National Park Service Recommendations
Point Reyes Area Things to Do
Follow these recommendations from the National Park Service to begin to enjoy the area:
Bear Valley Visitor Center
Stop by the Bear Valley Visitor Center. There are exhibits and information to help you plan your activities. Ranger-led programs are scheduled on weekends year-round.
Limantour Beach
Sheltered beach with plenty of room for walking in either direction. Nearby Estero de Limantour is a good birding spot.
Point Reyes Beach (the Great Beach)
An 11-mile expanse of Pacific shoreline. There can be very heavy surf and sneaker waves along these beaches.
Point Reyes Lighthouse
Spectacular views of Point Reyes Beach and the Pacific Ocean. Descend 300 stops to the lighthouse. The observation platform is an ideal perch for spotting migrating gray whales in the winter.
Point Reyes National Seashore
Chimney Rock
Watch elephant seals as they breed and molt on the beach. Early spring wildflowers.
Drakes Beach
Sheltered beach beneath sandstone cliffs. The visitor center is open on weekends.
Abbotts Lagoon
A 1.5-mile trail to diverse bird habitat. Nesting area for the threatened snowy plover.
Tule Elk Reserve
Hunted to near-extinction in the 1800s, Tule elk were reintroduced to this designated wilderness in 1978.
Historic Pierce Point Ranch
Established in the 1860s, this dairy ranch operated until 1973. There is a short trail down to McClures Beach.
There are over 150 miles of hiking trails in the Point Reyes National Seashore. These trails traverse pasture lands, chaparral ridges, California-laurel valleys, forests, and meadowlands. Check on trail conditions and get detailed trail maps at the Bear Valley Visitor Center.
Watch elephant seals as they breed and molt on the beach. Early spring wildflowers.
Drakes Beach
Sheltered beach beneath sandstone cliffs. The visitor center is open on weekends.
Abbotts Lagoon
A 1.5-mile trail to diverse bird habitat. Nesting area for the threatened snowy plover.
Tule Elk Reserve
Hunted to near-extinction in the 1800s, Tule elk were reintroduced to this designated wilderness in 1978.
Historic Pierce Point Ranch
Established in the 1860s, this dairy ranch operated until 1973. There is a short trail down to McClures Beach.
There are over 150 miles of hiking trails in the Point Reyes National Seashore. These trails traverse pasture lands, chaparral ridges, California-laurel valleys, forests, and meadowlands. Check on trail conditions and get detailed trail maps at the Bear Valley Visitor Center.
Point Reyes Field Institute
Point Reyes National Seashore is an extraordinary outdoor classroom. Each year the Point Reyes Field Institute enables more than 1,600 people to deepen their knowledge of and connection to the National Seashore. Class offerings span natural and cultural history as well as art and science, and we provide rich outdoor experiences for people of all interests and ages. Some of our most popular classes include:- Mushroom Identification
- Elephant Seals and Gray Whales
- Wildlife Watching at Cordell Bank National Marine Sanctuary
- Our Local Owls—Their Lives, Behaviors & Calls
- Rocks, Sand, & Sea Glass in Watercolor
The Field Institute’s 100 instructors are experts in their fields. Classes are supported by a cadre of over 40 volunteer facilitators who assist the instructors and participants. Check their website for details: www.ptreyes.org.