the south. The truncation story is its own piece of mid-century Coast Guard engineering history.

The visit

Guided tours only, year-round. Summer schedule (June 15–Aug 31): daily except Wednesdays and Sundays. Off-season: check the BLM site for current days and fees. Reservations via Recreation.gov. Plan to combine with the elephant seal viewpoint.

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

One of the most architecturally intact Victorian light stations on the California coast and one of the only ones where you can both hike in and ride a shuttle. Volunteer docent-led tours are the primary experience.

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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