Point Reyes National Seashore

SUpEr beautiful. The drive was hard though so make sure you go with/​as an experience driver. The view is breath taking so bring a good camera to take pictures! Also make sure you come up early because the light house closed when we came up around 4:30 PM.

I’m from the San Jose area, and my mom lives out in the Sacramento Area. I go to the beach pretty often and try to visit a new spot each time since I’m only about 40 minutes from the coast, However, what’s the closet beach along the west coast for Sacramento?
I looked up some beaches and figured Pointe Reyes was a better choice than bodega bay because I was reading about way more sneaker waves and incidents, even though Point Reyes isn’t any better due to drop offs in water and potential sneaker waves. We would be bringing an 11 year old and an 8 year old who haven’t ever really been to the beach so I wanted them to be able to there legs wet and toes sandy.
The drive to and through the Pointe Reyes area was more than pleasant. It is a bit of a windy drive, but not as bad as taking Highway 17, if you’re familiar with the Santa Cruz area. The roads looked very maintained and well kept. At one point of the drive you could tell the street floods in one spot, signs were clearly placed saying so and there was two stop signs on each side of the road to stop traffic and let one car go at a time. Once you make it out of the foliage area, it’s a beautified hillside drive with the ocean in the horizon.
There are a number of different roads you can take to make it down to the shore, but we decided to keep driving a bit and took the South Beach path. It had a woman’s & men fully working bathroom with mirrors and about 3 or 4 bathroom stalls, one being a handicap stall, two sinks, and a heated hand dryer. A working shower head, with one lower for your feet or the little ones, on the men’s and woman’s side of the facility.
The beach is signed, stating about events of attacks by sharks, undertows, sneaker waves, and drop offs. Swimming is not allowed, and use of water is at your own risk. Other than that the beach is beautiful, it truly did look like something out of a movie. It’s a slight sandy/​rocky walk down from the parking and doesn’t take more than a minute.
We brought lunch & sunscreen and let the kids roam and explore the beach area which is completed remodeled over night due to high tide.
If you’re looking for a surf or wading beach, this isn’t for you. However, it is a great place for a day out by the seashore to get your toes wet and enjoy the sun.
My next trip out here will be to visit the lighthouse and find the Point Reyes washed up boat.

We got to the visitor center and after reading the Unilocal reviews, we decided to take the Bear Valley Trail to Arch Rock. We were aware that Arch Rock was blocked off due to a collapse so we just went up to the blockade and back, which was about 4.5 miles one way so about 9-​ish miles total. My mom and I finished it in under 3 hours. The trail was nice and serene with sounds of streams and chirping birds. We saw some cool insects (centipedes, slugs, etc.) and plants but since we didn’t get to see the ocean during our hike, we decided to drive to the lighthouse.
The lighthouse is not in the same location as this! It is actually about 40 minutes away from this location but there are actual beaches that are MUCH closer when you go in the same direction as the lighthouse. The drive to the lighthouse is pretty rough with sharp turns, potholes, and is just overall a poorly maintained road. The lighthouse is not accessible by car, there will be a small parking lot and you have to walk the rest of the way (0.4 miles). It is pretty damn windy when you get up there so bring a sweater! The lighthouse was also closed when we got there (3pm on a Sunday-​renovations?) but the view of the ocean is breathtaking!

Wilderness in our back door!
I admit «Wilderness» may be an exaggeration, but nature preserve is not! Point Reyes Natural Seashore is a jewel and it is so close to population density (San Francisco Bay Area). Whether you are visiting San Francisco or live in the area, if you are an outdoorsy person, you must visit and hike this beautiful preserve. There are many hiking trails to choose from and there are so many beautiful things to see. The best hike to start with may be the Bear Valley Trail which starts at the Bear Valley Visitor Center and goes all the way to the ocean. It is 4 miles one way, but it is mostly flat. During certain periods of the year the nice cold water runs through he creek and you can hear the water as you hike along. Until March of 2015 you could hike all the way to the edge of land right next to the Pacific Ocean, but on March 21 the rocks gave way and two people tumbled down 70 feet and were buried under the ruble. Sadly one of them passed away. This is a grim reminder that we all must be extremely cautious while we are enjoying the nature and its beauties. So, before hitting the trails, make sure to stop at the visitor center or visit the website and get the latest information on the trails you have in mind.

