Visiting Point Reyes

Living in our area, we have endless options for incredible coastal adventures. If your family is like mine, we rarely venture outside our gorgeous Monterey Bay, and we definitely don’t go past San Francisco to explore the coast. That was a HUGE mistake. For a hiking family that loves to explore history, there is an incredible gem just outside San Francisco: Point Reyes National Seashore. This is a perfect weekend getaway.

It was Alamere Falls that prompted our adventure. Alamere Falls is one of California’s two waterfalls that empty directly into the ocean. There are only three in the United States, with McWay Falls south of us and the other in Washington State. The difference with this fall is that if you go at the right time of year and during low tides, you can walk right up to it. Essentially, you can feel the mist on your face, the sand between your toes, and hear the waves crashing nearby. Now, that is the way to entice kids on an 8-mile hike.

First, this park is big and remote, with over 80 miles of coastline. When we started researching this area for the weekend, I had no idea that Point Reyes is the only national seashore on the West Coast and has such a rich history. We decided to start our weekend at Bear Valley Visitor Center. Well, technically, we started it at a Bovine Bakery at Point Reyes Station to grab hot chocolate, coffee, and muffins to fuel us. Highly motivating and recommended.

When we travel to a park, we make a point to stop by the visitor center, and Bear Valley is one of the best. The exhibits are very hands-on and detail this diverse ecosystem’s human and natural history. You cannot miss it; seriously, it is a huge red barn, and the park service has done a fantastic job. We went back a few times for its activities and information. Of course, you HAVE to pick up your Junior Ranger booklet. When completed, kids get a wood badge and a fabulous paper ranger hat that looks real.   

There are two great trails off the visitor center parking area for all ages and abilities. The Woodpecker Trail is less than a mile, with interpretive signs highlighting all the ecologies of Bear Valley, and the Earthquake Tail is just over half a mile. Because my daughter is a self-described “history geek,” this trail really grabbed her attention. Bear Valley sits right on the San Andreas Fault, where the North American and Pacific plates scrape against one another. Millions of years of earthquakes have created this unique area, and the park service has interpretive signs that educate walkers on its geology and earthquake history. Our favorite spot is a fence visually showing how much the earth jumped in the 1906 San Francisco earthquake of magnitude 7.9. A huge 16 feet.

When venturing farther into the park, you need to be prepared. Point Reyes is the windiest place on the Pacific Coast and the second foggiest place on the North American continent. That makes for impressive views, but it can get chilly with its common 60-mile-an-hour winds and the damp fog. And if you have fog and a coastline, you need a lighthouse.     

Point Reyes was given its current name, Point Reyes, in the early 1600s by an early explorer. He named it Punta de los Reyes, the Point of the Kings. When you stand on this rocky coastline, you can see how it got its name and why it has claimed over fifty ships and many lives. The first recorded shipwreck was in 1595 and continued well into the twentieth century. It wasn’t until 1870 that the gorgeous Point Reyes Lighthouse was built. When you visit the area, you cannot miss it. We will warn you that the lighthouse sits 300 feet below the top of the cliff and 600 feet above sea level. That means there are 313 steps (my daughter counted) to get down to the lighthouse built into the side of a cliff point. Even though the lighthouse now has an automated light, you can still see the Fresnel lens, and if you are lucky, you will witness the sun reflecting in this stunning glass.

For more adventures in this area, Chimney Rock is a lovely, short hike near the lighthouse. It is a short 2.3-mile hike, great for the entire family. We were fortunate to explore this area during the spring when the coastal bluffs were covered in wildflowers. From this trail, there is an overlook to watch elephant mamma seals and their pups or the large adult males show dominance. Unfortunately, we were too late to see the adults, but we watched many juveniles. A ranger at the viewpoint explained the history of the area and the seals. Many of the seals looked really big, but the ranger told us that we were seeing lazy teenagers. Apparently, they were still on shore, sunning themselves, holding out, returning to the sea, and getting themselves food. Boy, does that sound familiar.

For those families that want a little more trail adventure, the Laguna Trail—Coast Trail Loop is fun and an easy day hike. At close to 6 miles, it loops you from grassy meadows to a beautiful sand beach. Within the first 10 minutes, we saw a bobcat and many birds and deer. For us traveling with kids, a highlight is that once you are at the ocean, there is a campground with water and a restroom. Once you head back up to the trailhead, there are many wild berry bushes. We hope we can go back during the summer when the berries are ready so we can enjoy a sweet treat.

As I mentioned, Alamere Falls piqued our interest enough for us to venture north. During our last weekend visit, we hiked to those amazing falls. It is not an easy day hike, and only well-prepared families should attempt this 8-mile out-and-back trail to the top of the falls. To be at the base, you must go another mile along the trail to Wildcat Campground, then hike another mile down the beach to the falls. Only attempt this at low tide without iffy weather, wind, or a high surf advisory. With that said, it is a busy trail, but a hike to the top of the falls is worth every step.

My family has only scratched the surface of Point Reyes where each season holds different wonders. My highlight of our last weekend getaway was the realization that our hiking and camping excursions have created a real impact on my children. My daughter feels powerful and independent on the trail and that translates to how she is interacting in middle school (what a brutal experience that can be.).  My teen son, usually connected to his phone and computer, lets his playful side out when we’re in nature. It all makes this mom grateful for the incredible areas we get to explore.