Current Conditions

 

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Temporary facilities closure is in effect until further notice.

 

Most roadways and parking lots at Point Reyes National Seashore are now open to motor vehicle access following guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and local public health officials, except:

• Chimney Rock Road—closed to all traffic (i.e., motor vehicle, bicycle, pedestrian, etc.) due to road construction
• Mesa Road from the Commonweal entrance to Palomarin Trailhead—closed to motor vehicles due to area access and safety
• Mount Vision Road—closed to motor vehicles due to fire danger
• Sir Francis Drake Boulevard southwest of its junction with Drake Beach Road—closed to motor vehicles due to road construction*
• South Beach Access Road—closed to motor vehicles due to road construction

* Sir Francis Drake Boulevard west of its junction with Chimney Rock Road is closed to all traffic (i.e., motor vehicle, bicycle, pedestrian, etc.)

Certain park facilities with high-touch equipment or that encourage gathering–including drinking fountains, benches, picnic areas–also remain closed. Restrooms are open.

Visitor centers and campgrounds remain temporarily closed until further notice. Camping and beach fires are prohibited. All ranger-led programs and volunteer activities are also cancelled until further notice.

Please practice caution in deciding when to leave your home and for what purpose. The virus is present in our community, and even people without symptoms can have COVID-19 and give it to others. We can all help protect the people we live, work, and interact with so they don't get the virus. If you are feeling sick, please stay home. When coming to the park:

• Plan your visit before you come
• Bring everything you need—including water, food, and hand sanitizer—and take everything home. Leave No Trace.
• Maintain at least 6 feet of physical distance
• Wear a mask when near others

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 this park website and social media channels. For more information, please see Marin County's Stay at Home Order and Frequently Asked Questions.

Carry out what you carry in.

Please help us protect public health during the shelter-in-place order. Take your trash home. Leave No Trace.

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Park Roads

The following roads are closed to motorized access until further notice:

• Chimney Rock Road—closed to all traffic (i.e., motor vehicle, bicycle, pedestrian, etc.) due to road construction
• Mesa Road from the Commonweal entrance to Palomarin Trailhead—closed to motor vehicles due to area access and safety
• Mount Vision Road—closed to motor vehicles due to fire danger
• Sir Francis Drake Boulevard southwest of its junction with Drake Beach Road—closed to motor vehicles due to road construction*
• South Beach Access Road—closed to motor vehicles due to road construction

* Sir Francis Drake Boulevard west of its junction with Chimney Rock Road is closed to all traffic (i.e., motor vehicle, bicycle, pedestrian, etc.)

Download a map indicating which roads are currently closed to motorized access. (8,668 KB PDF)

Sir Francis Drake Boulevard Road Work

On 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 until further notice. As a result, the Chimney Rock, Lighthouse, and South Beach areas are closed to motorized access. Visit our Road Closures page for more information.

Bridge Closure

The Old Tocaloma/Platform Bridge is closed to all vehicular traffic until further notice. The Old Tocaloma/Platform Bridge is the old concrete bridge paralleling Sir Francis Drake Boulevard near its junction with Platform Bridge Road ~two miles east of Olema. 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.
Determination of Temporary Closure - January 13, 2020, until further notice - signed on January 13, 2020 (49 KB PDF)

 

Poor Road Conditions along Sir Francis Drake Boulevard

As of October 2019, there are three locations along Sir Francis Drake Boulevard west of of the Mount Vision Road junction at which the road is reduced to one lane. Stops signs are located at both ends of each site where the eastbound lane has been undermined by the adjacent creek and part of the lane has collapsed. The westernmost location is perpetually flooded with an inch or two of water and may be flooded with several inches of water after rain storms and during very high tides. (See photos below.)

 

The section of Sir Francis Drake Boulevard that is prone to flooding on March 30, 2019 (left) and on October 21, 2019, after temporary repairs (right).

 

On October 10, 2019, Marin County's Department of Public Works laid down a thick layer of coarse, cobble-sized rocks between Jersey barriers (K-rails) to provide an elevated surface on which vehicles can drive where the water and potholes had been deepest. Now, however, water is pooling at both ends of where the rocks were deposited and potholes may quickly form in these locations. Please observe all stop signs and, in the flooded sections, slow to a few miles per hour and proceed with caution. Drivers who do not slow down risk damaging their vehicles, especially with low clearance.

A long term repair for this location, being managed by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), for the County of Marin was put out for bid during the fall of 2019. This project will rehabilitate Sir Francis Drake Boulevard between the Pierce Point Road and Chimney Rock Road intersections.Visit our Road Closures page for more information.

Additional Sources for Road Conditions

After wind and/or rain storms, many roads to and from and within Point Reyes National Seashore may be blocked due to flooding, mud slides, downed trees, and/or power lines. Reports of closures and re-openings of roads are received too frequently to keep this page up-to-date. 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.

For more 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.

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Park Trails

Visit our Trail Advisories and Closures page for the latest trail updates.

Caution: As of June 5, 2020, most trails in the park are overgrown with grass and annuals. The park's trail crew is working to address the trail conditions as quickly as possible, but please anticipate wading through vegetation as you hike, and check yourself for ticks during and after your hike.

Warning: Hazardous conditions near north end of the Tomales Point Trail. In January 2017, part of the bluff at the north end of Tomales Point collapsed. The bluff top may be unstable & another collapse could occur. Please don't attempt to reach the northern end of Tomales Point by going off-trail to the east of the collapse. More...

