A long concrete staircase down to a red roofed, white lighthouse on cliffs above the ocean. Photo: NPS/A. Kopshever

Point Reyes National Seashore

National Seashore · California

  • LocationPoint Reyes Station, CA
  • Entrance No fee listed
  • HoursDaily, Opens at 6:00AM
  • Weather now72°F Overcast
  • Alerts No active alerts

Overview

From its thunderous ocean breakers crashing against rocky headlands and expansive sand beaches to its open grasslands, brushy hillsides, and forested ridges, Point Reyes offers visitors over 1500 species of plants and animals to discover. Home to several cultures over thousands of years, the Seashore preserves a tapestry of stories and interactions of people.

Point Reyes awaits your exploration.

Topics
  • Animals
  • Archeology
  • Birds
  • Burial, Cemetery and Gravesite
  • Catastrophic Fires
  • Climate Change
  • Dunes
  • Elk
26 more topics
  • Estuaries and Mangroves
  • Explorers and Expeditions
  • Farming and Agriculture
  • Fire
  • Fish
  • Forests and Woodlands
  • Fossils and Paleontology
  • Geology
  • Grasslands
  • Lakes
  • Lighthouses
  • Maritime
  • Native American Heritage
  • Natural Sounds
  • Night Sky
  • Oceans
  • Ranches
  • River and Riparian
  • Ships and Shipwrecks
  • Tragic Events
  • Trails
  • Unique Species
  • Waterfalls
  • Wetlands
  • Whales
  • Wilderness
Two northern elephant seals confronting each other in the wet sand on a cliff-backed beach.
Northern elephant seals at Drakes Beach, Point Reyes National Seashore — NPS Photo/A. Goldston/NMFS Permit No. 21425

Things to Do

53 experiences from the National Park Service. Check details on NPS.gov before you go.

  • A man fishing on a sandy beach with waves washing in from the left & steep bluffs in the background.

    Fishing at Point Reyes

    Fish on! Point Reyes National Seashore allows fishing as a means of providing for public enjoyment, and customary and traditional use, and regulates fishing to ensure that it is managed in a manner…

    • Year-round
    • Many of Point Reyes National Seashore's beaches and freshwater lakes…
    • Fishing
    Learn more about Fishing at Point Reyes on NPS.gov (opens in a new tab)

Showing 1 of 1

All 18 activities in the park

Pick one to find other parks that offer it.

Show 6 more activities

Camping

1 campground listed on Recreation.gov. Check availability and current conditions before you go.

  • Campsite with distant views of Drakes Bay. Site surrounded by coyote brush.

    Point Reyes National Seashore Campground

    Reservable Campground

    Point Reyes National Seashore offers four backcountry hike in campgrounds and thirteen boat in campsites along Tomales Bay. Note: For reservation purposes, our…

    Reserve on Recreation.gov

    1 Bear Valley Road, Point Reyes Station, CA 415-464-5100 Directions

    • Hiking
    • Boating
    • Biking
    • Swimming
    Details

    Fees: Hike-In Sites: $30/night/site for ''individual'' sites of up to 6 people $90/night/site for group of 7-25 people Boat-In Sites: $30/night/site for ''individual'' sites of up to 6 people $60/night/site for small group of 7-14 people…

    Overview


    Point Reyes National Seashore offers four backcountry hike in campgrounds and thirteen boat in campsites along Tomales Bay. 

    Note: For reservation purposes, our campgrounds are organized under the "loop" column of the reservation grid.

    For more information, visit the Back Country Camping page on the Point Reyes National Seashore website.

    Recreation

    Wildlife viewing 

    Hiking

    Birding

    Backpacking

    Kayaking

    Mushroom hunting

    Bike riding

    Facilities

    BOOKING WINDOWS

    3 month and 14-day windows. Sites release at 7AM Pacific Standard Time.

    COAST CAMP

    • 3 months = sites # 1, 4, 6, 8AB 10, 12, 13AB, 14. 
    • 14 days = sites # 2, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11.

    GLEN CAMP 

    • 3 months = sites # 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 11. 
    • 14 days = sites # 4, 6, 7 9, 10, 12.

    SKY CAMP

    • 3 months = site # 2AB, 3, 6, 8, 9, 11. 
    • 14 days = site # 1, 4, 5, 7, 10, 12.

    WILDCAT CAMP 

    • 3 months = sites # 1AB, 2AB, 3AB, 5, 7. 
    • 14 days = sites # 4, 6, 8.

    TOMALES BAY BOAT-IN PERMITS: All Boat in permits including Marshall Beach and Tomales Beach group permits are available at 3 months prior to arrival date.

    More facility information:

    Camping facilities at Point Reyes National Seahsore include four hike-in/bike-in-only campgrounds in the southern area of the park and twenty boat-in-only campsites on Tomales Bay. Camping is allowed only in designated campgrounds and sites. Dispersed camping is not allowed. There is NO car or RV camping at Point Reyes National Seashore

    Amenities at the hike-in/bike-in sites include picnic tables, and food storage lockers with centrally located vault toilets and drinking water. No pets permitted.

