Notorious Bay Area beach with ‘wicked’ reputation to open as free public park

From party to park.

A piece of real estate owned by a 90s crooner will shed its dubious reputation when it opens as a free oceanfront park on August 17th.

Don Horsley County Park at Tunitas Creek Beach, located 8 miles south of Half Moon Bay, will become the first major new public beach in the San Mateo County parks system in nearly 60 years.

A company linked to Chris Isaak, known for the burning ballad “Wicked Game,” purchased the sprawling 58-acre property in 1998 for $3.1 million.

In the ensuing years, trespassing ran rampant as Tunitas Creek Beach became known for all-night raves and bacchanal bonfires when the wildness of the landscape was outmatched by the lawlessness of revelers.

Carousers were known for using the creek as a bathroom during their parties, and for leaving behind kegs, mattresses, and other detritus of their good times.

While the beach has always been public, until now there were no official public access points; visitors instead relied on a network of unofficial trails, including those that traversed Isaak’s property, to reach the shore.

The trespassing became a serious liability, underscored by the property’s water system routinely failing during winter storms.

In 2016, a San Jose man drowned at Tunitas Creek Beach after being hit by a rogue wave in the wee hours of the morning.

Perhaps owing to these circumstances, Isaak’s trust sold the property for $5 million in 2017 to the Peninsula Open Space Trust (POST), a Palo Alto environmental group.

In 2020, the environmental group sold the property to San Mateo County for the heavily discounted price of $3.2 million.

Isaak, a native of Stockton, CA, has reportedly never been spotted on the property and has never publicly spoken about its reputation or sale.

“We had overnight camping, people living on the beach, massive raves,” Scott Lombardi, San Mateo County Parks superintendent, told Mercury News. “It was unbelievable. Thankfully that has been put to bed.”

The putting to bed of the party comes courtesy of a $19.6 million revitalization project, funded through a combination of private donations, county cash and state funding.

The project, which broke ground in 2023, included the construction of restrooms, a ranger station and a small amphitheater as well as wide paths to accommodate visitors with disabilities and an 80-space parking lot.

Beginning Monday at 8 AM, folks will be able to legally and easily access the property, which features soft sand and 100-foot-tall cliffs.

“It’s a welcoming place for everybody,” said Emma Gonzalez, interim director of the San Mateo County Parks Department. “The view. The bluffs. There is so much to take in. It’s breathtaking.”

According to the park’s website, “the beach’s rugged bluffs are a sanctuary for shorebirds and a picturesque place for wildlife observation, hiking, and beach exploration.”

Located just south of the intersection of Tunitas Creek Road and Highway 1, the park will be open seven days a week, and in a far cry from its hard-partying past, drugs, alcohol, and camping are expressly forbidden.

Rangers note that there will be no lifeguards on duty, and urge visitors to exercise extreme caution as rip currents pose a serious threat.

The Tunitas Creek Beach park was slated to open last year but landslides, caused by heavy winter rain, delayed the opening ceremonies.

The park is named in honor of former County Supervisor Don Horsley, who spearheaded efforts to bring it to life. Horsley died in November 2023.

“This new park is a jewel,” said San Mateo County Supervisor Ray Mueller, whose district includes the park.

“It is also a place where we can protect sensitive coastal natural resources while creating new opportunities for people to connect with nature.”

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