San Onofre State Park Access And Protection Ensured For Another 25 Years

The stretch of Southern California coastline known as San Onofre — which extends between San Clemente State Beach and Trails State Beach — has long been under the eminent domain of the United States Military.

As such, California State Parks has had a 50 year lease agreement in place with the Marine base, which allows public access to the various beaches and waves along the 6.5 mile shoreline. The lease was initially signed in 1971 by then President Richard Nixon and expired in 2021.

Negotiations regarding an updated lease agreement have spanned the past three years. This weekend, according to the OC Register and Surfrider foundation, an agreement was made. 

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Per Surfrider: 

We’re thrilled to announce that a new lease for San Onofre State Beach has been signed, thanks to the efforts of CA State Parks, Camp Pendleton, and the advocacy of the San Onofre Parks Foundation and the Surfrider Foundation. This crucial 25-year agreement ensures that State Parks will continue as the tenant and park manager, maintaining continued public access and protection of this cherished coastal resource.

The unwavering support and dedication of the public and our partners were instrumental in achieving this incredible victory. This success highlights the power of our collective voices and marks a significant milestone in Surfrider’s enduring effort to preserve this iconic stretch of California coastline. 

Of course, the WSL Finals will be held this week at Lower Trestles — the most high performance, consistent wave in San Onofre state park. The forecast, sadly, looks anything but remarkable. 

We’ll have a full event preview coming in a few days. 

For now, click here to read our pre-event interview with Ross Williams, coach to John John Florence and Tati Weston-Webb.

And click here to read our data-driven breakdown of the heat strategy needed to win a World Title.