Alamere Falls is an incredible sight, as water cascades over a 40 foot cliff onto a beautiful sandy beach below. Getting there is no easy trek—a 13 mile minimum roundtrip hike is required, parking fills up early and you must time your visit to the falls with low tide. The best thing you can do to guarantee a safe, fun visit to the falls is to be prepared! Allow 10 minutes drive time from Bear Valley to the Five Brooks Trailhead and 35 minutes to the Palomarin Trailhead.
6-8 Hours
Skylight Cave is a sea cave with a collapsed ceiling at the north end of Secret Beach, which is located within the Phillip Burton Wilderness along the eastern shore of Drakes Bay. Even though Skylight Cave is only 2.5 miles (3.8 km) from the closest parking lot at Limantour Beach, it is usually only safe to visit at tides that measure -1 (negative one) foot or lower. The best thing you can do to guarantee a safe, fun visit to the falls is to be prepared!
3-4 Hours
Meander along a creek through Douglas fir forest to arrive at a beautiful stretch of coastline deep within the Phillip Burton Wilderness. This trail begins at the Bear Valley Trailhead, at the south end of the Bear Valley Parking Lot.
4-6 Hours
Explore the floor of a valley that follows the San Andreas Fault, passing through meadows and woods between Bear Valley and Five Brooks. This hike can begin at either the Bear Valley Trailhead or the Five Brooks Trailhead. Allow about 10 minutes to drive from Bear Valley to Five Brooks.
1-4 Hours
Ride your horse along the northern floor of a valley that follows the San Andreas Fault, passing through meadows and woods between Bear Valley and Five Brooks. This ride can begin at either the Bear Valley Trailhead or the Five Brooks Trailhead. Allow about 10 minutes to drive from Bear Valley to Five Brooks.
1-4 Hours
Meander along a creek through Douglas fir forest to arrive at a beautiful stretch of coastline deep within the Phillip Burton Wilderness. This trail begins at the Bear Valley Trailhead, at the south end of the Bear Valley Parking Lot.
4-6 Hours
An easy to moderate walk on the beach or through coastal scrub and grassland offers some breath-taking ocean views and leads to a rocky shoreline where one can look for intertidal organisms when the tide is very low. Allow 15 to 20 minutes driving time from Bear Valley to the closest trailheads to Sculptured Beach.
3-5 Hours
Only when waters recede at a low tide does the intertidal zone reveal its majesty to the careful explorer. This is a realm inhabited by magnificent creatures that look as if they came from another time and world. The best tidepools at Point Reyes are found at Sculptured Beach, near Coast Camp. Duxbury Reef near Agate Beach County Park in Bolinas, outside of park boundaries, is another good place to tidepool.
1-4 Hours
Get closer to migrating whales than most other places on the California coast!
1-2 Hours
The Woodpecker Nature Trail is a loop trail that explores the beautiful local forest and meadow ecosystems of Bear Valley. An interpretive trail guide describing some of the plants and animals you may see can be obtained at the trailhead or at the Bear Valley Visitor Center. This trail begins at the Bear Valley Trailhead, at the south end of the Bear Valley Parking Lot.
25-40 Minutes
This moderate hike through coastal scrub and grasslands offers some breath-taking ocean views and a couple locations to descend to a beach. Allow 15 minutes driving time from Bear Valley to the Laguna Trailhead.
2-3 Hours
Fish on! Point Reyes National Seashore allows fishing as a means of providing for public enjoyment, and customary and traditional use, and regulates fishing to ensure that it is managed in a manner that avoids unacceptable impacts to park resources.
Biking to Wildcat Campground is no easy feat—but a lot of work yields a lot of reward! Enjoy your lunch at sunny Wildcat Campground or spend some time at Wildcat Beach after you bike up and over one of the highest points of Inverness Ridge. This ride starts at the Five Brooks Trailhead. Allow 10 minutes drive time from Bear Valley to the Five Brooks.
3-5 Hours
Kayaking or canoeing Drakes Estero and Estero de Limantour offers an intimate marine wilderness experience unlike any other. Kayaking and canoeing is permitted in Drakes Estero and Estero de Limantour from July 1 through February 28; closed March 1 through June 30.
1-8 Hours
Point Reyes National Seashore offers year-round backcountry camping along Drakes Bay and among the hills and valleys of the Phillip Burton Wilderness. Backcountry camping is allowed in one of four established campgrounds at Point Reyes National Seashore. The backcountry sites may only be accessed by hiking, riding bicycles, or riding a horse to the campgrounds. Backcountry camping permits are required and may be reserved online at Recreation.gov up to three months in advance.
2-5 Days
Point Reyes National Seashore offers year-round boat-in camping on the west shore of Tomales Bay. There is a fee and permit system for overnight camping within Point Reyes National Seashore. Reservations may be made online at Recreation.gov up to three months in advance.
