Last updated: April 18, 2024
Place
Point Reyes Lighthouse
NPS
Quick Facts
Location:
The Point Reyes Lighthouse is located 0.6 miles (1 km) west of the parking lot at the western end of Sir Francis Drake Boulevard, Inverness, California. Geographic Coordinates: 37.9956, -123.0232
Significance:
The Point Reyes Lighthouse was built in 1870 to warn mariners of the navigational hazard posed by the Point Reyes Peninsula and served for 105 years.
Designation:
National Register of Historic Places (1991)
Amenities
9 listed
Automated External Defibrillator (AED), Gifts/Souvenirs/Books, Information, Information - Maps Available, Information - Ranger/Staff Member Present, Recycling, Restroom, Toilet - Flush, Trash/Litter Receptacles
The Point Reyes Headlands jut 10 miles (16 km) out to sea and pose a threat to ships traveling between San Francisco Bay and locations to the north. The historic Point Reyes Lighthouse was built in 1870 to warn mariners of this navigational hazard and served for 105 years. The Point Reyes Lighthouse was retired from service in 1975 when the U.S. Coast Guard installed an automated light adjacent and below the historic tower. The Coast Guard then transferred ownership of the lighthouse to the National Park Service, which has taken on the job of preserving this fine specimen of our maritime heritage.
Visit the Point Reyes Lighthouse
If you would like to visit the Point Reyes Lighthouse, check out the Visit the Point Reyes Lighthouse page to find out:
- how to prepare for your visit;
- whether you may need to ride the shuttle bus;
- information about the drive to the parking lot;
- information about the 0.45-mile-long walk from the parking lot to the Lighthouse Visitor Center and the Ocean Exploration Center;
- information about accessibility; and
- information about descending and ascending the 313 stairs between the observation deck and the lighthouse itself.