A 307-acre regional park at Point Richmond combining hilltop views, a sandy beach, and lagoon. The Nicholl Knob summit at 322 feet provides panoramic views of the Richmond–San Rafael Bridge, Angel Island, and Mount Tamalpais. Historic railroad tunnels and remnants of the Santa Fe Railroad are found along the trails.
Photography Guide
Best Time
golden hour
Crowds
Quiet
Shot Types
landscapewidedetail
Best Seasons
springfallwinter
Practical Tips
Free parking at the Dornan Drive entrance. Hike the Nicholl Knob trail for the best elevated views; it's a short but steep climb.
Is it a good day to go?
7-day outlook
Mild, dry days with light winds are the most comfortable for a visit.
Forecast by Open-Meteo. Verdicts weigh the forecast against the conditions that suit this spot.
Gallery
Sunlit hillsides with pine trees overlook a calm blue bay, with the Richmond–San Rafael Bridge stretching across the right side and Mount Tamalpais rising in the distance. A small lagoon and grassy parkland sit below the viewpoint under a clear, bright sky. Photo: Mx. Granger / Wikimedia Commons / CC0Sunlit view from a grassy hillside framed by a large eucalyptus tree, looking over Miller/Knox Regional Shoreline’s lagoon, coastal parkland, and a small sandy beach to the bright bay. The Richmond–San Rafael Bridge and distant hills are faint on the horizon under a clear blue sky. Photo: Mx. Granger / Wikimedia Commons / CC0Sunny hillside view over Miller/Knox Regional Shoreline with dark green coastal trees and grassy slopes dropping to a calm blue bay. Distant low hills and a small shoreline pier sit under a clear sky with faint jet contrails. Photo: Mx. Granger / Wikimedia Commons / CC0Sunlit view from a grassy hilltop over Richmond and San Pablo Bay, with the Richmond–San Rafael Bridge stretching across the water to the left. The foreground has trees and scrub, while the center distance shows Point Richmond’s red-brown tank farm, harbor industrial buildings, and low blue hills under a clear sky. Photo: Mx. Granger / Wikimedia Commons / CC0A male western bluebird perches on a lichen-covered branch, its vivid blue head and wings contrasting with a warm rust-colored chest. The bird stands out sharply against a soft, blurred green-gray background. Photo: Becky Matsubara from El Sobrante, California / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY 2.0Inside a dim, empty warehouse-like structure, rows of painted steel columns and beams stretch into the distance beneath a low industrial ceiling. Graffiti covers the back wall, and debris is scattered across the dark concrete floor, with warm light catching the metal framing. Photo: nick fullerton from 'Vallejo, USA / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY 2.0Three weathered red metal columns stand in front of a heavily rusted, peeling wall, their chipped paint marked with faded numbers and graffiti. The close-up composition emphasizes the gritty texture and corrosion of this old industrial railroad remnant. Photo: nick fullerton from 'Vallejo, USA / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY 2.0A close-up eared grebe floats in calm, rippling water, its bright red eye and dark crest sharply lit against the soft blue-gray surface. The bird’s fluffy white sides and dark back show fine feather detail in the golden light. Photo: Becky Matsubara from El Sobrante, California / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY 2.0Sunlit hills from Nicholl Knob rise above Richmond, with the Chevron refinery’s rust-colored storage tanks spread across the ridge and the industrial complex filling the right side of the view. The bay, distant hills, and a clear blue sky frame the scene in crisp golden-hour light. Photo: Bastique / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 4.0View from a hilltop over Miller/Knox Lagoon, with bright blue water edged by pale sandy banks and green lawns dotted with trees. The curving shoreline leads toward the bay in the distance, with the rounded edge of the lookout in the foreground. Photo: Mx. Granger / Wikimedia Commons / CC0