Since moving to the bay area last year my boyfriend and I have been here multiple times. Definitely a must do and worth the drive from Oakland. Go to the lighthouse and do the steps but then for something less touristy drive to the other side of point Reyes and do a hike to the beach. Go to the Elks preserve and try to catch the day at a time when the wind is low. Otherwise the animals will be harder to see and the steps by the lighthouse will be closed.
Bring a picnic and wine with you because the food options are limited in this area. Absolutely beautiful and unbelievably breathtaking views some of the best in the Bay Area. Easily a day trip. or two… or three.

Had an absolutely gorgeous drive here. The smell of nature is so cleansing that it’s unreal! The young man working inside the information center was knowledgeable and patient with my mom and I’s endless list of questions. If you’re a hiker and have never been here before, you need Point Reyes on your hiking bucket list!

This was one of the first hikes my husband and I did together, and after this I fell in love — both with him and hiking ;)
We are lucky in California that we do not lack for gorgeous places to go hiking, and this is one of the more precious jewels in that crown. And luckily, this area has a variety of trails that you can choose based off of length and exertion level. The first trail I did here led down to the beach where we explored tide pools and walked down the beach dotted in beached jellyfish. Completely surreal. That trail was only about 4 miles out and back, but since then we have done Alamere Falls which is about 10 miles.
If you are visiting the area from out of town, or just getting into hiking, check this place out. I promise it will make a lasting impression!

We be driving for dayyysss. I think this is a good 2 – 2.5 hour drive from the south bay and even more if there is tons of traffic on the way back. I was taken here on Valentines because my bf researched that this place should have fields of yellow flowers. We arrived and asked at the front desk and nope, there were none. We were gonna do the hike regardless to arch rock which is quite lengthy. It is over 4 miles there so I would say 9ish miles round. It will take you a good 3.5−4 hours to complete the thing and this was us rushing back when we returned to the car. The hike is mostly shaded and the best part is that you get to see the beach. You can bring some food and sit on the grass and enjoy the waves. This hike was a bit lengthy for me so I would have preferred something shorter. If this isnt your cup of tea, they have picnic benches at the front where you can bring food and stuff.

What’s the matter deer? A calm Friday morning is a big draw for wildlife, from the rabbits along the Earthquake Trail to the deer grazing at the famously split 1906 fence. There have been stories lately of hallucinating, stoned coyotes approaching Marin County motorists at night (people are obviously feeding them, soon they’ll be asking for gluten-​free, vegan breads) While hiking the Kule Loklo Trail to the Native American village, I had to duck under a downed tree… and to my surprise, a herd of deer approached me, very close. It was a surreal experience.
The Earthquake Trail is a casual stroll… and one can see that the San Andreas Fault is bending a fence. Oddly, at the visitors’ center, they’ve got a spiffy new seismograph, but it’s off. Wouldn’t it be more helpful if it were turned on?
A fascinating, great National Park. It’s celebrating its 50^th anniversary this year.

Point Reyes is a prominent cape – 70,000 mountainous acres of rocky cliffs, sandy beaches and rolling hills. In my limited time on the planet – in my travels up and down the western USA coast – Point Reyes is an immense and stunning chunk of land jutting out in a wide open ocean like no other place – amazing vista’s!
The cattle that graze the hills love it too! The ranches still there in operation were established around 1870. So too bad the cattle have chewed up and trampled down the native habitat.
But the ocean seems so pure and untouched as your hike around the peninsula. We saw hundreds of deer and a large herd of elk. We hiked out to a lighthouse and chimney rock. From these vantage points, if you are lucky you may see gray whales on their Alaska /​Baja Mexico migration. Look for a spout of water shooting into the air followed by a large whale surfacing and gracefully crashing through the waters again.
We were overwhelmed breathing the chilly winter air and soaking up the awe inspiring and peaceful setting on Point Reyes.

