Coast Trail
Trail length: 15.5 miles, full length (Palomarin to hostel)
Terrain: coastal scrub, forest
Restroom? Yes, at the Palomarin Trailhead, at Wildcat Camp, and at Coast Camp.
Parking: Yes, at the Palomarin Trailhead for the south end of the trail; Limantour Beach or Laguna Trailhead for the north end of the trail.
Kid friendly: The Laguna-Coast Loop mentioned below is a good length for kids.
Dates visited: 9/30/16, 10/16/16, 3/31/17, 12/29/17, 6/19/18, 6/26/18, 7/9/18, 9/29/18, 12/28/18, 3/23/19, 6/25/19, 3/27/20, 4/25/20, 6/21/20
Favorite plants on this trail: Orange Bush Monkeyflower (Diplacus aurantiacus)
Favorite spots:
The Palomarin section of the Coast Trail has stunning views and varied terrain including small lakes.
Alder trees offer shade and make for a majestic promenade along the trail between Limantour beach and the hostel.
Walking near the ocean and watching for whales and other marine life is a highlight of the Coast Trail.
This is one of the most spectacular trails in Point Reyes. If you are hiking the whole trail, begin at the Laguna trailhead near the hostel and walk to the Palomarin trailhead to take advantage of the north to south slope. Although this trail is called the Coast Trail, it cuts inland through forests in several areas. The trail passes through two hike-in camp sites, Wildcat camp and Coast camp, which are convenient for restroom stops.
A favorite, less than five mile hike (4.6 miles) on the Coast Trail is the Laguna-Coast Loop.
Flora and fauna commonly found on the Coast Trail
Coast Camp
Coast Camp, one of four large camping sites at Point Reyes National Seashore, is an easy hike from the Laguna Trailhead. Coast Camp sites are in an open clearing with coyote brush and brambles providing some screening from the trail.
Volunteer Opportunity: PRNSA Field Institute
The Point Reyes National Seashore Association needs assistants for their Field Institute classes. You will spend a day training with PRNSA staff, then a couple of times a year you'll select the classes you'd like to help with. Shortly afterwards, you'll receive a confirmation of which ones you've been assigned. As a facilitator, you get to take the class for free. Normally, two facilitators help with every class. Duties include signing in class participants, making coffee (for indoor classes), talking briefly about PRNSA, and generally helping out as needed. I've been volunteering since 2017. It's a great experience to work with other facilitators and get to know the amazing field institute instructors.