What a somewhat hidden gem! Definitely lesser traveled than a lot of other NPS places. When we…read morewent, in the beginning of July, it was cold and windy - about 55F but with windchill. I ended up buying a sweater at the visitor's center and used it during the entire trip! Our itinerary included the Bear Valley Visitors Center, Chimney Rock, Elephant Seal Overlook, Lighthouse, Drakes Beach, Cypress Tree Tunnel, then back to the Bear Valley Visitors Center. The entire trip took about 6.5 hours - it was great! The visitors center was clean, well-stocked, and informative. Bathrooms on the outside, plenty of parking. Inside there's a shop with lots of goodies including clothing, totes, stickers/pins, first aid supplies, and more typical goodies. Rangers were very friendly and informative. Lots of interactive displays as well. Chimney Rock was a quick hike. There's a bathroom and a bench or two at the trailhead. We thought the hike was pretty easy. Lots to see including wildflowers, bugs, birds, and deer! Plus, the view at the end is gorgeous, and there's a geological stamp there too. No elephant seals at the overlook, but it's not peak season, so we weren't expecting any. The lighthouse was a nice surprise! According to the website, it should have been closed on a Tuesday, but the ranger told us that summer hours are different, and it was open! We went to the small visitors center, then walked the 313 steps down to see the lighthouse. It was super windy. There are several rest points along the staircase in case folks need it. While we couldn't climb into the lighthouse, we could go inside and peak around, which was pretty cool. There was a ranger there who answered questions, and we saw some people looking for whales. Drakes Beach was gorgeous. We ended up staying for about 1.5 hours because the kids had so much fun digging in the sand and watching crabs scurry along the beach. There was barely anyone else there, so we had a huge part to ourselves. And there are a bunch of sand dollars! That was so cool to see. Most of them were cracked, but occasionally we saw some whole ones. The visitors center here was closed, but looked like it was well-stocked with unique goodies. Bathrooms were open, big, and clean. Cypress Tree Tunnel was every bit as beautiful as I've seen in photos. Quite a few people there walking the tunnel and taking photos. The boys earned their Junior Ranger badge at the end of the visit. And we got our stamps! Fun times - we'll definitely be back!

How fortunate we are to have Point Reyes National Seashore. The headquarters is fantastic- maps,…read morerecommendations, nice restrooms & plenty of free parking. Today we chose the Bear Valley hike trail. The path is wide and mostly flat and even includes a bathroom midway. As you walk you are able to hear the beautiful sounds of the babbling brook along the route. Being late Spring we were able to spot a good amount of wildflowers- buttercups, poppies, bleeding heart, foxglove and more. We encountered several equestrian's throughout our hike.

This is a nice walk if looking for things to do while driving along the 1 or for a short hike right…read moreoutside of Point Reyes station. The loop is about 1.5 miles or 30 minutes, but I always take longer because I'm taking in all the scenery. There's a little beach which can get slightly busy on the weekend, but no one is really around on the weekdays. The walk is pretty flat so it's easy. I love the scenery and looking out at Tomales Bay and Mount Vision.

We only made it about 20 minutes out of Point Reyes Station before I hit the brakes and swerved…read moreinto the Millerton Point parking lot because the views here were amazing. Not in a mood for hiking today, we stopped, walked out to the point, looked and took pictures. The views are amazing with Tomales Bay separating the mainland from the peninsula. Absolutely stunning. We were here in the morning. I'll bet the sunsets are intense. There is a small permanent potty here but it does not have running water.

"Where is the best place to get 360 degree views of the ocean?" Someone asked me this question last…read moreweek while I was hiking out at Tomales Point, and I've decided that the answer is Chimney Rock. (I mean, technically, the answer is actually 'from a boat in the middle of the ocean,' but I'm pretty sure they meant like, 300 degree views.) Chimney Rock is a thin straight of land that peeps out into the ocean. Or, in more technical terms, according to the NPS website, it is "the Eastern spur of the Point Reyes headlands." If you think of Point Reyes as being shaped like a double-headed wrench, the lighthouse and Chimney Rock are on the same side of the wrench, but they are the tips that oppose each other. Each one juts out into the ocean on its own. Of course, you could also get great, nearly all-around views at the lighthouse, but this requires hiking down 313 stairs. As opposed to the lighthouse, Chimney Rock is a much easier hike. In fact, this hike would have been a breeze, if not for the actual breeze, which was blowing at about 45mph. (Point Reyes is the second windiest point on the West Coast. If you are not able to maintain a very strong stance against the wind, then consider a different hike.) The hike was less than a mile each way. There were not very many wildflowers, but in some ways, this is actually an advantage over Tomales Point, because it allows for better unobstructed views. There are a lot of social trails at Chimney Rock. NPS has posted signs in front of these trails that say, "Unauthorized trail, hazardous cliffs. Please stay on authorized trails." I stayed on the authorized trails, not just because I'm a goody-two-shoes as a hiker, but because, as a California native, I understand cliff geology, and the very real risks associated with it. You may be thinking, "This cliff isn't really going to crumble and drop me into the ocean," but actually, this can and does happen all the time. (In fact, this actually happened to a member of my cohort at UC Santa Barbara.) A side hike can take you down to the Historic Life Saving Station. There is not a sign that says "this way to the life saving station," but you will know which trail it is because it is *not* marked with an unauthorized trail sign. (I have not yet taken that side hike, but it looks interesting.)

