On the morning of Nov. 6, 2025, Oceano Dunes rangers closed both vehicle ramps to the beach ahead of a 9:21 a.m. high tide. According to KMPH, waves reached the bottom of the ramps. Near the Pismo Pier, waves and seafoam covered the sand volleyball courts and reached the concrete wall. One reading taken from Pier Ave. that morning put the tide at 6.69 feet.
The king tides predicted for Thanksgiving week this year run a little higher. NOAA's predictions for the Port San Luis station show morning highs of 6.85, 6.93 and 6.81 feet on Nov. 24, 25 and 26. The same three days also bring a minus tide every afternoon, about 8 feet below that morning's peak. That makes two shorelines each day. The high one is the reason the Turkey Trot isn't on the sand this year. The low one is worth planning around too, and its best daylight window comes on Tuesday, two days before Thanksgiving.
Thanksgiving morning's high tide is the reason the trot moved
The SLO Food Bank's county Turkey Trot has started at the Pismo Beach Pier. For 2026 it is going entirely virtual. The Food Bank's Turkey Trot page explains why:
"This year, king tides are expected November 24-26, 2026. King tides are predictable periods of unusually high ocean water levels that can temporarily cover beaches, coastal trails, and other shoreline areas. The tides are expected to cover the beach at the Pismo Beach Pier on Thanksgiving morning. These conditions are not suitable for a large community event."
NOAA's numbers explain the timing. On Thanksgiving Day, Nov. 26, high tide at Port San Luis is predicted for 10:00 a.m. at 6.81 feet. That is right when a morning trot would be on the beach, and slightly higher than the tide that reached the pier wall last November.
The trot still happens, just from more starting lines. Participants can run or walk anywhere, at any time, before Nov. 27, so Thanksgiving morning itself still counts. Registering gets you your choice of a limited-edition T-shirt or bandana. A donation without registering does not include merch. Anyone can also set up a Neighborhood Trot, with its own team page, time and meeting place, and invite others to register or donate.
Free merch pickup is scheduled three times. You can also add shipping at checkout instead:
- Thursday, Nov. 19, 3 to 5:30 p.m., at the SLO Food Bank, 1180 Kendall Road
- Saturday, Nov. 21, 9 to 11 a.m., at Avila Valley Barn, 560 Avila Beach Drive
- Tuesday, Nov. 24, 3 to 5:30 p.m., back at the SLO Food Bank
That last pickup lands on the afternoon with the week's best low tide.
Each day, high tide comes later and low tide moves past sunset
From Tuesday to Thursday, the morning high and the afternoon low each come 43 to 52 minutes later than the day before. In the morning, that just moves the peak from breakfast toward late morning. In the afternoon, it pushes the low past sunset. Sunset holds at 4:51 p.m. all three days, per timeanddate's table for San Luis Obispo.
| Day | Morning high | Afternoon low | Low tide vs. daylight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tue., Nov. 24 | 8:31 a.m., 6.85 ft | 4:02 p.m., -1.29 ft | 49 minutes before sunset |
| Wed., Nov. 25 | 9:14 a.m., 6.93 ft | 4:52 p.m., -1.46 ft | One minute after sunset, with twilight until 5:19 p.m. |
| Thu., Nov. 26 | 10:00 a.m., 6.81 ft | 5:44 p.m., -1.43 ft | About 26 minutes after civil twilight ends at 5:18 p.m. |
The tide station sits at Port San Luis and the sun times are for San Luis Obispo, so treat the times on our own beach as close but not exact. All of these are astronomical predictions. The California Coastal Commission warns that storm swell and winter weather can push the water higher than predicted.
The morning side matters most at the south end of town. California State Parks says high tides, heavy rain and blowing sand all affect whether vehicles can drive on the Oceano beach. It also says access may be restricted from time to time, and it points visitors to the district's social media channels for updates. If your Thanksgiving week includes a drive onto the sand, check those channels before leaving the house. Last November, both ramps were closed before the high tide arrived.
Tuesday afternoon is the tidepool window
A -1.29-foot low at 4:02 p.m., with the sun up until 4:51, puts Tuesday at the top of the week. Wednesday's -1.46-foot low is the lowest of the three, but it comes right at sunset, so most of the lowest water arrives in fading light. Thursday's low doesn't arrive until well after dark. If you want to see the rocks at their barest, Tuesday is the one afternoon that pairs a minus tide with daylight.
The Experience Pismo Beach tidepooling guide and Visit SLO CAL's guide list these public access points in Pismo Beach and Shell Beach:
- Margo Dodd Park, where stairs north of the gazebo lead down to tidepools below the cliffs
- Spyglass Beach, where a trail from the parking and playground area drops to a rocky shore
- Eldwayen Ocean Park in Shell Beach, with access to the rocky tidepools
- South Palisades Park, through the signed beach access to the right of the Cliffs Hotel
- The bluff near SeaCrest Hotel, through the nearby beach access
Both guides tell you to come at low tide and leave things where you find them. Visit SLO CAL's guidance is the stricter of the two: step gently, don't touch or remove tidepool animals, and don't turn over rocks. Experience Pismo adds that shells and rocks stay on the beach too, and it advises watching for rising water and incoming surf.
The Coastal Commission's king tide safety page adds a warning that matters on a minus-tide afternoon: stay alert for sneaker waves at low tide. It also advises checking weather, surf and tide conditions first, obeying closures, planning a safe route, and keeping away from the water, rocks and bluff edges. Several of the spots above are reached by stairs or trails down the bluff, so plan your return before the light goes.
The morning high is also worth a photo
The Commission runs the California King Tides Project, which collects public photos of these peak tides. Its official 2026–27 dates are Nov. 24–26, Dec. 23–25, and Jan. 21–22, 2027. Photos go in through a web form or the Survey123 app, with the time, a location name and optional notes. The Commission recommends turning on your camera's location services.
Shell Beach already appears in the project's gallery. There's an image from the Bluffs Trail dated Nov. 15, 2024, one from Ebb Tide Park dated Dec. 14, 2024, and a Pismo Beach photo from Feb. 9, 2024. A Thanksgiving-week high tide at the pier wall would add to that record, and the same tides come back for the two dates around Christmas and the January set.
So the week has a clear order. Mornings belong to the high water: a photo from a safe spot, a check on the ramps before driving to Oceano, and a trot along your own route through town. Tuesday afternoon belongs to the low water: a walk down the Margo Dodd Park stairs or the Spyglass trail before 4:51. On Thanksgiving itself, the ocean is at its highest just as the turkey goes in the oven.
If you plan a Neighborhood Trot through Shell Beach or catch Tuesday's low below the bluffs, I'd enjoy hearing how the coast looked from your stretch of town. Michelle Boghosian keeps a close eye on this shoreline and is always happy to talk about the place we share. Let's Connect.
