Point Reyes Beaches: The Best in Marin County, CA

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BY JARED DILLINGHAM

POINT REYES BEACHES: MARIN COUNTY, CALIFORNIA

The Point Reyes beaches are, in my opinion, the best beaches in Marin County, California.

The National Seashore beaches are clean, not overly crowded, and surrounded by scenic cliffs.  You can choose a beach that requires a long hike, or one that allows dogs, or a beach for the perfect bonfire at night.

Point Reyes National Seashore: The Basics

No matter which of the Point Reyes beaches you head to, this general advice applies to all:

No Entrance Fees or Permits

Access to Point Reyes National Seashore in Marin County, California, is free!  There is no entry gate, no permits needed, and no fees for anything (other than camping).

No Cell Signal

Only a few spots at some of the Point Reyes beaches will have cell service.  Even there, it’ll be limited to a bar or two.  Be prepared to spend the day out of cell range in this part of Marin County.

Download This App

With a lack of cell service at the Point Reyes beaches, it’ll help to have the National Park Service app downloaded on your phone before your trip.

• It’s free!
• Download the Point Reyes National Seashore information in the app.
• The app allows you to access your downloads when you’re offline. 
• It includes maps of all the Point Reyes beaches, hiking trails, and other sites to see.

Bring Food & Water

Bring in everything you’ll need for your visit to the Point Reyes beaches.  Food and water options inside the park are very limited.  Prepare to be entirely self-sufficient for the day.

The Weather Changes

The Point Reyes beaches get sunny and warm in the summer, but it’s not unusual for the fog to roll in mid-afternoon and cool things down quickly!

Water Temperature at Point Reyes

In general, the Marin County beaches aren’t great for swimming, though some people love the cold water.  Even in July and August, the water temperature along Point Reyes is usually in the low 50s.   You can check the constant update of the ocean temperature on the beaches at NOAA’s website.

Check for Closures

You’re unlikely to encounter any closures on your way to the Point Reyes beaches.  Just in case there’s roadwork or storm damage, check the National Seashore’s website before you make the drive.

Map of Point Reyes Beaches

I’m splitting the map of the beaches at Point Reyes into two sections so you can read the labels better.

Here’s the north half of Point Reyes National Seashore, which includes: 

• McClure’s Beach
• Abbotts Lagoon
• Kehoe Beach
• North Beach
• South Beach

The south half of the map includes:

• South Beach
• Limantour Beach
• Sculptured Beach
• Kelham Beach
• Wildcat Beach
• Alamere Falls

Best Beach for Swimming: Limantour Beach

Limantour Beach is a 20-minute drive down a paved, but windy, road from Point Reyes Station.

As you’ll see in the photos from our visit, you can’t predict or control the fog 😀

There’s a large parking lot, which gets crowded on the weekend.  You’ll find bathrooms (vaulted toilets) but no other services.

Limantour is one of the safest beaches for swimming at Point Reyes, but you should still be cautious of the waves and currents. (Trust me: they’re out beyond the sand in the fog!)

It gets windy here, and at all of the Point Reyes beaches, so you’ll find a lot of people bringing tents and umbrellas for cover.

For people who like “long walks on the beach,” Limantour Beach is the starting point for a 1.5-mile walk down to Santa Maria Beach, or a 2-mile walk to Sculptured Beach.

Best Tide Pools: Sculptured Beach

Sculptured Beach is an excellent choice at Point Reyes National Seashores. It’s usually uncrowded, because it requires a 2-mile walk from Limantour Beach.

Again, it was foggy on our visit, so you’ll have to believe me that the Pacific Ocean is beyond the rocks!

The walk to Sculptured Beach is worth it, if you have the time!  You’ll find interesting rock formations, some of which appear in beautiful colorations, thanks to minerals in the rocks.

Sculptured Beach is also home to some of the best tide pools to explore at Point Reyes.

Best Dog Beach: Kehoe Beach

There’s no parking lot for Kehoe Beach, but people spend time finding a spot along the busy road because it’s a nice hike and fun beach.

It’s really the only beach trail allowing dogs at Point Reyes, and they’re supposed to be leashed-up.

Once at the beach, they run around, loving every second!

There are signs at the trailhead, warning visitors of the dangerous surf, undertow, and sharks in the water … so you swim at your own risk.  You’ll find bathrooms here (vaulted toilets) but no other services.

The trail to Kehoe Beach is packed sand and easy to follow.   It’s a much flatter walk than the trail to McClure’s Beach, and in the spring and summer it’ll be lined with wildflowers.

Kehoe Beach is very pretty, surrounded by big grassy dunes, which also serve as nesting areas.

It gets busy by noon on the weekends during the summer, but it’s such a long stretch of beach that you’ll always be able to find a nice spot.

Just be ready for friendly dogs to come wagging around your beach setup!

Semi-Isolated Beach: McClure’s Beach

There’s a defined trailhead with a paved parking lot and restrooms at McClure’s Beach, but it’s usually one of the least-crowded beaches at Point Reyes.

It’s on the northernmost end of the National Seashore, just down the hill from the historic Pierce Point Ranch and the trailhead for the popular Tomales Point hike.

The hike down to McClure’s Beach is semi-steep in spots, and all downhill.  The hike back up is much more challenging at the end of a beach day, since it’s all uphill!

It’s a half-mile each way (but seems longer on the way back!).

Best Beach for Camping: Wildcat Beach

Technically you can’t camp on any of the beaches, but Wildcat Campground is just up a path from Wildcat Beach.

It’s a trek to get there, but a beautiful one!   The trail will take you nearly 6-miles along coastal cliffs and through lush forests.

You can park at one of three trailheads to get to Wildcat Beach:

• Palomarin Trailhead
• Bear Valley Trailhead
• Five Brooks Trailhead

The campground has vaulted toilets, but no other services. As you can see, you might be the only people there!