Warning: Fissures reported near the Chimney Rock Trail. Cracks were reported on a portion of the bluff near the Chimney Rock Trail on December 21, 2015. These fissures could indicate the possibility of a weakening cliff face in the area. The land may be unstable and a collapse or erosion could occur. Visitors are reminded to stay on designated trails. More...

Warning: The Arch Rock trail has been closed until further notice. New hazardous conditions on Arch Rock were reported to the park on Thursday, March 19, 2015. On Saturday, March 21, 2015, a portion of the land at the Arch Rock overlook collapsed into the waters 70 feet below. More...

 

Health and Safety Warnings/Advisories

There are currently no health and safety warnings/advisories for the Point Reyes area in effect.

Annual Seasonal Health and Safety Warnings/Advisories

Annual Quarantine of Sport-Harvested Mussels - May 1 through October 31
Every year, the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) announces an annual quarantine of sport-harvested mussels gathered along the California coast. The quarantine is in effect from May 1 until October 31 and applies to all species of mussels that are recreationally harvested along the California coast, including all bays and estuaries. The quarantine is in place to protect the public against poisoning that can lead to serious illness, including coma and death.
CDPH's Marine Biotoxin Monitoring Program's Annual Mussel Quarantine - Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

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Wildlife

In spring, there are plenty of opportunities to see a wide range of animals. Elephant seal pups are still hauled out on beaches near Chimney Rock through April, and adult females return later in spring to molt their skin. Gray whales are migrating past the Point on their way to the Bering and Chukchi seas. Female harbor seals haul out on sandbars and beaches in Drakes Estero, Estero de Limantour, Tomales Bay, and Bolinas Lagoon to give birth and raise their pups. Please note that when seals and other pinnipeds haul out, they are extremely vulnerable to human disturbance, with the pupping and molting seasons being an especially vulnerable time for harbor seals. Please read the "How You Can Help" section on our Harbor Seals page for more information. Many species of birds migrate from, to, or past Point Reyes during the spring. Tule elk can be seen year-round on Tomales Point. Please visit our Wildlife Viewing page for more information.

Closures to Protect Western Snowy Plovers

NOTICE: Point Reyes Beach Closure - May 23 through September 7, 2020 [i.e., 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 every summer to better ensure the survival of federally-threatened western snowy 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. Disturbance by park visitors 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. In 2013, for example, of the 11 newly hatched chicks in the proposed closure area, only 3 survived past the July 4 weekend.
Map of Beach Closure (322 KB PDF)

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.

NOTICE: Temporary Pet Restrictions on the Point Reyes Beach - Friday, 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 is 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.
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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Closures to Protect Harbor Seals

NOTICE: From March 1 through June 30, an annual recreational closure of Drakes Estero is implemented to protect the harbor seals during their pupping season, a very sensitive time of the year for these pinnipeds. 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. Hog Island in Tomales Bay is closed during this same time period for nesting and roosting sea birds such as double-crested cormorants and brown pelicans.
more...

Closures to Protect Elephant Seals

NOTICE: Drakes Beach Elephant Seal Colony - year-round
The Drakes Beach elephant seal pupping area 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 closure is sufficient.

Interactive Map Illustrating the Locations of the Elephant Seal-related Closures Referenced Above

 

View full screen.

 

Visitor Services

Following guidance from the CDC and public health officials, and to comply with the county-wide shelter-in-place legal order, all park visitor centers and bookstores are closed and all ranger programs are cancelled for the duration of the shelter-in-place order.

Visitor Centers

The Bear Valley Visitor Center and the Lighthouse Visitor Center are usually open throughout the year.

The Lighthouse Visitor Center is now, for most of the year, only open Fridays through Mondays; closed Tuesdays through Thursdays.

The Kenneth C. Patrick Visitor Center at Drakes Beach is closed seven days a week until Saturday, December 26, 2020, except for on Saturday, August 29, 2020, when it will be open during the 39th Annual Sand Sculpture Contest.

Visit our Operating Hours and Seasons to learn what hours these visitor centers are open.

Ranger Programs

Visitors are invited to join a park ranger to learn more about Point Reyes and its history, wildlife, and/or geology during Ranger's Choice Programs.

Bookstores

Stop by one of the three bookstores within the national seashore, all of which are operated by the Point Reyes National Seashore Association (PRNSA). They offer many educational and convenience items, including books, maps, snacks, and, at Drakes Beach, coffee.

The Bear Valley Visitor Center and Lighthouse Visitor Center bookstores share the same hours of operations as the visitor centers.

The PRNSA Bookstore at Drakes Beach is open Saturdays and Sundays, some Fridays, and most federal holidays (except for Columbus Day, Veterans Day, Thanksgiving Day, and Christmas Day) from 11 am to 4:30 pm; closed Mondays through Thursdays, some Fridays, and on Columbus Day, Veterans Day, Thanksgiving Day, and Christmas Day.

Visit our Operating Hours & Seasons page for specific hours.

Drakes Beach Café is indefinitely closed.

 

Weather & Tides

Before traveling, check weather forecasts and advisories for Point Reyes at our Weather & Tides page or the National Weather Service.

 

Latest News

If you're looking for more information about what is happening at Point Reyes National Seashore, visit our News Releases page, our Facebook page, and/or Twitter feed for the most up-to-date news.

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