The best thing about the Bay Area? The outdoors are so close and amazing nature just an hour drive away from the city.
I’ve made my way down South (no pun intended) several times — checking out what the North has to offer was on my bucket list.
What to expect:
— wide land, hills, ranches
— amazing Pacific Ocean views
— hidden beaches
— kayak opportunities around Tomales Bay
That being said, if you’re into mountains and Redwoods there are probably better choices further North. If you like the sea (like me) and wander around empty yet amazingly beautiful beaches, make the short drive up to Point Reyes National Seashore.
Things to consider:
— fill up gas
— bring food
— first timer? start at Bear Valley Visitor Center

Such a wonderful place for family, friends, lovers and everyone! I loved the nature and the environment here. Everything was perfect on the day I went. Good weather and Great scenery! ^_​_​_​^

This is the most breathtaking place I’ve been in my entire life. It is just magical and myself and my friend found crabs crawling around in the marsh on our way to the shore.
I really think it’s got Stinson beach beat!

I visited on a day temps were in the 100’s inland, so I knew the coast would be cooler. My goal was running Bear Valley Trail to Kelham Beach. It was 10:00am and in the 70’s when I started from the trailhead and most of the trail was shaded which was great!
Bring plenty of water and snacks! From the trailhead there is a slight incline to the only restroom about 1.5 miles into the trail. After that it’s slightly downhill out to the Coast Trail. Arch Rock collapsed in May so the nearest beach access is 1 mile North at Kelham Beach. Look for beach trail marker just past the HUGE eucalyptus tree. Steep concrete stairs lead down to the beach.
If you’re up for leisurely adventure afterwards, drive 5 minutes north on Highway 1 into Point Reyes Station for provisions. Then continue north about 45 minutes into Bodega Bay. You’ll pass Tomales Bay (stop for oysters), old dairy farms, rolling hills, and small towns with art galleries. Perfect for a weekend day trip!

Beautiful, beautiful views. Pictures do not do this place justice, as with many other beautiful locations around the world. You simply must visit to really experience it. It was a very long drive to get to the lighthouse area but it is so worth it! We didn’t get to do the trail but I imagine it to be just as beautiful as the seashore.
They are renovating the visitor’s center near the lighthouse to make an addition to the current building they have. It didn’t hold much other than some taxidermy animals for one to see up close. They had facts here and there on the walls, photos of the olden days, and sea mammal bones to play around with.
The beauty is in the view of the ocean and the sky. Like I said, worth a visit!

This is a great place to check out the northern coast of California. You can see miles and miles of the Pacific Ocean hugging the Cali coast. I got to check this place out while I was waiting for a shuttle to take my friends and I to Point Reyes Lighthouse. We did a quick hike up to the cliffs and took lots of pictures. Great place for hiking and sight seeing, you can hike for as long as you want to soak up the scenery.
It did get pretty cold and windy since I went in December so definitely bring a jacket and maybe a scarf if you can’t tolerate the cold.

When I first came to Point Reyes National Seashore nearly 45 years ago there were no parking lots nor were there any bathrooms. I remembered my mother making lunch which consisted of musabi (rice balls), teriyaki chicken and hot dogs cooked in soy sauce. My father readied the fishing poles and tackle while my brother and sisters were asleep in the other room. My parents loved to come to Point Reyes to surf fish for ocean perch. Early the next morning around 2 am we packed up our green station wagon and headed out on our two and a half hour trip. Since back then there were no parking lots like they have today, we had to get permission from one of the local farmers for access to the beach. We parked our car and slept until sunrise. Waking up to my fathers voice saying «time to go» we headed down the beach at that time it felt like miles.
We are all here today to have a memorial for our parents and thanking them both for their unconditional love and sacrifices. This was a very special place for my parents and will always have a special place in our hearts.
Point Reyes has changed so much since I was here some 45 years ago. We now have parking lot going next to beaches so you don’t have to walk very far to reach the beach and there is an very nice modern bathroom in the parking area.
Point Reyes has many more things to offer than to just go fishing! There are numerous hiking trails that will take you to breathtaking views of the PACIFIC OCEAN. Walking on the dunes for miles and miles of sandy beaches, checking out the local species of plants and animal. They even have an Elk Preserve (Tule Elk Preserve). These animals were brought here more than 100 years ago! The preserve can be found at the uppermost end of the Point Reyes peninsula. Bed and Breakfast Inns are also near-​by for those who would prefer staying here rather than camping outdoors. Exploring the local town for that special something or experience Point Reyes gourmet guided food tours. Tasting the best that that Marin County has to offer from premium wines, cheese, produce and especially their famous oysters. Something for everyone!
GOT TO GO ! «FISH ON » !!
Even though I didn’t catch many fish, the time spent with my family was priceless! Reminiscing about the past brought back a lot of wonderful memories of my parents. I can see them now with buckets and buckets of fish and Big Smiles on their faces in heaven!!!