    COAST CAMP - Coast Camp is nestled within a small coastal grassy valley with easy access to the beach and tide pools. The beach is within 200 meters (200 yards) of the campground. The shortest approach to Coast Camp is via the 3 km (2 miles) slightly uphill hike on the Laguna and Firelane Trails starting at the Laguna Trailhead just past the hostel. An alternate route following the Coast Trail starting near the hostel offers an easy, flat 4 km (3 miles) route and is open to bicycles. Twelve reservable sites for up to 6 people each and two reservable group sites for up to 25 people each are available. Sites 1 - 7 are in a small semi-protected canyon.

    GLEN CAMP - Glen Camp is a quiet and secluded camp deep within a wooded valley protected from ocean breezes. The shortest hike to this camp is a moderate 7 km (5 miles) hike along the Bear Valley and Glen Trails. To access Glen Camp by bicycle, start at the Five Brooks Trailhead, follow the Stewart Trail to the Glen Trail, then north to the Glen Camp Loop, and finish by descending to Glen Camp. This is a strenuous 10 km (6 mile) bike ride. No groups, horses, or pack animals are allowed at Glen Camp. Twelve reservable sites for up to 6 people each are available.


    SKY CAMP - Sky Camp is located on the western side of Mt. Wittenberg at an elevation of 310 meters (1025 feet). In clear weather, enjoy sweeping views of Point Reyes, Drakes Bay, and the Pacific Ocean. The easiest and shortest approach is a 2 km (2 miles) moderate uphill hike or bicycle ride from the Sky Trailhead (elevation 250 meters (840 feet)) on Limantour Road. It is a steep 6 km (4 miles) one-way hike down to the beach. Eleven reservable sites for up to 6 people each and one reservable group site for up to 25 people each are available.


    WILDCAT CAMP - Wildcat Camp is located in an open meadow on a bluff overlooking the ocean with a short walk to the beach and a 3 km (2.0 miles) round-trip walk to Alamere Falls. It is a 10 km (6 mile) hike from Bear Valley or a 9 km (6 miles) hike on the Coast Trail from Palomarin with access to Bass Lake. The only bicycle route is via a strenuous 11 km (7 miles) ride along the Stewart Trail from the Five Brooks Trailhead. Two reservable site for up to 6 people, three reservable sites for up to 4 people, and three reservable group sites for up to 25 people each are available.

    Boat-in Campground:

    TOMALES BAY - Tomales Bay boat-in camping is allowed on west-side National Park beaches north of Tomales Bay State Park's Indian Beach. These beaches are tidally influenced and generally are small sandy coves backed against steep cliffs. Campers on Tomales Bay beaches must arrive by boat only and may not hike, bike, or ride horses to the beaches. Beaches are not assigned; campers choose available beaches on a first-come, first-served basis after launching. Overnight parking for boat-in campers is available at the Tomales Bay Resort and at the Miller Boat Launch and is othewise prohibited within Point Reyes National Seashore and Tomales Bay State Park. The beaches are primitive and without facilities with the exception of vault toilets at Marshall and Tomales Beaches and two picnic tables at Tomales Beach. Unless using the vault toilets at Marshall and Tomales Beaches, boat-in campers must bring portable toilets to remove human waste. In addition, all trash must be removed. Boat-in campers must their own bring water, racoon-proof food storage, and firewood. Permanent and seasonal closures exist on some beaches. Check the Point Reyes National Seashore website for the most up to date information. Point Reyes NPS Website 

    Natural Features

    • Peninsula
    • Sandy Beaches
    • Rocky Shorelines
    • Coastal Strand
    • Bishop Pine Forest
    • Douglas Fir Forest
    • Coastal Prairie
    • Coastal Rangeland
    • Marshlands
    • Coastal Scrub
    • Mixed Evergreen Forest
    • San Andreas Fault 
    • Lagoons
    • Estuaries
    • Mediterranean Climate

    Nearby Attractions

    The Seashore shares the peninsula with Tomales Bay State Park, a day-use area popular for swimming and picnicking.

    Charges & Cancellations

    Please remember that reservations at these facilities prevent other visitors from using these sites. Planned changes to your stay should be made as far in advance as possible. You can make changes to your reservation in My Reservations.

    Changes

    If your new stay dates are completely different from your original stay dates, there is a $10 change fee (per reserved site). There are no additional fees for:

    Adding or removing nights to your stay.

    Changing to a different campsite.

    Balances will adjust based on your new stay's nightly rate.

    Cancellations

    You can cancel the reservation any time before the date of your scheduled arrival. You will receive a refund for your stay, minus the following fees:

    $10 cancellation fee

    Any reservation fees (only if paid when booking)

    Any previous change fees

    Group Site Cancellations and Modifications 

    All Group sites must be cancelled or modified more than 14 days before your check-in date otherwise it will be considered a late cancellation.  

    No Shows

    $20 no show fee plus first night camping fee.

     

    Refer to Recreation.gov's Rules and Reservation Policies. To initiate a refund request more than 7 days after your reservation, call the recreation.gov call center at 877-444-6777.

