A Risk Reduction Order is in place for Marin County until further notice. 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. On April 2, 2021, the California Department of Public Health updated its Travel Advisory for Non-Essential Travel, which includes travel that is considered tourism or recreational in nature. Non-essential travelers from other states or countries are strongly discouraged from entering California. All persons arriving in or returning to California from other states or countries should follow CDC travel guidance and adhere to the quarantine procedures set forth in the travel advisory. Avoiding travel reduces the risk of virus transmission, including by reducing the risk that new sources of infection and, potentially, new virus strains will be introduced to California. 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. Updates will be posted to our Current Conditions page and social media channels. ![]() Current Road ClosuresSir Francis Drake Boulevard Managed AccessOn weekends and federal holidays, access to the Lighthouse and Chimney Rock areas will be managed beyond (e.g., southwest of) the intersection of Sir Francis Drake Boulevard and Drakes Beach Road in an effort to ensure visitor and staff safety by limiting the number of people at these otherwise crowded locations. Visit our Current Conditions page for more information. Limantour Road WorkRoad work has resumed on Limantour Road. Through Friday April 16, 2021, visitors traveling along Limantour Road may encounter delays due to road work. The delays should last no more than 30 minutes. From Monday, April 19, 2021 through Friday, May 7, 2021, Limantour Road will be closed each day from Monday through Friday from 8 am to noon, and from 1 pm to 5 pm. more... Notice for Drake Beach Parking Lot ClosureAs part of the on-going road project in the park, Drakes Beach Road and Parking Lot will be closed between May 1, 2021, and August 31, 2021. The contractor will begin preparatory work at the site as early as April 1, 2021. The work consists of a reconfiguration of the parking lot and the restoration of historic wetlands. MapsDownload a park map indicating the areas closed due to the Woodward Fire and roads subject to closures or managed access. (8,119 KB PDF) ![]() Point Reyes is located along the west coast of California approximately thirty miles (fifty km) north of San Francisco off of Highway 1 (see Maps). Travelers may approach the park from the winding scenic Highway 1, either northbound or southbound. Visitors can also reach the park via Sir Francis Drake Boulevard or the Point Reyes-Petaluma Road. Below are directions for the quickest routes to Point Reyes National Seashore's Bear Valley Visitor Center from San Francisco, the East Bay, Sacramento, and Petaluma. For directions from the Bear Valley Visitor Center to points of interest and trailheads within Point Reyes National Seashore, please visit our Directions to Park Destinations page. Public TransportationPublic transportation to the Bear Valley Visitor Center from San Rafael along Sir Francis Drake Boulevard is available through the West Marin Stagecoach. Parking at Bear ValleyOn weekends and holidays, the paved parking lot adjacent to the Bear Valley Visitor Center can fill early, especially if visitors who are spending more than thirty minutes in the Bear Valley area park in the paved lot. To help reduce traffic congestion in the paved parking lot, day hikers, backpackers, and other visitors who will be spending an extended period of time (i.e., more than thirty minutes) in the Bear Valley area are encouraged to park their vehicles in the gravel parking lot on the left (east) side of the access road close to the Bear Valley Trailhead. (Bear Valley Area Map [427 KB PDF]) The Headlands Shuttle Bus SystemNOTE: On weekends and holidays from late December through mid-April, when visitation to the Point Reyes Lighthouse and Chimney Rock areas is heavy, visitors may be required to ride a shuttle bus from Drakes Beach to the Lighthouse and Chimney Rock areas. Please note: The shuttle bus system has been cancelled for winter 2020–2021. Other Useful InformationRoad Closures in Point Reyes National Seashore Directions from San Francisco
Directions from the East Bay (San Francisco Bay Area)
Directions from Sacramento
Directions from Petaluma
Alternative Fuel VehiclesDo you plan to travel to the park in an alternative fuel vehicle? If so, good for you! Your actions help us reduce petroleum use and reduce greenhouse gas emissions that are contributing to anthropogenic climate change. Plan your trip with the Alternative Fueling Station Locator from the Department of Energy (search on zip code 94956) and visit our Electric Vehicle Charging Stations page to learn where you can charge your vehicle within Point Reyes National seashore. RVs and TrailersSome of the park's roads and parking lots are closed to or do not have space for recreational vehicles (RVs) and vehicles pulling trailers. While there may appear to be sufficient parking space early in the morning at some of the smaller parking lots, the parking lot can quickly fill. On a number of occasions, RV drivers have parked in a lot and by the time the driver returned to depart, the parking lot was full and there wasn't sufficient room to maneuver the RV out of the parking lot without damaging other vehicles. Not until much later, after the parking spots adjacent to and in front of the RV were cleared, was the driver of the RV able to safely get the RV out of the parking space and out of the lot. Some visitors who arrived during this time and were told by the driver of the RV (and later by park staff) that they couldn't park in the parking lot, even though there were parking spaces apparently available, weren't too happy. If you are traveling with a trailer or are driving an RV towing a passenger vehicle, consider unhitching at the bus/RV/trailer-only parking lot at Bear Valley and taking only the passenger vehicle for the drive out to the Lighthouse area. Overnight parking/camping in RVs and trailers is prohibited throughout Point Reyes National Seashore. Visit our Nearby Campgrounds page for alternatives. |
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Last updated: April 9, 2021