This is a beautiful place. Another gem in the National Park System, Point Reyes Seashore offers access to dramatic coastlines and huge areas of undeveloped hillsides. It is, though, bleak. I don’t mean this in a negative way, for some people really love bleak, windswept, isolated places – but this is not the place to go for those who are looking for a «beach» experience or for much recreation. This is a place to go to stand in the howling wind or the dense fog and ponder your place in nature. The thought that I kept coming back to is that life out here for early settlers raising dairy cows must have been very hard and very lonely.
And speaking of those dairy farms, they’re still there. It is incredibly interesting to discover that the NPS worked with local farmers to protect this area, which means the farms, and the cows, are all still a major part of the park. It does mean, though, that what you get here is not so much a wilderness experience as a ranch visit.
We were lucky that on the day we explored the Point, the skies were clear. According to the ranger we talked to, anyone who visits has a very good chance of not seeing anything, due to the heavy fog that often blankets the area. If you come here, you need to be prepared for disappointment in that regard.
Also, be prepared for disappointment if you want to see the lighthouse during peak season. They close the lighthouse, the lighthouse visitors’ center, and the Drake’s Beach visitors’ center at 4:30pm, meaning that you better be out there early if you want to visit any of these places. And leave yourself an extra hour to find parking. I do not exaggerate. There was such a crowd at the lighthouse when we went that it took an hour from when we entered the lighthouse area until we were able to get out of the car. By that time, the lighthouse had just closed, and us and the dozens of other people who had just waited to get to see it were screwed. I’m sure they have some compelling reason to close these areas so early, but when you’ve just driven an hour and waited an hour, it’s a raw deal.
The main visitors’ center maintains more reasonable hours and has a lot of great displays to learn from. The rangers are helpful, and the Junior Ranger program here is one of the nicest we’ve seen. Also, they charge nothing for access to this NPS site. ZERO dollars. 100% FREE. I kind of wish that they WOULD charge a fee, though, so they would have more funds to do a better job of maintaining the facilities. All of the restrooms we visited in the park were disgusting: flush and pit toilets alike. Overall they just don’t seem prepared for the crowds that they get.
No doubt Point Reyes is stunning. There are many stunning places in Marin County, though, and I just don’t know if Point Reyes competes well with the other popular sites nearby (Muir Woods, Golden Gate NRA, Marin Headlands, Mt. Tamalpais State Park, Samuel Taylor State Park).
**JUNIOR RANGERS: The workbook here is really snazzy and separated into four sections, based on the four major areas of the park. You only need to complete one section to complete the requirements. There is no pin available here – a patch only. If you swear in at the main visitor center the ranger will do it in front of the sign and a giant elephant seal statue, which makes for a great photo!