Facilities & Services

Find visitor services available in the park. Check current hours and availability before you go.

Other Visitor Services

  • Bear Valley Visitor Center: Elephant Seal Model

    Bear Valley Visitor Center

    Facility

    The park's primary visitor center provides an orientation of the park's roads, trails, and human and natural history. The interior exhibit space provides a glimpse of…

    Details
    The park's primary visitor center provides an orientation of the park's roads, trails, and human and natural history. The interior exhibit space provides a glimpse of the diverse ecosystems and cultural heritage of the park. Audio-visual programs, shown in the auditorium, are available upon request. Natural history books, cards, and posters are for sale in the bookstore. Beach fire permits may be obtained here.
  • Kenneth C. Patrick Visitor Center - January 13, 2018

    Kenneth C. Patrick Visitor Center

    Facility

    Located at beautiful Drakes Beach, the Kenneth C. Patrick Visitor Center contains exhibits that focus on maritime exploration in the 1500s, marine fossils, and marine…

    Details
    Located at beautiful Drakes Beach, the Kenneth C. Patrick Visitor Center contains exhibits that focus on maritime exploration in the 1500s, marine fossils, and marine environments. A minke whale skeleton is suspended from the ceiling. Allow 20–30 minutes to view exhibits. Park- and ocean-themed books, guides, and postcards, and maps, along with coffee and packaged snacks are for sale in the PRNSA bookstore adjacent to the Kenneth C. Patrick Visitor Center.
  • Lighthouse Visitor Center and Ocean Exploration Center

    Point Reyes Lighthouse Visitor Center

    Facility

    The Lighthouse Visitor Center (LHVC) offers exhibits on the Point Reyes Lighthouse, marine life, & maritime history, as well as a small bookstore. The stairs down to the…

    Details
    The Lighthouse Visitor Center (LHVC) offers exhibits on the Point Reyes Lighthouse, marine life, & maritime history, as well as a small bookstore. The stairs down to the lighthouse are only open when the LHVC is open and wind speeds remain below 40 mph (64km/h). The Observation Deck at the top of the stairs is open daily from 6 am to ~11:45 pm and offers a great view on a clear day.

Plan Your Visit

Hours

Daily, Opens at 6:00AM · Point Reyes National Seashore

Hours details
  • Point Reyes National SeashoreDaily, Opens at 6:00AM

    Point Reyes National Seashore is open to visitors every day of the year! The park is open from 6 am to midnight. (Visit our Visitor Centers web page, for the hours for the Bear Valley Visitor Center, the Kenneth C. Patrick Visitor Center at Drakes Beach, and the Point Reyes Lighthouse and the stairs leading down to the lighthouse.) Overnight parking is only permitted in the park with a valid backcountry camping permit or for visitors staying at the Point Reyes Hostel.

    MondayOpens at 6:00AM
    TuesdayOpens at 6:00AM
    WednesdayOpens at 6:00AM
    ThursdayOpens at 6:00AM
    FridayOpens at 6:00AM
    SaturdayOpens at 6:00AM
    SundayOpens at 6:00AM

Entrance fees

No entrance fees listed.

Address

1 Bear Valley Road
Point Reyes Station, CA 94956

Contact the park

Weather & conditions

72°F
Overcast · feels like 71°
  • Today 80° 52°
    Overcast
    14% rain
  • Tomorrow 86° 63°
    Sunny
    2% rain
  • Sunday 84° 65°
    Overcast
    5% rain

Updated 4 hr ago

WeatherHeat Advisory Details

Heat Advisory issued October 2 at 1:25AM PDT until October 4 at 10:00PM PDT by NWS San Francisco CA

* WHAT...Temperatures in the middle 90s to near 103 expected. Mild
lows in the upper 60s to middle 70s in the higher elevations will
limit overnight recovery.

* WHERE...The East Bay and San Francisco Bay Shoreline, The Santa
Clara Valley and Eastern Hills, Western Sonoma County Hills, The
Santa Cruz Mountains, Interior Monterey County and the Santa Lucia
Range, Most of San Benito County and the Cholame Hills in Southeast
Monterey County, North Bay Interior Mountains, and Southern Salinas
Valley/Arroyo Seco and Lake San Antonio.

* WHEN...From 11 AM Saturday to 10 PM PDT Sunday.

* IMPACTS...This level of heat affects anyone without effective
cooling and/or adequate hydration. Impacts likely in some health
systems, heat-sensitive industries and infrastructure.

What to expect by season

The moderating influence of the Pacific Ocean creates a climate with no great extremes of heat or cold. Any season can bring interesting weather during your visit to Point Reyes National Seashore. Come prepared!

Photos

Getting There

1 Bear Valley Road
Point Reyes Station, CA 94956

Point Reyes is located along the west coast of California approximately 30 miles (50 km) north of San Francisco. Travelers may approach the park from the winding scenic Highway 1, either from the north or the south.

Full directions

Visitors can also reach the park via Sir Francis Drake Boulevard or the Point Reyes/Petaluma Road.

Mailing address: 1 Bear Valley Road, Point Reyes Station, CA 94956

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