2 miles, the trail is a wide and gentle dirt fire road traveling through a dry meadow of grass and oaks. While the person at the camping desk will give you a smaller paper map covering the area, the mileages on the Tom Harrison map are slightly more accurate.Īfter parking in the parking lot across from the visitor center, the trail begins at the end of the road within view at the Bear Valley Trailhead.įor the first. Notably: The gift shop sells the Tom Harrison Point Reyes Mapįor roughly $11, which is worth picking up. This is also where you pick up your pre-reserved permits, or can speak to someone about getting a walk-up spot if any are available (again, for weekends, I strongly recommend reservations). Permits can be obtained from the camping registration desk in the visitor center. The trail starts at the Bear Valley Visitor Center, a relatively new and impressive building housing a small gift shop as well as educational exhibits. With that out of the way, onward to the write-up. Avoid the stem especially, which upon close inspection, are covered in tiny horrible stinging hairs. And the best advice anyone can give when hiking on the coast: wear pants! Additionally, always give your hands and ankles a good wash in the evening with cold water (and maybe a little camp soap, away from water sources) to remove any oils from poison oak. However, they are avoidable, as long as you’re paying attention. There are some spots on the trail where, after a few recent big rain events over the 2014-2015 winter, there has been some significant growth along the edges. Don’t touch these, because they will either cause a bad rash to appear 1-5 days later (or within even less time), or in the case of Nettle, hurt you with tiny stinging hairs. ![]() While the route can be be done as one mega day-hike or just with a single night out and back to either of the trail camps, this route gives plenty of time for exploration and sight-seeing, especially for those new to backpacking who aren’t ready for 10+ mile days.įirst, a word of caution: As this is northern California, I strongly suggest that adventurers to our beautiful coast become well acquainted with two plants, poison oak and stinging nettle. The route described in this write-up travels through several mini-environments within Point Reyes, and at approximately 22 miles, is best done as a 1-2 night backpacking trip. Point Reyes is home to numerous trails, forming a relatively dense network of routes and points of interest. In fact, it’s the ONLY known home to the rare and endangered Sonoma Spineflower.Īre you convinced yet? Great, on to the backpacking trip. As a result, Point Reyes National Seashore contains different soils and plant life compared to those found just to the east, producing several interesting and unique environments. The well-known San Andreas Fault forms a rift zone, resulting in a unique peninsula formation riding on a completely different tectonic plate than that of mainland California (how cool is that?). ![]() ![]() An often overlooked and fun piece of trivia: Point Reyes is in fact geologically separated from the rest of Marin Country AND almost ALL of the continental United States. That is to say: This is an absolute gem in the National Park system, and should be a must-see for all backpacking enthusiasts, especially for those who want something accessible from a major metropolitan area.Ī little about Point Reyes, and what makes it unique. Tucked away on the beautiful California coast among breathtaking foggy beaches and green forests of moss, ferns and countless bird species, it is truly a spectacular place to visit for a short (or long) backpacking trip. Despite its relatively close proximity to a major city and its location within Marin County, Point Reyes immediately feels like a different world. Located approximately 30 miles north of San Francisco, Point Reyes National Seashore is a staple for any outdoor enthusiast, both to bay area locals and visitors alike.
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