Camping at Point Reyes National Seashore
Contributor: Meredith Dennis
Photo by Meredith Dennis
Point Reyes National Seashore is an excellent weekend getaway spot for those visiting the Bay Area. It’s so close to San Francisco you can see the Golden Gate Bridge from some spots, but despite being so close to the city it’s an amazing spot to escape the hustle and bustle.
Point Reyes is a great place to do whale watching, see elephant seals on the beach, or sample amazing cheeses made from one of the historic dairy farms preserved within the park. The best way to experience Point Reyes is camping in one of four backcountry campgrounds.
The park offers several small campgrounds, many of them in close proximity to the beach. The campgrounds are considered “backcountry” because you must hike, bike or boat into them, but don’t let this discourage you: they are worth it!
Basics of camping at Point Reyes National Seashore:
Reservations made on recreation.gov
After mid-May campsites must be booked 3 months in advance
$20/night for groups with 1-6 people
$40-50/night for larger groups
Information on how to access each campground can be found here: https://www.nps.gov/pore/planyourvisit/campgrounds.htm
Each campground except Tomales Bay has a vault toilet and a water spigot
Wood fires are not allowed in any campgrounds except Tomales Bay
Dogs are not allowed in any campgrounds
Remember to always check the weather before you go. The coast in this area can be amazing and clear or particularly windy and foggy. You can check the current fog map here: https://fog.today/.
Wildcat Campground
The Wildcat Campground is located on a cliff overlooking the ocean and is the closest campground to Alamere Falls, which is becoming one of the park’s main attractions. The hike to this campground is a bit long —a moderate/strenuous 5.5 mile hike from the Palomarin trailhead—but this could be a nice option if you want to get to the falls early in the morning.
Coast Campground
The Coast Campground is located just off the beach in a grassy valley which offers some protection from the wind. This is one of the more popular campgrounds because of the ease of access—a 1.8 easy/moderate hike from the Laguna trailhead.
Glen Campground
The Glen Campground is located farther inland in a wooded valley that is well protected from coastal winds. Glen Campground would be a great option if you’re really looking for quiet and seclusion. The fastest way to hike in is 4.6 miles from the Bear Valley trailhead.
Tomales Bay Camping
Tomales Bay is not a campground per se, but it might be one of the more interesting places to camp at Point Reyes. You can camp directly on the beach from sites that are only accessible by small watercraft (such as kayaks). This is also the only place in the park that allows wood fires.
Sky Campground
This campground is closed until further notice due to the August 2020 Woodward Fire.
Finally, when you get a chance to visit Point Reyes be sure to share your adventures with the ETB community by tagging #EternalTravel Boutique!
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