Operating Hours & Seasons

For the hours of the park's visitor centers, park stores, the Point Reyes Lighthouse, and the stairs leading down to the lighthouse, please visit our Visitor Centers web page.

 

Point Reyes Through the Seasons

Each season in Point Reyes brings a new adventure! Browse through the happenings and events below to see what might be going on when you come to visit.
 

Visiting in Winter

A group of visitors watching for gray whales.
Whale watching!

Watch for Whales at Point Reyes

Gray whales migrate past Point Reyes from December through May and can frequently be seen from the Lighthouse and Chimney Rock areas.

A rotund young gray seal surrounded by other gray seals.
Where are the elephant seals?

Viewing Elephant Seals

While elephant seals are most numerous in the winter, they are present on the beaches near Chimney Rock year-round.

Female coho salmon. NPS / Jessica Weinberg.
Learn where to see spawning salmon.

Salmon Spawning Season

As winter rains return, coho salmon & steelhead trout swim up area streams in order to spawn. Find out where you can observe the migration.

 

Visiting in Spring

Small purple and orange wildflowers in a field of vibrant green grasses.

Wildflower Blooms

Visiting Point Reyes during peak wildflower blooms can be a colorful experience!

Stream Team volunteers planting oaks along Olema Creek.
Give back through volunteering.

National Park and Volunteer Weeks

Join park staff as we host or participate in a variety of activities to celebrate National Park and National Volunteer weeks in April

A park ranger holds a brown horse in front of a red barn, while three kids look on.

Visit the Morgan Horses

Meet the park's hard working Morgan Horses, and learn about their long history in Point Reyes.

 

Visiting in Summer

In an old radio station, a bearded man in a volunteer uniform reads aloud from a piece of paper.
Learn about maritime communications.

Night of Nights

Night of Nights is an annual event held on July 12 by the Maritime Radio Historical Society to commemorate the history of maritime radio.

A woman in a gray coat and a child in a pink coat crouch over a seaside tidepool.

Exploring Tidepools

Find out what lives in the ever-changing intertidal zone! Check tide tables and please follow Leave No Trace's Tips for Tide Pooling.

Two rows of cypress trees form a tunnel over a single lane road.

Check Out the "Tree Tunnel"

Visit the picture perfect Cypress Tree Tunnel, and maybe learn a bit about early maritime radio history while you're there!

 

Visiting in Fall

A copper-breasted bird with a black head sits on green shrubbery.

Birding at the Seashore

Look and listen for all kinds of birds across the diverse array of habitats that Point Reyes has to offer.

A bull tule elk flanked by two female elk.
Observe tule elk.

Viewing Tule Elk

Tule elk can be found at several locations within the park, but the best chance of seeing them is at Tomales Point.

A park ranger in a hooded green coat stands in the rain in front of a blue banner.

Help Clean Up the Coast!

Join Park Rangers and visitors for a day of community fun during California Coastal Clean Up Day.

Last updated: November 21, 2024

Contact Info

Mailing Address:

1 Bear Valley Road
Point Reyes Station, CA 94956

Phone:

415-464-5100
This number will initially be answered by an automated attendant, from which one can opt to access a name directory, listen to recorded information about the park (e.g., directions to the park; visitor center hours of operation; fire danger information; wildlife updates; ranger-led programs; seasonal events; etc.), or speak with a ranger. Please note that if you are calling between 4:30 pm and 10 am, park staff may not be available to answer your call.

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