2-5 Days
What comes to mind when you think about the beach? Surf, sand, and swimming are a few words associated with a day at the beach. However, swimming is not recommended at most of the beaches in Point Reyes! Learn where to and where NOT to swim at Point Reyes.
Follow the short Elephant Seal Overlook Trail to a viewpoint from which elephant seals are usually visible. Allow 45 minutes driving time from Bear Valley to the Chimney Rock Parking Lot.
15-60 Minutes
Marshall Beach is a 400-foot-long (366-meter-long) beach on the west side of Tomales Bay in the northern part of the national seashore that may be reached via the via the 1.2-mile-long (1.9-kilometer-long) Marshall Beach Trail. Allow 25 minutes driving time from Bear Valley to the Marshall Beach Trailhead.
50-90 Minutes
The hikes described on this page start at the Bear Valley Trailhead and feature steep 400 meter (1300 feet) climbs to Mount Wittenberg, the highest point on the Point Reyes Peninsula at 1407 feet (426 meters) in elevation. A few limited views of the ocean and Olema Valley may be enjoyed near the ridge crest. These routes pass through a dense mixed Douglas fir and oak forest and a few open meadows. These routes are also mostly within the Phillip Burton Wilderness.
2-3 Hours
This wide gravel trail through Douglas fir forest is great for a family cruise, a mellow ride, or the start of a multi-sport adventure! This trail begins at the Bear Valley Trailhead, at the south end of the Bear Valley Parking Lot.
1-3 Hours
Travel from forest to tidepools on this ambitious hike. This trail includes beautiful forest and spectacular coastal hiking with sweeping ocean views, though much of this area was burned in the Woodward Fire that began as lightning strikes in August of 2020. This hike starts at the Bear Valley Trailhead, at the south end of the Bear Valley Parking Lot. Most of this hike's distance is within the Phillip Burton Wilderness.
6-7 Hours
Stroll through a forest of towering Douglas fir trees and along a shaded creek on this family-friendly hike to Divide Meadow. This hike begins at the Bear Valley Trailhead, at the south end of the Bear Valley Parking Lot.
1-2 Hours
Take an easy hike that will lead you past a unique coastal lagoon bordered by sand dunes to the Pacific Ocean. This hike offers great opportunities for viewing birds and wildflowers. Allow 20 to 25 minutes driving time from Bear Valley to the Abbotts Lagoon Trailhead.
60-90 Minutes
Locations and suggestions for spotting the herds of tule elk that call Point Reyes home.
1-5 Hours
Descend from forested Inverness ridge through coastal scrub to the coast. However, it's a steep return through the forest back to the trailhead. Most of this hike is within the Phillip Burton Wilderness and much of this area was burned in the Woodward Fire, which was ignited by lightning strikes in August of 2020. Allow ten minutes driving time from Bear Valley to the Sky Trailhead, which is located along Limantour Road.
4-6 Hours
This hike provides the easiest route to Mount Wittenberg, the highest point on the Point Reyes Peninsula at 1407 feet (426 meters) in elevation. Allow ten minutes driving time from Bear Valley to the Sky Trailhead, which is located along Limantour Road.
2-3 Hours
Ride your bike up a moderate incline along this multi-use trail through Douglas fir forest to Sky Campground, where you can enjoy a break with oceans views. Allow ten minutes driving time from Bear Valley to the Sky Trailhead, which is located along Limantour Road.
30-60 Minutes
Bass Lake is a great destination for a moderate day hike, or a beautiful pit stop on the way to Wildcat Beach. This hike is mostly within the Phillip Burton Wilderness. Please practice Leave No Trace principles. Allow 35 minutes driving time from Bear Valley to the Palomarin Trailhead.
2-4 Hours
Wildcat Beach is a 2.9-mile-long (4.7-kilometer-long) beach deep within the Phillip Burton Wilderness in the southern part of Point Reyes National Seashore. Many routes may be followed that lead Wildcat Beach. Walk along coastal ocean bluffs, through forested valleys, or up and over Inverness Ridge to arrive at this spectacular beach. Allow 10 minutes drive time from Bear Valley to the Five Brooks Trailhead and 35 minutes to the Palomarin Trailhead.
4-7 Hours
Take a short walk along the ridge crest of Tomales Point to a location from which tule elk are frequently seen. Allow 35 minutes driving time from Bear Valley to the Tomales Point Trailhead, located at the north end of Pierce Point Road.
40-90 Minutes
Ramble along the crest of an open ridge that offers spectacular views of tule elk, Tomales Bay, and the Pacific Ocean. Allow 35 minutes driving time from Bear Valley to the Tomales Point Trailhead, located at the north end of Pierce Point Road.
1-5 Hours
Ride your bike on this multi-use trail, through alder forests and grasslands, to beautiful coastal bluffs with ocean views. Allow 15 minutes driving time from Bear Valley to the Coast Trailhead.
