Thornton State Beach

{{short description|State park in California, United States}}

{{Infobox protected area

| name = Thornton State Beach

| iucn_category =

| photo = Thornton State Beach, CA 2013-09-04 14-36.jpg

| photo_caption =

| map = USA California#USA

| relief = 1

| location = San Mateo County, California, United States

| nearest_city = Daly City, California

| coordinates = {{coords|37|41|N|122|30|W|region:US-CA|display=inline, title}}

| area = {{convert|58|acre|ha}}

| established = 1955

| visitation_num =

| visitation_year =

| governing_body = California Department of Parks and Recreation

}}

Thornton State Beach is a protected beach in the state park system of California, United States. It is located on the Pacific coast of Daly City in the San Francisco Bay Area. The {{convert|58|acre|ha|adj=on}} park was established in 1955.{{cite journal | title = California State Park System Statistical Report: Fiscal Year 2009/10 | url = http://www.parks.ca.gov/pages/795/files/09-10%20statistical%20report%20final%20online.pdf | publisher = California State Parks | page = 30 | access-date = 2011-10-29}}

The Mediterranean climate tends toward cold and wind, with fog common in summer.{{cite web | title = Thornton SB | url = http://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=530 | publisher = California State Parks | access-date = 2010-03-03}}

The beach was named for the first white settler of the area, one Robert S. Thornton of Rhode Island, a blacksmith who had arrived in the San Francisco area in 1851.

The park was closed in 2009 due to damage and continued danger from landslides,{{cite web | last = McIntire | first = Steven | title = Thornton State Beach, closed, but still open | publisher = examiner.com | date = 2009-10-25 }} but as of late 2021 is fully open.

File:Thornton State Beach and San Francisco aerial.jpg, with Fort Funston atop the bluffs and San Francisco in the background]]