Temporary facilities closure is in effect until further notice.The following areas, buildings, and roads are closed until further notice:
More information and details may be found below. 
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:
Download a map indicating which roads are currently closed to motorized access and/or undergoing road work. (8,160 KB PDF) Status of frequently used visitor facilities and services
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:
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. 
Park RoadsThe following roads are closed to motorized access until further notice:
Download a map indicating which roads are currently closed to motorized access and/or undergoing road work. (8,160 KB PDF) Sir 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 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 ClosureThe 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. Poor Road Conditions along Sir Francis Drake BoulevardAs of July 2020, 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 the two sites between Mount Vision Road and the Estero Trailhead Access Road where the eastbound lane has been undermined by the adjacent creek and part of the lane has collapsed. For the past several years, the westernmost location has been 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 photo on left below.) On Thursday, October 10, 2019, Sir Francis Drake Boulevard was closed in both directions to the public beyond the Pierce Point Road junction in order for Marin County to create a temporary fix at the East Schooner Creek crossing on Sir Francis Drake Boulevard, where water has been inundating the road for many years. (See photo on right below.) 
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. 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. A contractor began work on this long-term repair of this section of roadway in the summer of 2020. Visitors traveling along Sir Francis Drake Boulevard west of its junction with Pierce Point Road should expect to encounter delays due to the road work. The delays should last no more than 30 minutes. Drivers are urged to drive slowly through the work zone for the safety of the work crews, and to reduce the risk of damaging vehicles—especially those with low clearance—due to potholes, loose rocks, or other loose materials. Visit our Road Closures page for more information. 
Limantour Road WorkThrough the end of September 2020, visitors traveling along Limantour Road should expect to encounter delays due to road work. The delays should last no more than 15 minutes. As of 10:45 am on July 29, 2020, Limantour Road is closed until further notice.The road work occurring on Limantour Road is part of the Federal Highways Administration (FHWA) park road improvement project alluded to above. On Wednesday, July 29, 2020, as the contractor was excavating material, they discovered a fissure in the roadbed that could fail, e.g., result in a landslide. This presents a hazardous condition and the road was immediately closed and will remain so until further notice. Additional Sources for Road ConditionsAfter 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. Park TrailsVisit our Trail Advisories and Closures page for the latest trail updates. Caution: Many 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/AdvisoriesAnnual Seasonal Health and Safety Warnings/AdvisoriesAnnual Quarantine of Sport-Harvested Mussels - May 1 through October 31 WildlifeIn summer, many species of birds raise their newly hatched young at Point Reyes, offering bird watchers many opportunities to see chicks, fledgling, juvenile, and adult birds. Thousands of common murres struggle to protect their incubating eggs while perched on the surf-pounded rocks below the Point Reyes Lighthouse. Visitors to the Lighthouse may also witness peregrine falcons chasing marauding ravens from their nests and territory. 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. Tule elk begin rutting (mating activity) by early August. Tule elk may be viewed on Tomales Point and near Limantour and Drakes Beaches. On weekends from August through October, tule elk docents are stationed at Tomales Point to help visitors learn more about the tule elk and get a better view of the elk through binoculars. Please visit our Wildlife Viewing page for more information. Closures to Protect Western Snowy PloversNOTICE: Point Reyes Beach Closure - May 23 through September 7, 2020 [i.e., Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day weekend] Annual Pet Restrictions on Point Reyes Beach - March 1 through September 30 NOTICE: Temporary Pet Restrictions on the Point Reyes Beach - Friday, April 11, 2020, through Wednesday, September 30, 2020 Closures to Protect Elephant SealsNOTICE: Drakes Beach Elephant Seal Colony - year-round Interactive Map Illustrating the Locations of the Elephant Seal-related Closures Referenced AboveVisitor ServicesFollowing 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 until further notice. Visitor CentersThe 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 further notice. Visit our Operating Hours and Seasons to learn what hours these visitor centers are open. Ranger ProgramsVisitors 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. BookstoresStop 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 & TidesBefore traveling, check weather forecasts and advisories for Point Reyes at our Weather & Tides page or the National Weather Service. Latest NewsIf 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. |
Last updated: July 30, 2020