Yelp has the wrong map location for this spot. A nice hike and we were close and personal with a…read morecoyote during our hike. We just kept still and it walked on by. Pretty cool! The easy walk itself is fairly short out and back with a mandatory turnaround at the end of the trail. Make sure you venture to the right toward the beginning to get that awesome sheer cliff ocean view. And be careful because that little 20 foot desire comes with some wind. Many folks miss this feature of the hike. Lots of flowers during springtime.

In my personal opinion, the Estero Trail to Drake's Head is one of the most under-rated and…read morebeautiful trails in Point Reyes National Seashore. I can't believe I'd never heard of it before this year. From the end of the trail at Drake's Head (about four miles out), you have an amazing view of both esteros-- Drake's and Limantour, from semi-high up on a cliff between them. ('Estero,' by the way, is the Spanish word for 'estuary.' The two words are used interchangeably throughout the seashore.) Something about the view from Drake's Head feels timeless, like being all alone at an alpine lake. I think you probably have to experience it to understand. The side trail to Sunset Beach, on the other hand, is skippable. It's not really a 'beach,' but is more like the muddy bottom of a cliff near the end of the estero. Going past Drake's Head, the Estero Trail connects to the Muddy Hollow trail, which is another 4 miles out to Limantour Beach (although I haven't personally hiked this whole section yet). In spring, as you can see from my pictures, the Estero trail is completely lined with wild irises, golden poppies, prickly poppies, mule's ears, fiddleneck, monkey flower, and lots of other wildflowers. In summer, it's usually foggy, blustery, and chilly enough to need a sweater for the entire eight to ten mile loop (depending exactly which route you take). In late summer, tule elk rut in the hills surrounding the trail. It's not uncommon to see a male challenge another male for his harem, and then run away bugling when he's unsuccessful. Oftentimes, you won't even see the elk, but can hear them bugling from far away. Also in late summer, I saw dozens of leopard sharks feeding on colorful crabs under and near the bridge across the estero. Since it was high tide, I just saw the tips of the shark's fins sticking out above the water, but it was still pretty neat. One particular crab happened to look particularly patriotic, with a red shell, blue head, and white legs. I nicknamed him the American Flag Crab. Mountain bikes are allowed on the trail for as long as they can reasonably be ridden. The point where bikes are no longer allowed happens to be where the trail becomes very muddy, anyway (at the entrances to Muddy Hollow and Sunset Beach). The only major downside of the Estero trail is the one-way road to the parking lot-- be prepared to drive very slow and carefully. I'm sure funding for new roads is probably many decades out, and parking for this trail is completely free, but anyone who wants to donate to the park can do so at any of the park's gift shops in their visitor centers at the lighthouse, Drake's Beach, and Bear Valley.

I can hear this past Saturday around 11:20 am with 3 other friends and it took about 4 hours to do…read more10 miles. There's some incline but nothing crazy. I forgot the trail name but it led to a beach which was very secluded and nice. There weren't many people hiking but a ton of mosquitoes. Don't forget to wear repellent. No fee for parking.

Love the peaceful feeling of this beach. Well worth the drive. We walked out the surf just after…read moresunrise and saw lots of wild life.

I took a detour here on my way up the coast recently. I love how this is a remote spot that still…read morefeels like the California Coast has always been. I have come a few times before while staying in Olema. The drive is beautiful from town to the beach. No matter the tide, there is miles and miles of beach to walk. Most days are cool, some are warm. This is one of my favorite beaches because it is still so natural.

