• The Point Reyes Beach as viewed from the Point Reyes Headlands

    Point Reyes

    National Seashore California

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  • Operational Changes Took Effect on May 1

    The Lighthouse Visitor Center is now only open Fridays through Mondays. The Kenneth C. Patrick Visitor Center will be closed through late December 2013. More »

  • 2013 Harbor Seal Pupping Season Closures

    From March 1 through June 30, the park implements closures of certain Tomales Bay beaches and Drakes Estero to water-based recreation to protect harbor seals during the pupping season. Please avoid disturbing seals to ensure a successful pupping season. More »

Forests

Nature and Science

Bishop pine is one of many trees composing the Seashore forests.

Forests within Point Reyes National Seashore are determined by many factors including the geologic formations in which the trees and plants sink their roots. For example, the north side of Inverness Ridge is covered by Bishop pine that thrives in granitic soil. The south side of Inverness Ridge is covered by Douglas fir that thrives in the shale and sandstone mix. On either side of this ridge, different communities of plants and animals exist due to the habitat offered by plants-- and the plants exist due to the conditions offered by the soil and proceeding geologic events.

Bishop Pine Forest Communities
Bishop pine, bay laurel, madrone, California buckeye, California wax myrtle, coast live oak, coffeeberry, huckleberry, salal, manzanita, ceanothus, Steller’s jay, finches, sparrows, Western gray squirrels, various rodents

Douglas Fir Forest Communities
Douglas fir, cedar, spruce, hemlock, California bay, big leaf maple, California coffeeberry, California hazel, red elderberry, ceanothus, poison oak, huckleberry, thimbleberry, Northern spotted owl

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Did You Know?

Waves crashing on rocks during a storm.

A 1-foot sea level rise can lead to shorelines eroding back 100 feet, and increase the chances of a 100-year flood event in low coastal areas to once every 10 years. More...