Chimney Rock

Chimney Rock was the perfect way to cap off a day at Point Reyes. We had already done a woodsy hike near the Bear Valley visitor center that day, so after lunch, we headed out here for some coastal adventures. It’s about a 17 mile drive from the visitor center but the majority is a narrow, winding and pot hole ridden road, but oh so worth it. You get to see many working ranches along the way and cows grazing in the wide open green fields. The last .5 mile to the parking lot is a very narrow road with some steep ditches-​cars need to yield to each other in some places. It was dicey but the payoff was rewarding. Once there, you can embark on a 1.8 mile trail out to the bluffs. Very dramatic coastline and crystal blue waters-​some of it reminded me of the Central Coast. To one side you’ve got crashing waves and the fog rolling in-​to the other side a sunnier and calm inlet. Wildflowers were out in full force and at the trail head, you can see pictures and names of all the varieties. The trail ends at a scenic overlook and is overall a pretty easy, short hike. Wear decent shoes, nonetheless-it’s still a dirt trail with some rocky sections.
This is also THE place to view Elephant seals. There is a small service road to the left you can follow to an overlook where the Elephant seals haul in. This time of year there were lots of pups. There were many playing in the water and others loafing around on the beach. Bring binoculars if you have them-​they fence off the area so you’re viewing at a distance. Don’t forget, it takes about 45 minutes to get back out of the park from this area on windy narrow roads-it’s easy to get caught up in the natural beauty of this area and forget the time. Point Reyes is an amazing park and Chimney Rock is one of the places you should make a point of visiting-​getting here is half the adventure. Depending on when you come and go, en route there are plenty of other spots (such as Drake’s Beach, the Lighthouse and a few other others) that make the drive out to this section of the park worth your while.

Did this hike after Thanksgiving 2015. Clear and beautiful day; a little cold so wear layers, as that is the norm in the Bay Area!
With the years of drought, it was brown here, but beautiful water views of the Pacific and Drakes Bay.
We went around 2p and we did a loop hike in about 45 minutes, having time to stop for picture taking. Not hard at all, very gradual claims here and there.
Saw about 8 deer, they are accustomed to seeing hikers. Also saw elephant seals — we definitely heard them this time of year!
Please be careful driving into Chinmey Rock trail: road is very narrow and at times, you need to drive off the road to allow the other car to pass first.
Would definitely revisit this place when we’re up there again! If you like hiking, best to combine this trail with the Point Reyes Lighthouse sightseeing/​hiking. Chimney Rock is much easier than hiking to/​from the lighthouse.

This is one of my favorite places at Point Reyes National Seashore. I love going and watching the elephant seals. It is usually a little windy so bring a thin jacket. It is also nice to bring a lunch. They have restroom, but I bring hand sanitizer. I love watching the seals and the pelicans. I also really enjoy the drive.

Short, flat walking paths and beautiful coastal views. And there are sea otters here! I came here with my brother, and we walked down to a house. A sign on the gate said to stay 100+ yards away from the sea otters. We eventually realized a sea otter was out of the water, just chillin and resting. We were closer than 100 feet. Oops. We did no danger though.
It takes a while to drive here, about 45 minutes from the main Point Reyes station. Since you’ve driven this far, you could also go to the nearby Point Reyes lighthouse.
Overall, nice place. There’s not too much to explore here, oppose to other places in Point Reyes/​Marin. But it’s a relaxing place, and you can’t complain when you’re by the water.

Take a little lunch and watch the seals. It is so pretty here and a lovely place. It is one of those places that takes your breathe away, like the Eiffel Tower.
We brought a fresh picnic and walked down the path to a little bench overlooking where the seals hang out way down on the beach.
It’s just as pretty as Big Sur. If you are able to you should take a drive here.

If you want to see elephant seals, then this is the place to go! From the parking lot, you can go 3 places: 1) Elephant seal outlook 2) Historic lifeboat 3) Chimney Rock trail.
Elephant seal outlook is a short trail where you can go see the elephant seals. From the parking lot, walk towards the water and to the left. At the end of the trail, you are as close to the elephant seals as they will allow you. I saw people down there and was so hopeful that the trail would lead me down to where they are, but I learned that they were researchers. There is even a sign at the end of the trail that says it because I think they know some people might try to climb down to where the elephant seals are. They aren’t particularly exciting to watch, but seeing animals in nature is just amazing! Those elephant seals are huge! There were soooo many also. The sign said about 500, with over 1000 in all of Point Reyes! At the end of elephant seal outlook, you can get some amazing panoramic pictures of the pacific shoreline/​cliffs.
From the parking lot walking towards the water to the right will lead you to the historic lifeboat. I’m not sure how close to the water that trail will lead you as I had gone with my mom and she didn’t want to hike down the trail… You do past a ranger residence here… but I’m not sure if there are rangers that live in it as it appears more abandoned than being used with some windows covered up… it was a bit creepy…
From the parking lot, you also have access to Chimney Rock trail. I’m not sure where that takes you either as my mom didn’t want to hike that either… why she even bothered to go when I said I wanted to hike… let’s just say I was a bit annoyed… I saw that the trail is just under 1 mile so it’s very doable. From what I could see, the trail didn’t look strenuous at all.
Anyways, it’s very pretty out here. There are pit toilets. Walking around, you can find lots of pretty wildflowers. I’d like to come back here and explore more!

Chimney Rock trail is short hike 1.6m but along the trail in possesses one of my favorite views in the Bay (land strip that separates the ocean and the bay. It is great anytime on a clear day but at its best during sunset (winter provides the best sunsets and also has the fewest tourists/​crowds). It is definitely a drive to get to the area but there are plenty of other trailheads nearby and places back in town or down/​up the coast to grab a bite to eat.

