Last updated: February 9, 2024
Thing to Do
Bike to Coast Campground
NPS / A. Kopshever
Distance: 5.6 miles (9 km) roundtrip, easy
Ride your bike on this multi-use trail, through alder forests and grasslands, to beautiful coastal bluffs with ocean views. Begin at the Coast Trailhead and ride 2.8 miles (4.5 km) to Coast Campground, where there is beach access, potable water, and and vault toilets.
There is a bike rack on the left as one descends the beach access trail. Please don't lock bikes to picnic tables or other campground infrastructure. Return via the same route back to the Coast Trailhead.
Aside from public roads, bikes are only permitted on the northern 2.8 miles (4.5 kilometers) of the Coast Trail in this area of the park. Bikes are prohibited on all other trails in the immediate area since the trails through the Phillip Burton Wilderness.
Visit the park's Bicycle Riding at Point Reyes National Seashore page for specific regulations pertaining to bicycles and tips and information about trail etiquette and safety.
- Bicyclists must yield to all other users, especially horse riders.
- Class I e-bikes under 750 watts (1 h.p.) are allowed on the northern 2.8 miles (4.5 km) of the Coast Trail.
- The speed limit for all bikes is 15 mph (24 km/h).
- Please ride respectfully.
This route description alone is not a substitute for a trail map. Print out the park's South District trail map (3,422 KB PDF) before your visit, or pick one up at a visitor center on your way.
Always check current conditions before heading out into the park and familiarize yourself with park regulations. Please practice Leave No Trace principles.
Visit the park's Trail Advisories and Closures page for current information about closed trails, trails blocked by trees, or other temporary hazards or advisories.
Details
Duration
30-60 Minutes
Allow thirty to sixty minutes to ride to the Coast Campground and back. Allow for more time to relax at Santa Maria Beach.
Activity
Biking
Age(s)
All ages.
Pets Allowed
No
Pets are prohibited on the Coast Trail, as well as other trails in this area. Visit the park's Pets page to learn more about where pets are welcome at Point Reyes National Seashore.
Activity Fee
No
Entrance fees may apply, see Fees & Passes information.
Location
Coast Trailhead along Laguna Road, Point Reyes National Seashore
After turning onto Limantour Road, look for signs for the Hostel and Education Center after about 6 miles of driving. Turn left onto Laguna Road. (Please note that this road is mislabeled on many mapping applications, such as Google Maps, as "Limantour Spit Road.") The northern end of the Coast Trail is on the right side of the road at 0.25 miles (0.4 km). Do not park in the Hostel's parking lot. Allow 15 minutes drive time from Bear Valley to the Coast trailheads.
Directions to Bear Valley
Directions from Bear Valley to the Coast Trailhead
Reservations
Yes
Permits and reservations are not required for day use. However, permits are required for backcountry camping at Coast Campground. Details on how to reserve a permit are available on the park's backcountry camping page or under the "Where to Stay" tab in the app.
Season
Year Round
Winter
The heaviest rainfall occurs in the winter months. Come prepared for rain and drizzle to possibly last for several days. In between winter rains, it is often sunny, calm, and cool.
Spring
Most spring days are windy and this area frequently experiences fresh to strong breezes. Expect cool temperatures in March. By late May and early June, temperatures can be quite pleasant, even warm.
Summer
Although there is very little rain during summer months, there is often dense fog throughout the day in July, August and September with temperatures often 20 degrees cooler than at Bear Valley.
Fall
The coastal areas of Point Reyes experience some of the clearest days in late September, October and early November. The occasional storm will start rolling through in late October, bringing clouds, wind, and rain. The strongest winds occur in November and December during occasional southerly gales.
Time of Day
Day, Dawn, Dusk
Point Reyes National Seashore is open for day use from 6 am to midnight. Camping and overnight parking is only permitted with a valid camping permit.
Accessibility Information
The Coast Trail from the Coast Trailhead doubles as an eight-foot-wide (2.4-meter-wide) service/fire road that is composed of compacted dirt and gravel (and potholes and washboarding). Otherwise, the Coast Trail's northern 2.8 miles (4.5 km) is relative flat; the steepest section is at the Coast Trail's junction with the Laguna Road where the trail drops relatively steeply from the built-up road to the valley floor. The road-side parking at the Coast Trailhead is on the shoulder, which has surfaces that are uneven and sloped.