Great Activities to Enjoy at Point Reyes National Seashore
Great Activities to Enjoy at Point Reyes National Seashore
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TravelTranscript
00:00In this video, I'm sharing some of the best things to do in Point Reyes, California.
00:08Located about an hour north of San Francisco in Northern California's Marin County, Point
00:14Reyes National Seashore is a vast expanse of protected coastline offering stunning coastal
00:21scenery, wildlife, and in the spring, amazing wildflowers.
00:26Here are some of the top things to do in the park.
00:30As always when exploring the outdoors, help keep it beautiful by leaving no trace.
00:38Number 1 is hiking to Tomales Point.
00:42Tomales Point is a 9.5 mile out and back hike that offers incredible views of the Pacific
00:49Ocean.
00:50It's also one of the best places in all of Point Reyes to spot tool elk.
00:55We saw elk all along the trail, including right in the middle of the trail.
01:01At first I was excited to see them so close up, but then I realized this could have been
01:05a bad situation.
01:07Luckily the elk moved off the trail and we moved right along.
01:12Tomales Point is also a prime spot for wildflowers and you don't have to hike very far to see
01:18them.
01:19There were tons of wildflowers close to the start of the trail.
01:23Once you reach the end of the trail, you'll get to enjoy stunning 360 degree ocean views.
01:30Point Reyes National Seashore is home to a diverse array of wildlife.
01:36In addition to spotting plenty of tool elk around Tomales Point, I also saw deer, quail,
01:42coyotes, and seals during my visit.
01:44If you're lucky, you might spot a bobcat or even a whale off the coast.
01:50Number 3 is the Chimney Rock Hike.
01:55At only 1.8 miles out and back, Chimney Rock is a short, easy trail and like Tomales Point,
02:01has incredible coastal scenery and plenty of wildflowers.
02:06Out of the two, it's really hard to choose which one is my favorite.
02:10I didn't see any during my visit, but the end of the Chimney Rock Trail is a prime spot
02:16for whale watching.
02:19Another thing to do in Point Reyes is visit the Cypress Tree Tunnel, which was planted
02:24in the 1930s.
02:28At the end of the tunnel is a historic radio transmitting station.
02:33Be sure to walk to the end of the tunnel to the station and then turn around and check
02:37out the views from that direction as well.
02:42Number 5 is Sea Lion Overlook.
02:45On the way to the Point Reyes Lighthouse, you can make a quick stop at this scenic cliffside
02:50overlook.
02:51It's a prime vantage point for spotting sea lions, whales, and birds.
02:56It's a long way down and I would suggest bringing a pair of binoculars.
03:02Number 6 on the list is South Beach Overlook.
03:07South Beach Overlook is a cliffside overlook with fantastic views of Point Reyes Beach.
03:14It's an 11 mile long stretch of undeveloped beach nicknamed the Great Beach.
03:20The overlook is just a short walk from the lighthouse parking area.
03:26And last but not least is the Point Reyes Lighthouse.
03:30From the parking area, it's about a .5 mile walk along a paved road to reach the lighthouse,
03:36which was built in 1870.
03:39Along the walk, you'll pass several leaning cypress trees and several informational plaques
03:45before reaching the lighthouse visitor center.
03:48During the hours of operation, you can walk down to the lighthouse.
03:52There's a big sign that lets you know, be prepared to walk the 313 steps back to the
03:59top.
04:01Alright, that was my video on some of the top things to do in Point Reyes.
04:07There is so much more to do and see, but this was all I could squeeze in, in two visits.
04:13All footage was filmed in March and April of 2024.
04:17I hope this video helps you plan your visit to Point Reyes and don't forget to subscribe
04:22for more outdoor adventures.
04:24See you in the next one, bye guys!