• 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 »

Reading Room: Other Documents of Interest

Lee, Cynthia and John MacDonald (Volpe 2011), Baseline Ambient Sound Levels in Point Reyes National Seashore. Cambridge, MA: U.S. Department of Transportation, John A. Volpe National Transportation Systems Center, March 2011. (4,636 KB PDF)

Jennings, Scott, R.L. Cormier, T.G. Gardali, D.T. Press, and W.W. Merkle, Status and Distribution of the Barred Owl in Marin County, California, Western Birds 42:103-110, 2011 (235 KB PDF)

Becker, B.H., D.T. Press, and S.G. Allen. 2011. Evidence for long-term spatial displacement of breeding and pupping harbour seals by shellfish aquaculture over three decades. Aquatic Conservation: Marine and Freshwater Ecosystems 21:247-260. (1,268 KB PDF)

Tule Elk Management

Public Report on Allegations of Scientific Misconduct at Point Reyes National Seashore (10,587 KB PDF)

Drakes Bay Oyster Company Special Use Permit (SUP) - April 22, 2008 (4,600 KB PDF)

Johnson Oyster Company Reservation of Use and Occupancy (RUO) - 1972 (1,115 KB PDF)

The park conducts reviews of files, databases, recording equipment, and data storage devices to improve responsiveness to Freedom of Information Act and other public requests. As part of this process, the park has identified the following documents which may be of public interest.

Harbor Seal Data

Upper Drakes Estero Harbor Seal and Oyster Activity Data

Upper Drakes Estero photos


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Did You Know?

Harbor Seal Pup, © Sue Van Der Wal

Harbor seals (Phoca vitulina) are present in the waters of Point Reyes year round. Every spring, approximately 7,000 harbor seals, or 20% of the mainland California breeding population, haul out on the beaches of Point Reyes. Look for them in the esteros and in Tomales Bay and Bolinas Lagoon. More...