Temporary facilities closure is in effect until further notice.The following areas, buildings, and roads are closed until further notice:
Please note: Rangers will be stationed at the front doors of the Bear Valley Visitor Center daily from 10 am to 4:30 pm to provide visitors information and maps. Please line up along the sloped pathway from near the accessible parking spaces; only one person per family/party/group, please. Please maintain at least six feet of physical distance and wear a mask. The interior of the visitor center is closed until further notice. More information and details may be found below. A Risk Reduction Order is in place for Marin County until further notice. Following guidance from the CDC and state and county public health officials, and to comply with county-wide public health legal orders, until further notice:
Updates will be posted to our Current Conditions page and social media channels. Please help do your part to slow the spread of the coronavirus by staying close to home; if you do visit Point Reyes, please maintain at least six feet of physical distance. Individuals engaged in outdoor exercise, such as walking, hiking, running, or bicycling, are not required to wear a face covering, but should carry one with them and must wear a facial covering when interacting with others who are not members of their household in public and private spaces if they cannot practice physical distancing. Visit our Recreate Responsibly page for guidelines for responsible recreation in the outdoors at Point Reyes and other park lands during the COVID-19 Pandemic. For emergency road and weather conditions in West Marin, visit Point Reyes National Seashore's Twitter feed, 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 ClosuresFor 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 ClosureAs 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. Beach ClosuresFrom 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. 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 ClosuresPark campgrounds were closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020, but were reopened on Thursday, July 9, 2020, with some new rules in an effort to keep campers healthy. However, due to the Woodward Fire - August 2020, all campgrounds were closed on August 18, 2020. Coast, Glen, and Sky Campgrounds are still closed until further notice. Campers with reservations for Tomales Bay Boat-in Camping permits were allowed to resume camping beginning on Thursday, September 10, 2020. Campers with permits for Wildcat Campground were allowed to resume camping beginning Wednesday, September 23, 2020. The Bear Valley Trailhead and all trails south of Limantour Road, west of Highway 1, and north of Stewart Trail are closed until further notice. Park at the Palomarin Trailhead to hike to Wildcat Campground or the Five Brooks Trailhead to hike or bike to Wildcat Campground. Road ClosuresSir Francis Drake Boulevard Road WorkOn Monday, April 20, 2020, contractors began work on a major two-year road improvement project in Point Reyes National Seashore. To better ensure the safety of road crew and visitors, time-limited delays and some road and/or area closures are expected through the duration of the project. As of May 17, 2020, Sir Francis Drake Boulevard southwest of its junction with Drake Beach Road is closed to motorized traffic. Visit our Road Closures page for more information. Trail Advisories and ClosuresVisitor Center ClosuresAll Visitor Centers are closed until further notice, to comply with county-wide public health legal orders.However, rangers will be stationed at the front doors of the Bear Valley Visitor Center daily from 10 am to 4:30 pm to provide visitors information and maps. Please line up along the sloped pathway from near the accessible parking spaces; only one person per family/party/group, please. Please maintain at least six feet of physical distance and wear a mask. The interior of the visitor center is closed until further notice. All Visitor Centers will be closed on December 25. Visitor Centers usually close at 2 pm on Thanksgiving Day. Visit our Operating Hours & Seasons page for current days and hours of operations. Kenneth C. Patrick Visitor CenterThe Kenneth C. Patrick Visitor Center at Drakes Beach is closed seven days a week until Saturday, December 26, 2020, after which it will be open on weekends and federal holidays through the duration of the 2020 Winter Shuttle Bus System. Wildlife Protection ClosuresTule ElkLlamas are prohibited from all areas that are inhabited by tule elk. Map (180 KB PDF) Marine Protected AreasOn 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. Northern Elephant SealsTo 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 ClosureThe 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:
Interactive Map Illustrating the Locations of the Closures Referenced AboveWestern Snowy PloversThe 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
Temporary Closures
Harbor SealsTo 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. |
Last updated: November 18, 2020