The Pigeon Point Lighthouse

The Pigeon Point Lighthouse, also known as Pigeon Point Light Station, is a historic lighthouse located on the central coast of California, just a few miles down the road from Costanoa.

It’s the tallest lighthouse on the West Coast, yep it’s true.  Standing at an impressive 115 feet, it has been guiding ships along the Pacific coast since 18722.

The lighthouse played a crucial role in ensuring the safety of sailors navigating the treacherous coastline. Its five-wick lard oil lamp and first-order Fresnel lens, made up of 1,008 prisms, were first lit on November 15, 1872. The lens, which stands 16 feet tall, 6 feet in diameter, and weighs 2,000 pounds, is now on display in the fog signal building2.

Although the original Fresnel lens is no longer in use, the lighthouse remains an active U.S. Coast Guard aid to navigation using an automated LED beacon.
You can still view the lighthouse from the grounds or explore it virtually through a 3D, 360-degree narrated tour created for its 150th anniversary23.

The coastal areas around Pigeon Point Light Station are rich with life. You can spot marine mammals such as seals and whales passing by beyond the surf.
The intertidal zone along this part of the coast, especially in the rocky reefs near the lighthouse, hosts a diverse variety of plant and animal life2.