Local Sights
Hiking :: Biking :: Wildlife/Bird watching :: Attractions :: Seasonal events :: Youth programs :: Resources
Hiking
The Point Reyes National Seashore has more than 140 miles of hiking trails to explore the coastal wilderness and backcountry. Trail closings are possible; go to a visitor center and ask before you leave (while you're there, pick up a free map of the park's trails).
Earthquake Trail
The popular Earthquake Trail is a short 35-minute walk past exhibits describing the 1906 earthquake in San Francisco, the San Andreas Fault Zone, and the geology of the area. The museum archives located in the nearby Bear Valley Visitor Center include 20,000 photographs, some of which depict the great earthquake.
Mount Wittenberg
Mount Wittenberg is ideal for people who seek adventure and challenge. The five-mile hike up a steep 1300' climb to the highest point in the park takes about three hours. When you reach the top, you'll understand why it was worth the investment of sweat and tears: The panoramic views of the National Seashore and Olema Valley at its peak are amazing.
Biking
Point Reyes National Seashore provides a variety of off-road biking opportunities traversing diverse habitats and terrains. You can explore trails through evergreen forests, coastal scrub, or along estuaries and beach bluffs.
Please note: The National Seashore only permits biking along emergency access/dirt fire roads, paved roads, and a few single-track trails. Do not use any of the wilderness trails for biking.
Wildlife and bird watching
The odds are with you: With 40 species of land mammals (another 12 in the water), roughly half the bird species of North America, and half of the land designated as wilderness, you should encounter wildlife during your visit. Along the coast look for whales, seals, and sea lions and look closely at the tide line for an abundance of birds. In the forest you might see a bobcat, coyote, deer, elk, raccoon, or skunk.
More than 45 percent of the bird species in North America have been sighted in Point Reyes National Seashore, one of the reasons the area is considered a top birding site. The American Bird Conservancy recently supported that claim when it named the park a globally important bird area--one of only 100 worldwide sites given the distinction.
Abbots Lagoon
Abbots Lagoon is a top birding site in fall and winter. While you are there walk around and lose yourself in the dramatic views of the lagoon shoreline, the Pacific Ocean, and Great Beach--three very different water sources that sustain the area's diverse wildlife and habitat. Birds: Shorebirds, waterfowl, sparrows, hawks, and osprey; a few fortunate souls spot a golden eagle or a peregrine falcon.
Drakes Estero
Drakes Estero offers the best birding opportunities during the fall migration and winter layover. If you tire of the birds, Drakes Estero is home to 20 percent of California's mainland harbor seal population and the largest harbor seal breeding colony in the National Seashore. Birds: Egrets and herons, many species of shorebirds, as well as hawks and osprey.
Olema Marsh
Olema Marsh is one of the largest freshwater marsh areas in Marin County and is a peaceful bird watching spot. In autumn, migratory water birds rest in the marsh. It is a good spot for migratory water birds in winter. Birds: Kingfishers and red-winged blackbirds (near the cattails), and egrets and herons (during high tides).
Attractions
Point Reyes Lighthouse
There are 25 miles and 300 steps in your way, but a visit to the Point Reyes National Seashore should include a stop at the lighthouse. The lighthouse is a breathtaking site to see, resting on the tip of the 12-mile-long Point Reyes Peninsula, the longest in California. Its historic light contains the original first-order Fresnel lens and still operational clockworks.
After taking the 300 steps that lead down to the lighthouse you will find an excellent location to observe marine life (harbor seals and sea lions are often sunning themselves on the rocks) and exhibits on whales, wildflowers, and lighthouses. The lighthouse is also the best spot in the Bay Area to view gray whales during the northern migration season (most sightings happen mid-January to mid-March). Bring an extra layer (or two) because weather conditions are unpredictable on the peninsula.
The visitor center and stairs to the lighthouse are open Thursday through Sunday, from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The Lens Room is open only when staffing is available.
Bear Valley Visitor Center
The Bear Valley Visitor Center features excellent exhibits about the plant and animal communities found in Point Reyes National Seashore and is a wonderful overview of the park's ecological and historical significance. If the seismograph and weather station on display trigger distant memories of elementary science, head to the auditorium to watch a short movie or slide show about the Point Reyes Lighthouse and other park features.
The staff members are friendly and knowledgeable (and much more animated than the displays); they are a primary reason to begin your National Seashore journey at "The Barn." There's also a bookstore and gift shop for the souvenir hunter.
Visitor center hours:
Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays, 8 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Closed December 25.
Ken Patrick Visitor Center
Anyone who cares about aesthetics should stop at the Ken Patrick Visitor Center near Drakes Beach to see how it turns an object into a conversation piece. The exhibits primarily focus on 16th century maritime exploration, and marine fossils and environments. The keyword is "marine," including that full-sized minke whale skeleton suspended from the ceiling.
The visitor center is open weekends and holidays only, and is closed from noon to 1 p.m. for lunch. It is closed December 25.
Kule Loklo
Get a taste of life in California before the Europeans arrived. Located about a half-mile walk from the Bear Valley Visitor Center, Kule Loklo is a replica of a village built by the early Coast Miwok, the first inhabitants of the Point Reyes peninsula. More exhibits scattered along the trail hint at the life and culture of the Coast Miwok.
The exhibit is open daily from sunrise to sunset.
Seasonal events
Elephant seal breeding
December through MarchGray whale migration
mid-January to mid-MarchHarbor seal pupping
March through JunePeak wildflower blooms
April and MayTule elk rut season
July through NovemberBird migration
August through May
Youth programs
Tailored programming is available to youth and student groups, from outdoor wilderness adventures to intercultural activities like World Travel 101, Cultural Kitchen, the Community Walls mural project, and Girl Scouts badge work. For details, please see the Programs section of the Golden Gate Council website.
Resources
For more about Point Reyes National Seashore, our staff recommends the following websites:
Point Reyes National Seashore
Point Reyes Visions
Photographer Richard Blair and author Kathleen Goodwin capture the striking beauty of Point Reyes National Seashore in their book "Point Reyes Visions," bringing the untamed nature of the area alive through vivid images and descriptions of the wildlife, people, and landmarks. This site features images and in-depth information about Point Reyes, background information about the artists, and ways to order a copy of the best-selling book. Several of Blair's photographs are featured on this website. The Golden Gate Council of Hostelling International thanks the artists for their generosity.
Blue Waters Kayaking
With two locations on Tomales Bay in Point Reyes National Seashore, Blue Waters offers kayak rentals as well as instruction, guided tours, and summer camps for youth. Programs emphasize environmental awareness and the Bay's unique ecosystem, stunning beauty, and romantic appeal.
Farallones Marine Sanctuary Association
Guide to Point Reyes National Seashore
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration