Closures at Point Reyes

Temporary facilities closures are in effect until further notice.

The following areas, buildings, and trails are closed until further notice:

• Drakes Beach: From Friday, April 29, 2022, until further notice, the southwest end of Drakes Beach is closed starting 0.5 mile (0.8 km) southwest of the Kenneth C. Patrick Visitor Center and continuing southwest to the permanent year-round closure at the southern end of the beach. (At Drakes Beach, southwest is to the right if one is facing Drakes Bay.) This emergency closure is designed to minimize the possibility of unsafe interactions between humans and elephant seals on Drakes Beach. As of Wednesday, April 27, 2022, more than 800 elephant seals have moved into the area making it difficult for visitors to get around them safely. There is also the risk that people can become trapped by the incoming tide and seals moving around the area. All public use of the beach is prohibited. Visitors are still permitted to walk to the southwest on Drakes Beach for 0.5 mile (0.8 km) from the Drakes Beach parking lot and to the east to Drakes Estero.
  Determination of Temporary Closure - April 29, 2022, until further notice - signed on April 27, 2022 (156 KB PDF)
  Map of Temporary Closure (1,487 KB PDF)
• Peter Behr Overlook Trail and Peter Behr Overlook at Drakes Beach are closed until further notice.
• Kule Loklo and the trails leading to Kule Loklo are closed until further notice due to hazard trees.
• Point Blue Conservation Science's Palomarin Field Station and Nature Trails (previously known as the Point Reyes Bird Observatory)

Additional Seasonal Closures Currently in Effect

• Drakes Estero and Estero de Limantour: From March 1 through June 30, an annual recreational closure of Drakes Estero and Estero de Limantour is implemented to protect the harbor seals during their pupping season. The closure applies to kayak and canoe usage but is applicable to surfers, windsurfers, abalone divers, recreational fishing, and other water sport users around harbor seal colonies in the area. Double Point and the western most point of Limantour Spit are also closed to all human activity during the pupping season. See the Wildlife Protection Closures: Harbor Seals section below for details.
• Pets at Point Reyes Beach:
  • From March 1 through September 30, pets are not allowed on the Point Reyes Beach from the north end of the North Beach parking lot north to the intersection of Kehoe Beach Trail at Kehoe Beach to better protect the threatened western snowy plover during its nesting season.
  • Visit our Pets page to learn where pets are welcome.
• Kiteboarding and Kite Flying: Kiteboarding and kite flying are not allowed due to snowy plover nesting activity from March 1 to September 30 at or along:
  • Limantour Beach west of the east access trail,
  • the portion of Point Reyes Beach from North Beach parking lot to Kehoe Beach, and
  • Abbotts Lagoon.

More information and details about the multiple closures referenced above may be found below.

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For emergency road and weather conditions in West Marin, visit Point Reyes National Seashore's Twitter feed, the County of Marin's Public Emergency Portal, the National Weather Service San Francisco Bay Area's Twitter feed, the Marin County Department of Public Works' Twitter feed, the Marin Sheriff Department's Twitter feed, the Marin Fire Department's Twitter feed, the California Highway Patrol: Marin's Twitter feed, or tune in to KWMR, 90.5 FM.

 

Area Road Closures

For information on road closures in Marin County and the Bay Area, check the Marin Sheriff Current Emergency Information, the California Department of Transportation's Current Highway Conditions, and CHP Traffic Incident Information (select "Golden Gate" from the "Communication Centers" drop-down menu in the upper left corner, then look for "Marin" in the "Location" and/or "Area" columns) websites.

Old Tocaloma/Platform Bridge Closure

As of January 13, 2020, the bridge known as Old Tocaloma/Platform Bridge, which runs parallel to Sir Francis Drake Boulevard at its intersection with Platform Bridge Road ~ 2 miles east of Olema, is closed to all vehicular traffic until further notice. The bridge is being closed to vehicular traffic due to structural deficiencies that make the weight of a vehicle unsafe to cross over the bridge.

 

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Beach Closures

From December 15 to March 31, to better protect elephant seals from disturbance, especially during the pupping season when they are exceptionally vulnerable, the park implements closures along beaches near the Point Reyes Headlands. Additional closures may be implemented if elephant seals haul out on beaches outside of these areas. See the Northern Elephant Seals section of the Wildlife Protection Closures below for more details.

From Memorial Day Weekend through Labor Day Weekend, a closure of the Point Reyes Beach between the North Beach parking lot and the mouth of Abbotts Lagoon is in effect on weekends and federal holidays to better ensure the survival of western snowy plover nests and chicks within this area on busy weekends. All public use is prohibited. Additional restriction on pets at various beaches are in effect between March 1 and September 30. See the Western Snowy Plover section of the Wildlife Protection Closures below for more details.

Campground Closures

All campgrounds within Point Reyes National Seashore are currently open.

Road Closures

Trail Advisories and Closures

Visitor Center Closures

All Visitor Centers will be closed on December 25. Visitor Centers usually close at 2 pm on Thanksgiving Day. Visit our Visitor Centers page for current days and hours of operations.

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Wildlife Protection Closures

Tule Elk

Llamas are prohibited from all areas that are inhabited by tule elk. Map (180 KB PDF)

Marine Protected Areas

On May 1, 2010, a number of Marine Protected Areas went into effect within and adjacent to Point Reyes National Seashore, in part to better protect nesting birds. Per the Marine Life Protection Act (MPLA), the Point Reyes Headlands is closed to all vessels within 305 meters (1000 feet) of shore from Chimney Rock west to Longitude 123° 01.00'. Per the Superintendent's Compendium, from Longitude 123° 01.00' west to the Point Reyes Lighthouse the headlands is closed to all vessels within 91 meters (100 yards) of shore. There are also 91-meter (300-foot) special closures around Point Resistance and Double Point/Stormy Stack, per the MLPA.

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Harbor Seals

To protect harbor seals from disturbance during the most crucial part of the pupping season, from March 1 through June 30 the National Park Service has closed the following areas to the public: Drakes Estero, Estero de Limantour, Double Point, and the western end of Limantour Spit. Duck Island and the east side of Hog Island are closed to the public year round.
Map of Estero closures March 1–June 30 (299 KB PDF)
Map of Seal Protection Closures at the western end of Limantour Spit March 1–June 30 (148 KB PDF)
Map of Hog Island closure (98 KB PDF)

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Western Snowy Plovers

The western snowy plover is listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act. Disturbance by park visitors, especially those with pets, in plover breeding areas can separate chicks from the adults, and the chicks may then not be able to forage efficiently, thermoregulate properly, and hide from predators.

Annual Closures

• Annual Pet Restrictions on Point Reyes Beach - March 1 through September 30
  During the nesting season of the threatened western snowy plover (March 1 through September 30), pets are not allowed on the Point Reyes Beach from the north end of the North Beach parking lot to the intersection of Kehoe Beach Trail and Kehoe Beach.
• Annual Kiteboarding Restrictions - March 1 through September 30
  From March 1 through September 30, kiteboarding (aka kitesurfing) is not allowed off of Limantour Beach west of the east access trail, the portion of Point Reyes Beach from North Beach parking lot to Kehoe Beach, and within Abbotts Lagoon.
• Annual Kite Flying Restrictions - March 1 through September 30
  From March 1 through September 30, kite flying is prohibited on/from Limantour Beach west of the east access trail, the portion Point Reyes Beach from North Beach parking lot to Kehoe Beach, and the shoreline of Abbotts Lagoon.
• Point Reyes Beach Closure - Memorial Day Weekend through Labor Day Weekend
  A closure of the beach area between the North Beach parking lot and the mouth of Abbotts Lagoon is in effect on weekends and federal holidays from the Saturday immediately preceding Memorial Day through Labor Day to better ensure the survival of plover nests and chicks within this area on busy weekends. All public use is prohibited. Reproductive monitoring of western snowy plovers at Point Reyes has previously demonstrated that chick mortality is higher on weekend days than weekdays. In 2013, for example, of the 11 newly hatched chicks in this area, only 3 survived past the July 4 weekend.
  Map of Beach Closure - the Saturday of Memorial Day Weekend through Labor Day Weekend (322 KB PDF)

Temporary Closures

• Temporary Pet Restrictions on the Point Reyes Beach - Saturday, April 11, 2020, through Wednesday, September 30, 2020
  A temporary closure of the Point Reyes Beach between 0.25 mile south of the North Beach parking lot and 0.25 mile north of the South Beach parking lot was in effect to pets and visitors with pets to facilitate the survival of multiple federally-threatened western snowy plover nests and hatchlings in this pet closure area. No such closure was warranted in 2021. No decision has yet to be made as to whether a similar closure will be implemented in 2022.
  Determination of Temporary Closure - April 11, 2020, through September 30, 2020 - signed on April 8, 2020 (24 KB PDF)
  Map of the temporary closure to pets on the Point Reyes Beach - April 11, 2020, through September 30, 2020 (833 KB PDF)

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Northern Elephant Seals

To better protect elephant seals from disturbance, especially during the pupping season when they are exceptionally vulnerable, the park implements the following closures:

Drakes Beach Elephant Seal Colony Year-Round Closure

The Drakes Beach elephant seal colony as delineated by signs at the western-most end of Drakes Beach is closed to all entry due to seal activity at all times of the year. This closure is necessary to protect an established elephant seal colony from disturbance and protect the public. The elephant seal colony is used all year. No management action other than a year-round closure is sufficient.

Seasonal Closures:

From December 15 to March 31, the following areas are closed to all entry in order to better protect nursing elephant seal pups:

• Drakes Beach: starting at the southern edge of the cove in front of the Kenneth C. Patrick Visitor Center and continuing southwest (e.g., towards Chimney Rock; to the right as one faces the bay) to the current permanent elephant seal closure;
• the beach from the Chimney Rock Lifeboat Station to Chimney Rock;
• the road leading from the gate at the end of the Chimney Rock Road to the Fish Dock area, including immediately adjacent beaches. (Map - 301 KB PDF); and
• the southern end of South Point Reyes Beach (as signed) to the Lighthouse.

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Interactive Map Illustrating the Locations of the Closures Referenced Above

(Scroll past the first image in the StoryMap below and click on the "Beach Closures" header. Or scroll almost all the way through the Story Map to the "Beach Closures" section.)

 

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