![]() ![]() The accessible parking lot is on the right/north side of the road just beyond the cypress trees. The only official maintained trails/routes/paths in the Point Reyes Lighthouse area are the paved service road and pathway from the parking lot to the Lighthouse, the South Beach Overlook Trail (a dirt trail leading northto the South Beach Overlook from the roundabout at the west end of Sir Francis Drake Boulevard), and the path/stairs leading to the Sea Lion Overlook, located 1,100 feet (335 m) east of the Lighthouse parking lot. These paths also can lead to locations where visitors may be more at risk to injury, endangering themselves and any potential rescuers. Over time, as more and more visitors use a route, it starts to look more and more like an official trail, and more and more visitors use it, resulting in a feedback loop that makes the "trail" look "official." However, these "social paths" tend to exacerbate erosion and harm threatened and endangered species. Visitors walking off of official trails and paths trample vegetation, which may lead to the death of the trampled plants. Loose soil and/or rock can give way suddenly and you may fall. This closure includes areas accessed by going over or beyond the railings on the lighthouse stairs and platforms. ![]() All off-trail areas west of the Lighthouse visitors' parking lot are closed to entry. Hiking along the bluff tops is prohibited. Stay on the paved pedestrian path/service road between the parking lot and the Lighthouse Visitor Center and Lighthouse. Overnight parking/camping in RVs and trailers is prohibited throughout Point Reyes National Seashore. If you are traveling with a trailer or are driving an RV towing a passenger vehicle, consider unhitching at the bus/RV/trailer-only parking lot at Bear Valley and taking only the passenger vehicle for the drive out to the Lighthouse area. Some visitors who arrived during this time and were told by the driver of the RV (and later by park staff) that they had to park along the road, even though there were parking spaces apparently available in the lot, weren't too happy. Not until much later, after the parking spots adjacent to and in front of the RV across the inbound lane were cleared, was the driver of the RV driver able to safely get the RV out of the parking space and out of the lot. On a number of occasions, RV drivers have parked in the lot and by the time the driver returned, the parking lot was full and there wasn't sufficient room to maneuver the RV out of the parking lot without damaging other vehicles. While there may appear to be sufficient space early in the morning, as was the case when the RV in the picture to the right (or above if viewing this on a small screen) arrived, the parking lot can quickly fill. Recreational vehicles (RVs) and vehicles pulling trailers are prohibited from parking in the Lighthouse visitors' parking lot and must park along the road. Please be considerate to other visitors and park large vehicles and trailers along the road, as is indicated by the sign, and not in the small parking lot. Shortly after this photo was taken, this RV was flanked on both sides by other automobiles and was unable to safely leave the parking lot. ![]() Be sure to use the restrooms before going down the stairs to the lighthouse. Restrooms: Restrooms are available at the visitors' parking lot from 6 am to midnight and at the east end of the green garages that are located approximately 100 yards (~90 meters) before one arrives at the Lighthouse Visitor Center from 6 am to 10 pm.Phones: Cell phone reception is very minimal to nonexistent in the lighthouse area.Bring food from home or purchase food at one of the stores or restaurants in West Marin before heading out to the Point Reyes Lighthouse if it is close to mealtime. Food: There are no food services west of Inverness, which is a thirty-five-minute drive from the lighthouse parking lot.Bottled water is not sold at Point Reyes National Seashore's visitor centers or bookstores. There is a water bottle filling station/water fountain located near the east end of the green garages that are located approximately 100 yards (~90 meters) before one arrives at the Lighthouse Visitor Center. ![]()
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