Before I moved to the South, I would’ve thought this is just your normal Northern California coastline, perhaps less beautiful than some of the other rockier, greener coasts. But after being gone for so long, the appreciation for the Mediterranean like features of Point Reyes’ coastline really stood out.
The hike to Chimney rock is nice and short, no more than a mile. The trails are pretty well cleared and there are no steep inclines; just a lazy winding dirt path with great views.

Absolutely beautiful. As someone that’s from the East coast/​Gulf beaches, I’m used to the flat white sand. Seeing the beachy cliffs was fantastic.
The hike to Chimney Rock is not too long or strenuous. It’s under a mile and there are many lookout points.
If you’re in Point Reyes, definitely make the trip.

My son and I love this hike above all others. I have been on this trail at all times of the year and it’s views are wondrous and isolated. The wildlife, flowers and ease of access can vary throughout the year so check with NPS web site. Posting pics too.

I went there on a rainy day. I was crazy. Still I was able to see seal… but need to go back and pick a SUNNY day.

Just returned from Point Reyes… The lighthouse side was fogged in but Chimney Rock was gorgeous and we saw whales. many whales spouting and surfacing pretty close to shore. The vistas were simply amazing!

If you’re in search of the edge of the world, come here on a brisk Saturday afternoon in late September because you may be here all alone and feel like you’ve reached it. It can be quite awe-​inspiring to see water all around you with only the eroding Drakes Bay cliffs toward the left to know you’re somewhere close to a continent. There are no colorful fields of wildflowers this time of year, but I rather like the barren moonscape in contrast to the crashing waves. What’s even better is how easy it is to get here, that is, if you have some patience driving the winding route from the visitors center.
On a good day, it takes 45 minutes swerving around potholes and stopping for the random cow crossing, but I can imagine on a balmy summer day that it could take quite a bit longer with all the traffic going to the lighthouse. Just before you get to the lighthouse, you actually make a left onto a one-​lane road. You see the chimney rock right away and just keep going to the parking lot at the end. The trail head is just to the right next to the surprisingly clean restrooms and the big covered bench hutch. Not nearly as cold and windy as we were expecting, it’s a leisurely 1.6-mile walk with only one slight incline at one point, hardly a hike except nothing is paved and you will run into fellow daytrippers going the other way.
There is the occasional amateur photographer with a very phallic-​looking zoom lens you may have to maneuver around. There’s no need to report him to the ranger as he’s just glad to see you (rimshot, please). There are plenty of «unauthorized trails» which offer the more adventuresome a detour to get another angle on the rocky shore. We stuck to the main route as I was a Cub Scout once and never ever violate signs that constrain my freedom to explore. I find Chimney Rock a more appropriate way to enjoy the grandeur of the Point Reyes National Seashore if you have limited time as the crowds at the lighthouse can get frustrating. See my photo gallery.

Very nice trail (s) – worth a bit of a hike to see the views. Wildflowers are really something. (Parking lot is sometimes full due to photographers.) Bring lots of layers – it can be windy, cold & damp. And foggy!

The Chimney Rock hiking trail is fairly short with little elevation gain, but it easily offers one of the most breathtaking views on earth. It took me over 3 hours to drive there from the south Bay, and it was worth every single minute. (Sir Francis Drake Blvd is a beautiful road to travel on, as well, as it takes you through dense forests and swooping hills of grass. Note: as you turn onto Chimney Rock Road from Sir Francis Drake Blvd, be on the lookout for small deep craters in the road, in addition to general unevenness. Also, wandering cows.)
Anyway, back to the trail: once you reach the end of the road, there’s a small parking lot. On the right side, past the parking lot bathrooms, you’ll see the Chimney Rock trail head. The trail is pretty straightforward, with a mile-​long main track along the ridge and no mysterious junctures that lead you elsewhere. If you’re into observing wildlife, there are plenty of birds and deer to see around here.
Along the way, you’ll see signs for unauthorized trails that lead you closer to the edge of the cliffs. If you’re a sure-​footed intrepid explorer, I highly recommend checking all of them out, as the views are spectacular: sky-​high rock cliffs, crashing blue-​green waves, and sunbathing seals on the beach. Each unauthorized trail loops back to the main trail, so it’s pretty much impossible to get lost.
I think it goes without saying that it’s best to plan a visit to Chimney Rock on a sunny, cloudless day (like yesterday). The wind up there is chilly this time of year, so be sure to wear layers. It’s also super strong, so you probably don’t want to wear anything that might be easily blown away (e.g. bandanna). In fact, it got so strong that my eyes watered like crazy and I feared my camera would actually be ripped from my hand.
I was very lucky in that I got the whole trail to myself when I visited. It probably was due to the fact that I arrived around 9:30 AM and the only other visitors were elderly bird-​watchers. So if you prefer lone hiking, like I do, early to mid-​morning would likely be the optimal time to visit.

So much to do in so little space.
There’s the Elephant Seal Look Out Trail. If you follow it. It takes you to a platform where you can see the elephant seals beached below on a secluded section of this point. Then walk down a little further on the opposite side and you get to «the Lifeboat House». There I found
a beautiful rocky white beach with lots of seashells. I just couldn’t help but put the picnic blanket down for a secluded packed lunch and a few rays of sunshine. The best part was, I was there for a couple of hours and no one came by so, it felt as if I had the place all to myself as I basked in the sun to the sounds of the waves. Lastly there are gorgeous wildflowers that grow all around this point with all wonderful views of the Pacific as far as the eye can see.