Marvel at this iconic landmark of the park, climb its over 300 steps optional, learn its history, look for migrating grey whales, humpback whales and though seldom even orcas swim by. The lighthouse at point reyes national seashore is now a museum piece, where the era of the lightkeepers lives, the craftsmanship and the beauty of the lighthouse are actively preserved. Gray whales at point reyes point reyes national seashore u. As the gray whales migrate past point reyes national seashore and the elephant seals return to the point reyes headlands, so do lots of visitors. The lighthouse sits at the westernmost tip of a headland that juts out 10 miles into the sea. Point reyes is also a great place to just hang out, walk on the beach, take a guided point reyes food and farm tour, and eat out at quaint local restaurants. After the gray whale, the humpback whale is the next most sighted whale at point reyes. Description hike along the rocky coastline of point reyes on a paved path for a little over 12 of a mile to reach the famous point reyes lighthouse. The histproc point reyes lighthouse has recently reopened after an extensive restoration effort by the national park service, so now is a great. Whales migrating to the bearing sea, 14,00 migration for gray whales, similar to the penguins. Point reyes lighthouse, whale sighting may 3rd around 7. It is home to healthy populations of predators such as bobcat, coyote, grey fox and badger. Point reyes national seashore explore a spectacular coastal peninsula the coastal preserve, some 30 miles48 kilometers north of san francisco, protects more than 1,500 animal and plant species and 80 miles kilometers of shoreline.
All safaris start with pickup at your local accommodation. While at point reyes, children can discover the wonders of wildlifewatching, hike along a variety of trails, build sand castles, watch for whales, seals and sea lions, discover the lighthouse, check out our visitor centers with interactive displays, or become a. The point reyes lighthouse attracts whalewatchers looking for the gray whale migrating south in. Gray whales at point reyes point reyes national seashore. Point reyes arrivallighthouse whale watching youtube. Near the san francisco bay area towns of point reyes station and inverness, the blackthorne bed and breakfast provides romantic lodging in a luxurious tree house located near the point reyes national seashore and lighthouse, one hour from san francisco and the california wine country. The 10 best things to do near point reyes lighthouse. Visit the point reyes lighthouse point reyes national. Top of page the point reyes light first shone in 1870. Point reyes lighthouse 308 steps national parks blog. General wildlife viewing safaris can accommodate up to 8.
The point reyes lighthouse was built in 1870 and retired from service in 1975 when the u. Because of its location near the metropolitan san francisco bay area, the campsites at point reyes are in great demand, and reservations are strongly suggested. Noaa biologist brad hanson has confirmed that the orcas are southern residents from the k and l pods, visiting from the pacific northwest. A gray whale and her calf seen from the point reyes headlands on april 29, 2017. Point reyes national seashore, point reyes station, california. Marin county, ca a dead whale washed ashore at point reyes national seashore on christmas eve, according to the marine mammal center. One of the main attractions of point reyes california is the point reyes lighthouse and lighthouse enthusiasts flock to this location. Gray whales or california whales are in sight during winter months when the bay area is free from fogs which hover above the waters during the warm season. Its also the second foggiest place in north america. There is a sign that warns that the over 300 steps is the same as a 30 story building and while its easy to get down, you need to be in decent shape to make it back up. Winter whale and elephant seal watching at point reyes national.
Download the pacific gray whales resource newsletter for more information. How to see whales and seals at point reyes national seashore. The new year always heralds the start of whalewatching season on northern californias coast. The point reyes lighthouse, also known as point reyes light or the point reyes light station, is a lighthouse in the gulf of the farallones on point reyes in point reyes national seashore, located in marin county, california, united states the parks adjacent lighthouse visitor center features exhibits about the lighthouse and the parks marine life and natural history. Whale watching at point reyes point reyes national seashore. Point reyes lighthouse in ca, united states lighthouse. Unfortunately there is no beach access from the lighthouse, but point reyes national seashore has many sandy beaches to choose from including the south end of the great beach which is nearby. The marine mammal center confirmed the blue whale washed ashore monday afternoon south of limantour beach in point reyes nation.
The official facebook page of point reyes national seashore, a unit of the. A short video of a beautiful september day at the point reyes lighthouse, leading up to gray whale sightings from the observation area around the lighthouse. You need to visit point reyes national seashore to see whales. Gray whales delight visitors as they pass by the cliffs of the point reyes lighthouse during their winter and spring migrations. The area also provides some of the best views around. Also close to the lighthouse is chimney rock which as hiking trails and a seal rookery to check out. Winter whale and elephant seal watching at point reyes. At least that was the excuse i used to make the twohour drive to point reyes national seashore. When you first see the point reyes lighthouse from the observation deck at point reyes national seashore ca, your first instinct is to want to see the lighthouse up close. Probably the best place to see the whale migration is at the point reyes lighthouse, since its at the point where the point.
Look for a brown point reyes national seashore sign just beyond the olema campground. Watch for the magnificent gray whales during the months of january through march as they migrate. A team from the california academy of sciences went out to. San francisco california, point reyes national seashore. The point reyes headlands jut 10 miles 16 km out to sea and pose a threat to ships traveling between san francisco bay and locations to the north. Visitors can watch the whales from the shore or take a boat trip for a closer view of these majestic creatures. The lighthouse steps are open fridaymonday and closed tuesdaythursday. Id gone on a 9mile paddling trip with the spp a few weeks before. Whale watching at point reyes point reyes national. Offshore lies the gulf of the farallones protected by the greater farallones national marine sanctuary, which provides. The point reyes lighthouse is a 45minute drive from the main visitor center at bear valley along sir francis drake highway. The hotspots for whale watching are located around chimney rock and the lighthouse at point reyes. Theyve since transferred ownership of the lighthouse to the national park service, which is now responsible for its preservation. Point reyes is a prominent cape and popular northern california tourist destination on the pacific coast.
