Point Reyes National Seashore
National Lakeshore · Point Reyes Station, California
Point Reyes National Seashore is a wild, windy peninsula in Marin County, about an hour to an hour and a half north of San Francisco depending on traffic. Roughly 70,000 acres of grassland, forest and cliff-backed beach jut into the Pacific, with a historic lighthouse at the tip, tule elk on the northern headland, elephant seals in winter and a working dairy and cattle ranch landscape that is still part of the park. It is a place for walking, wildlife and weather, not for swimming: the surf is cold and dangerous, and fog and wind can arrive on any day of the year. Distances inside the park are long, with narrow roads between the Bear Valley Visitor Center, Drakes Beach, Limantour and the lighthouse, so plan a full day and pick two or three stops rather than all of them. Entry is free, but confirm shuttle and road rules before you go, and bring layers, water and food because services are scarce.
1 Bear Valley Road, Point Reyes Station, California, 94956, United States
The park roads and many trails are open day and night, but services are not. The Bear Valley Visitor Center keeps daytime hours, usually shorter in winter, and the Lighthouse Visitor Center and the stairway down to the lighthouse keep daytime hours on set days of the week, commonly Thursday or Friday through Monday - confirm the current schedule. The stairway is closed in high winds, which are frequent on this headland. On winter weekends and holidays, during whale season, private cars may be stopped short of the lighthouse and Chimney Rock and visitors ride a shuttle instead. Drakes Beach and Limantour have seasonal facilities, and ranch gates or trail sections may close for wildlife or fire safety. Cell service is poor, so check conditions before you leave.
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