A mile farther down the beach you’ll reach Alamere Falls!

Best Hike to a Beach: Alamere Falls

Hiking to Alamere Falls is my favorite thing to do at Point Reyes National Seashore.  It’s such a unique spot: a waterfall cascading off a cliff, and running right down the beach into the Pacific Ocean!

➡️ Click here for my post on Alamere Falls!

It’s a lengthy day trek, since it’s about 7-miles each way.  The whole time, you’re surrounded with lush forests, tall pines, and wildflowers.  The trail will take you out along coastal cliffs, too.  

The final mile is a walk from the Wildcat Campground down the beach to the falls.

It’s popular, so you’ll have a crowd visiting Alamere Falls with you.   

Key to this visit is: check the tides!  You’ll want to arrive at Alamere Falls within a two-hour window before or after low tide.

Longest Point Reyes Beaches: North & South Beaches 

Vast stretches of Point Reyes National Seashore are simply referred to as North Beach and South Beach.  It’s 11 miles long!

You’ll find parking lots for both North and South Beaches.

The waves and currents are considered too dangerous for swimming, but they’re beautiful, lined with cliffs, and uncrowded.

Best Beach for Sandcastles: Drakes Beach

Drakes Beach is far more than sandcastles, but it’s known for a big annual contest, which draws quite a crowd (and some impressive talent, too!).

Drakes is one of the four beaches you can drive right up to, with a convenient parking lot nearby.  

It’s a wide stretch of beach, which backs up to white sandstone cliffs.

You’ll find restrooms here, a visitor center, and a bookstore.  It’s one of the few places at Point Reyes where you can buy food.

Sharks and Whales at Point Reyes Beaches 

At several of the Point Reyes beaches, you’ll see signs, warning you of sharks off the coast.  

If you’re lucky, you’ll catch whales migrating during certain times of the year.  The overlooks on the south end of the park are popular spots for people to gather with binoculars to watch the surface for whales coming up to breathe.

You’re most likely to see seals and sea lions at Point Reyes.  Keep your distance, since the law prohibits humans from getting within 100 feet of the marine life.

There are overlooks on the south end of the park, specifically built over coves and beaches where seals and sea lions live.

FAQs About Point Reyes Beaches

Let’s tackle some of the frequently-asked-questions about the Point Reyes Beaches.  Some of these have already been answered above.

How far is Point Reyes from San Francisco?

Point Reyes National Seashore is roughly 40 miles northwest of the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco. The drive could take anywhere between one and two hours, depending on weather and traffic.

Which Point Reyes Beach is best for swimming?

Limantour Beach is the safest for swimming, of all the Point Reyes beaches.  The waves and currents at the other beaches are far stronger.

Alternatively, consider going to the beaches in Tomales Bay, which are less exciting but better for swimming.

The water temperature might cancel your bathing plans at all of the beaches in Marin County, since it’s usually around 51 degrees!

Is the water clean at Point Reyes beaches?

Usually, the water is clean for swimming (but very cold).  Marin County monitors water quality from April through October.  

Any closures or concerns will be posted on the Point Reyes National Seashore closure website.

Are there jellyfish at Point Reyes?

Yes!  You’ll see them washed up on the shores and beaches, so careful where you step.

Can you swim at the Point Reyes beaches?

Warnings are posted at several of the beaches along Point Reyes National Seashore, due to waves, strong currents, and undertows.

The beaches where swimming is considered safest are:

• Limantour Beach
• Beaches along Tomales Bay

What’s the water temperature at Point Reyes Beaches?

It’s too cold for me to swim!  Even in the summer, water temperatures along the Marin County beaches is usually 51 degrees Fahrenheit!

You can check NOAA’s latest temperature readings on their website.

Which Point Reyes beaches can you drive to, with nearby parking lots?

Four of the beaches at Point Reyes National Seashore have parking lots close by:

• Drake’s Beach
• Limantour Beach
• North Beach
• South Beach

Which Point Reyes beaches do you hike to?

Hiking trails range from half-a-mile to 7 miles each way for these beaches at Point Reyes:

• Sculptured Beach: 2 miles
• Abbotts Lagoon: 1.5 miles
• Kehoe Beach: 0.6 mile
• Kelham Beach: 5 miles
• McClure’s Beach: 0.5 mile
• Wildcat Beach: 6 miles
• Alamere Falls: 7 miles

Which Point Reyes beach is least crowded?

You’ll find very few people at these beaches along the coast of Marin County, due to the hike required to get there:

• Sculptured Beach
• Wildcat Beach

Can you build campfires on Point Reyes beaches?

Yes!  Point Reyes is the perfect spot for beach fires, unless the weather doesn’t cooperate.  Prolonged dry weather or high winds might cancel those plans.

Anyone wanting to build a fire along the beaches needs a permit, which you can find at this website: click here.

You’re asked to keep the bonfires 30 feet from the cliffs or bluffs (in case of a rockslide), and 30 feet away from any vegetation.

Where can you go fishing at Point Reyes?

You can fish from almost all of the beaches at Point Reyes National Seashore.  It’s banned on Drakes Beach, and the western stretch of Limantour Beach.

Wrap on the Point Reyes Beaches

Point Reyes isn’t a great swimming destination, but it’s a perfect day trip from San Francisco. For me, it was a great weekend trip from Phoenix. I left triple-digit heat for highs in the 70s for the weekend!

The National Seashore is also a nice getaway for people from Los Angeles, looking for peace and quiet … or for people from Denver or Salt Lake City, looking for a more coastal hiking experience.

I love the different beaches and scenery, along with the hikes and cliffs!

Check out our other posts about the California Coast:

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