Watch the sunset at point reyes lighthouse, point reyes lighthouse. I smoked a cigar and sat back chilling it was a great experience ill never forget. Visit point reyes lighthouse on your trip to point reyes. Biologist sarah allen, acting chief of natural resource programs for the national parks services pacific west region, says the orcas were not seen eating mammals but had.
Nowadays, gray whales belong to rare marine species. Point reyes tours wildlife tours point reyes national. We offer half day, full day, large group and family safaris. Point reyes national seashore boasts some of the most diverse wildlife viewing opportunities in the country. Point reyes national seashore offers lots of fun opportunities for kids. Go see the whales out at the point reyes light house and chimney rock. To order, please call 866 966 8338 or click on email link at bottom of page point reyes and the san andreas fault zone, aerial photographs by. The driving time from point reyes station or olema is about 40 minutes. Why winter is the best time for animal sightings in the north bay. The point reyes lighthouse is possibly the most dramatic in all of california. Photography safaris where guests are using dslr cameras are limited to 3 persons. Please see our the safari page for descriptions of each to ensure the best experience and best opportunity to photograph wildlife, safaris where guests are using dslr cameras are limited to 3 persons. Point reyes lighthouse point reyes national seashore.
There are several locations along the whale trail, where many whales can be. The park ranger is telling me, 2 actually, one on each side of me. Point reyes national seashore offers yearround backcountry hikein camping along drakes bay and in the phillip burton wilderness and boatin camping on the west shore of tomales bay. Graph depicting the number of gray whale sightings at point reyes national. Recently reopened after a 15month rehabilitation project, its all spruced up with equipment improvements and new pathway. Built and commissioned in 1870, this lighthouse with its first order fresnel lens has been carefully restored and maintained in.
There is a lot to see and do at point reyes national seashore, and many guests find they need more than a day to see the best the park has to offer. Point reyes whale watching in san francisco 2020 best. And extremely lucky visitors might get to see blue, fin, minke, or sperm whales. Gray whales make one of the longest annual migrations of any mammal, traveling a total of 15,000 to 21,000 kilometers 9,000 to,000 miles every year. Please download, sign and bring this with you on the day of your tour. To start with, point reyes is the windiest place on the pacific coast. The rangers at the lighthouse shared that whales far from shore are typically humpbacks, and whales close to shore are typically gray whales. The term is often applied to the point reyes peninsula, the region bounded by tomales bay on the northeast and bolinas lagoon on the southeast. The point reyes lighthouse is located on a bluff that juts 10 miles out to sea, 20 miles from the bear valley visitor center. The point reyes light has been the paper of record for the coastal communities from dillon beach in the north to muir beach in the south and inland from chileno. When you reach point reyes, turn left onto sir francis drake boulevard and take. Endangered blue whale washes ashore in point reyes sfgate. In point reyes station, the turnoff from highway 1 is located at the green bridge on the south end of town.
Tule elk and deer graze the open pastures throughout the park. Point reyes lighthouse is a popular spot for whale watching and seeing harbor seals, though both can be seen from the beaches and cliffs as well. Prime whalewatching time at point reyes is from january through march. It is located in marin county approximately 30 miles 50 km westnorthwest of san francisco. Point reyes lighthouse is perched on a ledge at the point at the farthest distance from the park entrance. This is the time of year when california gray whales eschrichtius robustus pass by the coast on their annual southern migration, so start planning your winter trip out to point reyes national seashore to do some whale watching now the histproc point reyes lighthouse has recently reopened after an.
Point reyes lighthouse, inverness, ca california beaches. Offering miles of unspoiled coastline, point reyes lighthouse preserves 28,750 hectares 71,000 acres of coastal beaches, estuaries, headlands, and wildlife. The headlands of the point reyes peninsula offer one of the finest spots to view the gray whale along the california coast weather permitting. Point reyes this place is a bit out of the way i traveled quite a ways to get here driving along the pacific coast which btw for my east coast friends is one of the most gorgeous drives you can take in the country. Located on a westward stretching point of land about 30 miles north of the golden gate bridge, point reyes lighthouse stands watch over a rugged point of land that seems to punch its way into the pacific ocean. The historic point reyes lighthouse was built in 1870 to warn mariners of this navigational hazard and served for 105 years. Point reyes lighthouse trail hiking trail, inverness.
Whale watching at point reyes lighthouse marin mommies. During the winter months, point reyes lighthouse is one of the best places along the california coast to view the california gray whales on their annual. Shuttle buses leave drakes beach every 1520 minutes. The varied habitat, unique coastal climate, and location draw a rich and diverse array of breeding and migrating birds. Start at the visitor center for uptodate information on the park and the activities available. Humpback whales migrate north from waters off of mexico and central america, where they spend the winter, to the gulf of the farallones, where they feed during the summer and fall. Activity guide can be viewed or downloaded at parks. No cars allowed at point reyes light house on weekends and holidays december 30, 2017 through late marchapril 2018.
If you get to a flashing red light, youve gone 100 yards 100 m too far. Good overview posted in whales marin mommies has a good overview of whale watching at point reyes. The rangers at the lighthouse shared that whales far from shore are typically. Dead whale washes ashore at point reyes national seashore.
856 66 1159 447 1083 1514 474 329 1175 1334 1417 221 77 368 1518 1375 567 1229 131 844 323 45 1360 1297 140 270 272 1349 226 753 415 282 387