Recent Storms Takes Toll on Point Reyes National Seashore

Date: February 9, 1998
Contact: John Dell'Osso, 415-464-5135

The recent series of storms, which hit northern California, this past week has caused damage to the Point Reyes National Seashore. The intensity of the storms would not allow National Park Service crews to assess the potential damage incurred on the 140 miles of hiking trails. Crews have been assembled today to begin this assessment.

The only trails open to the public at this time include Abbotts Lagoon, Kehoe Beach, Tomales Point, Bull Point, and Bolinas Ridge in the Olema Valley.

Limantour Road has developed two major failures and will be closed to the public until further notice. Engineers from the Federal Highway Administration will be on scene tomorrow to assess the road failure and estimate the length of time for the closure. Limantour Road allows access to the Sky Trailhead, Point Reyes Hostel, Clem Miller Environmental Education Center, and Limantour Beach. Other closures include all campgrounds, Mesa Road near Bolinas which allows access to the Point Reyes Bird Observatory and the Palomarin Beach and Trailhead.

Acting Superintendent Frank Dean stated, “We have work crews diligently working to open up the primary access roads followed by the secondary roads and primary trails. We are also having a helicopter fly over this morning to assess trail damage from the air.”

There are still a number of areas within the Seashore that remain open. They are the Bear Valley Visitor Center, Morgan Horse Ranch, Earthquake Trail, North and South Beaches, Drakes Beach, Abbotts Lagoon, Kehoe Beach, Tomales Bay State Park, and Pierce Point Ranch.

-NPS-