30-60 Minutes
Enjoy open, grassy hillsides, redwood forests, decent climbs, and bumpy downhills on this multi-use trail. This trail begins at either at the Bolinas Ridge Trailhead along Sir Francis Drake Boulevard or at the trail's southern end at the Fairfax-Bolinas Road's junction with the West Ridgecrest Road. Allow about 5 minutes to drive from Bear Valley to the trail's northern trailhead. Allow about 30 minutes to drive from Bear Valley to the trail's southern trailhead.
1-3 Hours
This trail through grassland and cattle pastures offers outstanding views of Drakes Estero and Estero de Limantour, and the opportunity to see the birds, bat rays, and leopard sharks that call these ecosystems home. Allow 25 minutes driving time from Bear Valley to the Estero Trailhead.
1-3 Hours
This trail through grassland and an abandoned Christmas tree farm to the head of Home Bay offers the opportunity to see the birds, bat rays, and leopard sharks that call these habitats home. Allow 25 minutes driving time from Bear Valley to the Estero Trailhead.
45-90 Minutes
Point Reyes National Seashore offers some of the finest birding in the United States. About 54% of all North American bird species have been observed in Point Reyes National Seashore. Learn about where to look for birds and what kinds of birds you might find at the seashore.
1-8 Hours
Do you care about exploring, learning about, and protecting Point Reyes National Seashore? If so, become a Junior Ranger!
1-2 Hours
Explore a section of the floor of a valley that follows the San Andreas Fault, passing through meadows and woods. This trail begins at the Bear Valley Trailhead, at the south end of the Bear Valley Parking Lot.
40-60 Minutes
Where to go and what to know before exploring Point Reyes from the saddle!
1-8 Hours
A short path leads up to a replica of a Coast Miwok Indian village. Interpretive signs briefly describe Coast Miwok culture and history and the structures in the village. This trail begins at the north end of the Bear Valley parking lot.
20-60 Minutes
A rugged trail descends moderately steeply down a ravine to the ocean. McClures Beach is contained within a beautiful cove backed by rocky cliffs, but watch out for tidal fluctuations and dangerous surf. Allow 35 minutes driving time from Bear Valley to the McClures Beach Trailhead, located at the end of the Pierce Point Road, below Pierce Point Ranch to the west.
20-60 Minutes
Enjoy spectacular views of Drakes Bay, the Pacific, and, in spring, wildflowers along this open coastal walk. From January through May, look for migratory whales from the point. Allow 45 minutes driving time from Bear Valley to the Chimney Rock Trailhead.
40-90 Minutes
Take an easy hike that will lead you to a unique coastal lagoon bordered by sand dunes that offers great opportunities for viewing birds and wildflowers. Allow 20 to 25 minutes driving time from Bear Valley to the Abbotts Lagoon Trailhead.
40-75 Minutes
Follow this relatively flat trail from Pierce Point Road along the northern edge of Kehoe Marsh and out to Kehoe Beach. This beach is at the north end of the eleven-mile long Point Reyes Beach. Pets are permitted year-round on the Kehoe Beach Trail and on the beach to the north of the trail (e.g., to the right if you are facing the ocean). Pets must be on a six-foot or shorter leash at all times. Allow 25–30 minutes driving time from Bear Valley to the Kehoe Beach Trailhead.
25-75 Minutes
Northern elephant seals make semi-annual visits to the beaches of Point Reyes—in winter for pupping and mating, and in spring and summer for molting. Find out where to observe them at Point Reyes National Seashore.
10-120 Minutes
The up-to-10.6-miles- roundtrip Cross Marin Trail is a relatively flat, easy trail that follows the historic North Pacific Coast Railroad right-of-way paralleling Lagunitas Creek. Pets are permitted on the Cross Marin Trail and must be on a six-foot or shorter leash at all times. Allow about 5 minutes to drive from Bear Valley to the trail's northern trailhead.
1-5 Hours
Admire redwood forests and expansive views of the Olema Valley on this dog-friendly, multi-use trail. This up-to-11-mile-long trail begins at either at the Bolinas Ridge Trailhead along Sir Francis Drake Boulevard or at the trail's southern end at the Fairfax-Bolinas Road's junction with the West Ridgecrest Rd. Allow about 5 minutes to drive from Bear Valley to the trail's northern trailhead. Allow about 30 minutes to drive from Bear Valley to the trail's southern trailhead.
1-11 Hours
This loop hike passes through young woodlands, coastal scrub, and grassland within the Phillip Burton Wilderness. It offers views of Estero de Limantour and the possibility of seeing tule elk and other wildlife that call this area home. It is also a great hike for spring wildflowers. Allow 15 minutes driving time from Bear Valley to the Muddy Hollow Trailhead.
3-4 Hours
Discover the geology of the San Andreas Fault on this paved loop nature trail. A fence that was constructed half way around the trail illustrates the 16 feet (3 meters) of displacement that occurred during the infamous 1906 earthquake. The Earthquake Trail begins and ends at the northeast corner of the Bear Valley Trailhead parking lot adjacent to the restrooms for the Bear Valley Picnic Area.
15-40 Minutes