Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
If you wish to hike farther, the trail leads west through a dense cypress forest to
emerge on windswept dunes west of the point.
William Randolph Hearst bought out his coast-side neighbors to secure his private beach to
host family, friends, and guests.
San Simeon State Park
O
FFERING EXCEPTIONAL BEAUTY
and respite from the everyday bustle, San Simeon
was the perfect location for William Randolph Hearst to build his 165-room castle.
It began as a rancheria during the mission era, serving as a coastal access point for
supplies shipped to and from Monterey's Mission San Antonio. The park's Washburn
Day-Use Area served as a gravel quarry through the late 1920s.
Set aside in 1932, San Simeon State Park is one of California's oldest reserves. Its
541 acres comprise miles of sandy beaches and rocky shorelines, as well as Monterey
pine forests, rolling grasslands, and seasonal wetlands, creeks, and bogs.
