Volunteer at Chicken Ranch Beach Wetland Enhancement Project. Help plant and maintain native plants at the newly excavated wetland at Chicken Ranch Beach. Wednesdays & Saturdays 9:00-noon. Learn more
Events
Many organizations in Point Reyes depend on volunteers. One of the best ways to learn about a place is to volunteer.
Get into nature and remove invasive plants at beautiful locations in Point Reyes. Thursday Weeders is every other Thursday from 10:00am to 2:00pm Learn more
Volunteer
Support the local organizations that keep Point Reyes thriving by attending events, fundraisers, and immersive classes.
Point Reyes Silverspot Butterfly at North Beach, July 2026
Trails
Two converging tectonic plates, the Pacific and the North American, create an area rich in geologic interest and teeming with plants and animals. Hike the more than 50 trails that cover 150+ miles.
Summer is Snowy Plover breeding season on Point Reyes beaches. Photo: Parker Kaye PRNSA. Learn more
Beaches
Point Reyes has beaches on three sides of the peninsula. Ocean-facing beaches are on the west and south sides, and beaches lining the east and west sides of Tomales Bay. There’s something for everyone — from intense surfing to leisurely sunbathing and bonfires.
Featured Hike: Abbotts Lagoon
Upper Abbotts Lagoon and ocean view from the trail
It’s peak fall migration! Abbotts Lagoon attracts migrating shorebirds and raptors to its diverse feeding grounds—mudflats, grasslands, and dunes. Charismatic resident White-crowned Sparrows and California Quail are plentiful, joined by passing Ferruginous Hawks and local White-tailed Kites hunting over the open land. The ever-present Great Blue Heron stalks the shallows near the bridge. Arctic shorebirds like Baird’s and Pectoral Sandpipers refuel on their long journeys to South America. Occasional rarities—Sage Thrashers, Pipits or Lapland Longspurs—sometimes appear, adding a thrill to the search.
Less than 3.0 miles, out and back
Start at the Abbotts Lagoon trailhead.
Hike to the lagoon bridge. (1.0 miles)
Cross the bridge and follow the edge of the lagoon, mindful to avoid disturbing birds.
Turn around and return to the trailhead.
Important note: In the Point Reyes hiking calendar, I proposed a lollipop loop trail which involved walking around the edge of the lagoon to the far end and then returning over the hill. I attempted this hike recently and immediately regretted that I had advised it. The hike was really tough — too much bushwhacking, mud, lack of a visible trail, and at one point I had to take off my hiking boots to wade across a muddy channel knee deep. Unless you are going with guides who know this loop route such as the Marin Audubon, who I did this hike with in 2025, it’s better to make this an out and back hike.
eBird bird list
Hiking calendar 2025
A new trail every month.
Looking for hiking ideas? Let this hiking calendar be your guide to get out and go hiking on the trails in the Point Reyes National Seashore. A new hike every month along with seasonal highlights and ways to engage more deeply.
By the numbers.
point reyes live webcam
How cold & foggy is it now?
Point Reyes live webcam should really be called a "fogcam". Point Reyes is the second foggiest place in the world with more than 200 foggy days a year. Grand Banks, Newfoundland is the foggiest.
Fog.today brings you a look at fog along the Bay Area coast — very cool!
In addition, close to real-time photos are available from cameras located on Black Mountain, Mount Barnabe, and Mount Vision courtesy of AlertWildfire.org.
National Weather Service 7-day forecasts for Point Reyes.
My favorite webcam is the Marine Mammal Center’s at Chimney Rock. They release patients back into the wild from here. You can subscribe to get text alerts and watch live.
Nature observations
What was seen today in Point Reyes?
You can contribute to citizen science by adding observations (photos) to the California Academy of Science's iNaturalist app or website.
It's easy, fun, and turns hikes into treasure hunts. Pausing to take photos may slow down your hike, but it will increase your curiosity about all the living things around you. Give it a try!
