Late fall and winter are the optimum times for a visit to the tidepools at Cabrillo National Monument: unlike the summer months, when low tides occur in the middle of the night, the good low tides - including the outstanding negative low tides - in fall and winter occur during daylight hours when the park is open.
Tide Calendars
To see a graphic representation of tide activity, check out the following tide calendars, provided courtesy of Divebums:
Of course, the best time to visit the tidepools is as close to the low tide time as possible, but Mother Nature has built in a four-hour window of opportunity for you. A general rule of thumb is that the tidepools can be visited approximately two hours before low tide time (when the tide is receding) and two hours after (when the tide is coming back in). Please keep in mind that the tidepool area closes at 4:30 PM. Be sure to read Tidepooling Tips and Rules to Protect the Tidepools to ensure a safe visit for both you and this fragile ecosystem.
Did You Know?
Did you know that Pacific Gray Whales make one of the longest migrations of all mammals? They travel approximately 12,000 miles from the Arctic to Baja California and back again, and can be seen on their southward migration from Cabrillo National Monument.