So I wanted to take a day trip to point Reyes. What I expected: quick hike a bit, sit on the beach and read, go home.
What I got: ugh. Not even close.
Drove out there from the east bay. The weather said 66 and partly cloudy, but not even close. Took me almost 3 hours to get there. Once I got there it was freezing, super windy, and so foggy I could barely see 10 feet in front of me on the road. Decided to change my game plan and just go to the lighthouse.
The road from the city to the lighthouse is treacherous. I very much wished I wasn’t driving my low profile BMW sports coupe. The road was a complete wreck.
Parked in their super small lot. Maybe 25 spots total. Got there the same time as a kids field trip, so there weren’t the peace I had hoped for lol.
It’s .4m to the lighthouse info center. Then an insane decent to the lighthouse. They label 300 steps but there’s also chunks of sloped walkways as well so not sure how long it is. Didn’t get inside the lighthouse. I waited a solid 20 mins but the kids trip piled in and we’re having their lesson there. So much for that.
Hiked back up, stopped at the seats they provide along the way– that was nice. It was killer for sure.
Took me 3 hours to get back to the east bay as well. And that’s mid afternoon on a weekday so I can only imagine how crazy the traffic could be.
Overall, it was nothing like what I expected. I’m glad I did it once but point Reyes is permanently marked off my list forever. 6 hours of driving to be in freezing fog for an hour isn’t worth it. I’m sure there’s nice days, but how could you plan for it? Weather app said it was fine so who knows

Absolutely gorgeous place.
There are many trails and all are beatiful. I have hiked 10 times in Point Reyes so far.
1. Tomales Point
Out and back ~10 miles, but almost flat. You can go to the edge of the bluff. There are many tule elks. Beautiful secnery.
2. Estro to Sunset beach.
Out and back ~6 miles. Along the home bay to sunset beach. So pretty. Tide should be considered to go to sunset beach. One of my favorite hike in Marin county.
3. Bear Vally to Coast campsite area
Sculpture beach, secret beach, Kelham Beach are all gorgious. Especially secret beach located south Scuptured beach is wonderful. Only accessble at low tide.
4. Arch Rock
Very cool arch shaped rock on the ocean. Pretty cool.
–FYI: Arch Rock was later collapsed.
5. Alamare falls
It is not common falls fall to the beach. Really cool view.
6. Secret Beach
Only can be accessed by tide is low.

Sehr schönes Naturschutzgebiet mit einem wunderschönen Leuchtturm, der auf einer vorgesetzten Klippe liegt. Point Reyes ist auch ideal zur Walbeobachtung.

Von San Francisco aus sind mehrere wunderschöné Tagestrips mit dem Auto möglich. Einer davon führt über die Golden Gate Bridge ins Marin County und von dort über teilweise spektakuläre Küsten– und Serpentinenstraßen in Richtung des Nationalparks Point Reyes National Seashore. Lange, raue Strände, wunderschöné Klippen und — je nach Jahreszeit — Wale, die man von der Küste aus beobachten kann. Mitte Januar und Mitte März schwimmen bis zu hundert Grauwale am Tag auf ihrem Weg von Alaska in die Baja California (oder eben anders herum) so nah am Leuchtturm und anderen Punkte vorbei, dass man sie besser und rücksichtsvoller als von andererorts eingesetzten Booten beabachten kann. Spektakulär anzuschauen sind ebenfalls die dort anzutreffenden See-​Elefanten. Für Schwimmer und Surfer ist die Küste dort allerdings nicht unbedingt zu empfehlen. Zum einen gibt es starke Strömungen im eisig kalten Pazifik, zum anderen gilt diese Gegend zusammen mit der Südspitze von Südafrika als Tummelplatz Nummer Eins weltweit für eine wesentlich unangenehmere Spezies: dem weißen Hai! Davon zeugen sogar Schilder am Strand — obwohl der letzte Angriff auf Menschen dort mit den 70ern angegeben wird. Fragt sich, ob das daran liegt, dass kaum einer dort ins Wasser steigt — oder ob man die Schilder nicht regelmäßig auf den neuesten Stand bringt?!
Wie die meisten US-​Parks ist Point Reyes ein Vorbild an Information und Organisation. Es gibt mehrere Besucherzentren, die Ranger sind äußerst hilfreich und auch dann noch freundlich, wenn sie an einem hektischen Tag zum 1946. Mal die gleiche Frage gestellt bekommen (z.B. «KANN ICH WALE MIT EINEM SCHAAF FÜTTERN???» Just kiddin) und wenn mit dem Wal– auch der Besucherandrang zunimmt, gibt es sogar einen Shuttle-​Service. Zudem ist die staatliche Website (
) sehr hilfreich bei der Planung des Trips, z.B. für Wander-​, Mountain-​Bike– oder Reitstrecken. Viel Spaß!!