Point Reyes Lighthouse
Point Reyes Station, CA
Built in 1870, Point Reyes Lighthouse sits at the windiest and foggiest point on the Pacific Coast, 300 steps down from the cliff top. The lighthouse was decommissioned in 1975 and is now a museum and whale watching station. During winter, gray whales migrate close to shore, and the surrounding cliffs host colonies of common murres.
Photography Guide
- Best Time
- afternoon
- Crowds
- Moderate
- Shot Types
- widelandscapedetail
- Best Seasons
- winterspring
Gallery
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Nearby Places
Point Reyes Station, CA
Chimney Rock Trail
A 1.8-mile trail along a narrow headland at the southeastern tip of Point Reyes, passing through coastal wildflower meadows that explode with color in spring. The trail offers views of Drakes Bay to the north and the open Pacific to the south. Elephant seals can be observed from the overlook at the trail's midpoint during breeding season.
Point Reyes Station, CA
Drakes Estero
A large tidal estuary within Point Reyes National Seashore, Drakes Estero is one of the most pristine estuaries on the California coast. The estuary's fingerlike inlets extend into the surrounding pastoral hills. Harbor seals haul out on the sandbars, and the calm waters create mirror-like reflections of the surrounding ridgelines.
Point Reyes Station, CA
Abbotts Lagoon
A pair of coastal lagoons connected by a narrow channel, separated from the Pacific by a thin strip of sand dunes. The 3.2-mile round-trip trail crosses open grasslands before reaching the lagoons and continuing to the beach. The lagoons support large populations of shorebirds, waterfowl, and raptors throughout the year.