This is a fantastic out and back trail…read more Simple, wide, well groomed gravel trail almost reminiscent of a fire road. There is a short stent of rough trail at the coast, but not at all challenging. I did the out and back in just under 3 hours, and I spent some time at the coast taking pictures and admiring the scenery. This trail is rated as moderate, but I would not consider it moderate. This is an easy trail. Elevation gain is so subtle you hardly notice it. Most of the trail is under tree cover, and the tree cover is quite beautiful. I saw plenty of bicyclers, but since there are no dramatic ups and downs it's very easy to avoid the bikes. Bikes are not moving fast. In fact, this would be a perfect trail for a novice trail rider. If I had a bike I would definitely be using it on this trail. Toward the coast there was a sign warning of wasps and yellow jackets, but I saw none. Temperature throughout the hike was around 70°. Early October 2020.

Lovely views, but super crowded! Beach had an outhouse which was locked, had to park waaay down the…read moreroad as lot was full. Saw a lot of TP along the trail, then I cut my foot on broken glass in the sand!! This used to be a nice beach, not any more. Somebody should say something to the county about it.

Parking is limited, so head over early or be prepared to park in the neighborhood and walk over. As…read morewith many hidden gems, this beach is more crowded than it used to be prior to 2020. Visited last week and there was one group of people playing football on half the beach, so there were few other places we could settle into. We did see some bones, which looked like a deer to me, but we didn't find the skull which would have confirmed the find for me. If you continue hiking, there is another beach that you can reach, but be prepared to wade through some water to get over to the other beach. If you're in the mood to continue hiking, there is more to see beyond the second beach, which will get you more privacy since many people stop at the first beach. FYI it can get cold here, even if it's sunny. I always bring a blanket along with a beach mat. The mat for sitting on, and the blanket for keeping warm. Nice place to unwind at the end of the day since the crowd dissipates as the sun goes down and the temperature cools.

Eric led our tour on September 18th and our group was maxxed out with the most amount of people he…read morecould take in a single tour. He was awesome at making us feel prepared and his sense of humor really helped everyone feel at ease. I was especially impressed of how he helped 2 guests who were clearly scared of the kayak flipping over during the tour, primarily by being a calm, patient guide. I would definitely go back to him! Overall, our group was blessed to be out there on an overcast night, which allowed us to see a lot of the bioluminescent silhouettes of fish that swam under and around us throughout the tour.

Booked the evening bioluminescence tour with Blue Waters Kayaking and had an amazing experience!…read moreBooking online was easy and then as a follow up, they send you more info and a waiver to send for your excursion. They do this particular tour on nights when there's little to no moonlight since that is when you will best see the sparkling creatures in the bay. It embarks from Miller's Boat Launch near Nick's Cove in Marshall. It's not far from Point Reyes, so if you're spending time at the seashore, this is a magical way to end your day. They begin at 8 with very detailed instructions for your gear and paddling. Between that and then launching the boats in your group, you actually get on the water about 8:45 and return to the dock around 11 pm. It was a windy and foggy evening, so unfortunately, there were no sunset views. But the novelty of paddling in twighlight in to the evening more than made up for that. We had flocks of pelicans flying overhead and once we got to darker areas, the real star of the show came out to sparkle. You can see the bioluminescence light up as you paddle or run your fingers in the water. We stopped a few times along some coves and even saw the sparkles lap up on the sandy shores. We had 3 guides -one leading, one in the middle and one at the back to make sure no boats were left behind. The ride out was a bit choppy but we had paddlers of all levels in our group and everyone did okay. The guides made sure to check in with everyone and we'd count off boats to make sure we all caught up, We got to hear information about the seashore and the surrounding waters and the local creatures. The time flew by and it was such a wonderful, magical experience. If you haven't night kayaked, I'd definitely say to try it once. I hope to travel with Blue waters again and try one of their day trips, While it's important to dress warm and wear waterproof shoes, they do provide dry bags, a waterproof top and of course all the safety gear for your excursion.

My fav! Easy…read moreparking, quick walk down to the beach. Feels endless so with a little walking you can feel like you have it to yourself even on beautiful summer days.

Very cool beach to go exploring! My group got here around 11:45am on a Sunday and it was almost…read moreempty except for about two people. We had fun climbing up and down some of the rock formations, as well as chilling on the rocks to enjoy lunch. If the tide is low, you may be able to go further south. To get to this beach, look for a small single-lane trail that shoots off Coast Trail. At the start of this offshoot trail, there is an opening with a post to tie a few horses so it's not completely hidden, but you do have to keep an eye out. The single-lane part can get frustrating if there are large groups going opposite ways (which happened to us). We ran into this group when we were leaving the beach around 12:30pm. They were carrying games, music, etc. and looked ready to party. We were glad that we had gotten the beach to ourselves!