As a native Northern Californian I have fond memories of visiting the Point Reyes National Seashore as a kid. From weekends spent camping in Olema (next door to the Point Reyes Bear Valley Visitor Center and a multitude of trailheads) and summer weeks spent at rental cottages in the tiny town of Inverness to hiking ocean trails and picking blackberries… this area of Northern California is magical.
If you love hiking in coastal regions, Point Reyes is akin to paradise. The following are a my personal picks for the best locations for hikes and views.
Bear Valley Visitor’s Center
The Bear Valley Visitor’s Center in Olema is the jumping off point for most visitors seeking trails in Point Reyes. The visitors’ center features helpful staff, maps, interesting displays and public restrooms. The center also offers plenty of free parking in multiple lots.
Many of the best Point Reyes trails start from the Bear Valley Visitor’s Center. From here, you can hike from 3-18 miles along forested and coastal trails on routes that vary from easy to advanced in difficulty.
On weekends, the Bear Valley Visitor’s Center is an incredibly popular destination and visitors usually find the parking lot crowded by 10am. Serious hikers know to show up by 9am to ensure that they’ll easily find parking and be able to hit the trails before the crowds descend.
Trails you can take from the Bear Valley Visitor’s Center:
Bear Valley Trail, Sky/Bear Valley Loop, Woodward Valley Loop, Estero-Glenbrook-Muddy Hollow Road Loop, Estero Trail to Drake’s Head, Mt. Wittenberg Loop, and a few more.
Point Reyes Hostel
The only non-camping accommodation option housed within the Point Reyes National Seashore, the Point Reyes Hostel is located off of Limantour road and just steps from multiple coastal access trailheads. If you’re looking for trails that will get you to ocean views within a shorter distance than the trails that start from the Bear Valley Visitor’s Center, this is the perfect spot to come and park (get here early as there isn’t much parking-and what parking there is is simply on the shoulder of the road) and take a morning coastal hike.
Trailheads that start from the Point Reyes Hostel:
The Coastal Trail and Arch Rock, Laguna Trail, Laguna Trail and Coast Trail Loop, Bayview Trail to the Muddy Hollow Trail, etc.
Point Reyes Lighthouse
No visit to Point Reyes can be complete without making a point to visit the precariously located Point Reyes lighthouse. The lighthouse feels as if it’s located at the end of the world, and offers visitors not only spectacular views of the Point Reyes coastline but is also considered to be one of the best locations for whale watching.
Travel the 308 steps down (and back up) from the parking lot to the lighthouse and enjoy panoramic views of the Point Reyes coastline. Word to the wise-winds at the lighthouse can be quite violent so it’s advisable to wear a good windbreaker with a hood or to have a hat or scarf handy. Even if you don’t think the winds are that bad elsewhere in Point Reyes, believe me, they will be stronger here on the cliffs and at the lighthouse!
Point Reyes Beaches to visit if you have time..
Limantour Beach
Located about 20 minutes from the town of Point Reyes Station (take Limantour Road) this is a lovely beach.
*Parking is free.
*Yes, Limantour Beach has public restrooms.
McClures Beach
Located in a cove at the northernmost tip of the Point Reyes National Seashore peninsula, about 35 minutes from Point Reyes Station, McClures Beach features a stunning stretch of beach with impressive rock formations and plenty of soft, fine-grained sand to sink your toes into.
*Parking is free and is located just past the Tomales Point trailhead parking.
Kehoe Beach
To get to Kehoe Beach, it’s necessary to take a trail (the Kehoe Beach Trail) for a little over a half a mile. The payoff? Fewer crowds. Kehoe Beach feels much more secluded than some of the more easily accessed beaches in Marin and Point Reyes and offers stunning jagged rock formations, sandstone cliffs, and a large stretch of beach to walk.
* Parking is free
*This beach is dog friendly