Beyond this "peak", the trail descends rather steeply over the next 0.75 miles (1.2 km). Once you arrive at the trailhead go first to the McClure Beach parking area (only 1/4 mile down the road) to access the toilets … From the Bear Valley Visitor Center, drive northwest ~2 miles (~3 km) on Bear Valley Road before turning left on Sir Francis Drake Boulevard. Continuing north on the trail, one begins to ascend along the ridge crest to the highest location along the trail, located approximately 2.25 miles (3.6 km) from the trailhead. 415-464-5100 We were both whooped! Just follow Pierce Point Road until you see the sign to the beach. Discover trails like Tomales Point Trail California, find information like trail length, elevation, difficulty, activities, and nearby businesses. Please observe all "No Parking" signs. The intense surf crashing on the rocks at either end of the beach add to the drama and danger. Point Reyes Station, CA A pay phone is available at the Tomales Point Trailhead parking lot. The vast majority of the Tomales Point Trail is open as you hike across the rolling hills. 3 Tomales Point Trail, Marin County Want to feel like you’re traveling to the top of the world? Year-round you can hike in from the parking area trailhead at Pierce Point Ranch and see a herd of elk from the trail, usually guarded … Bring a water bottle. Ten elk (eight females and two males) were transplanted from an existing reintroduced herd in the San Luis National Wildlife Refuge near Los Baños to a 2,600-acre fenced enclosure on Tomales Point in 1978. The Pierce Ranch ceased operations in 1973. Turn right on Pierce Point Road and follow it to the end where you will come to Pierce Point Ranch where the trail begins, which is a total of about 11 miles from Inverness. From the parking lot at the Tomales Point Trailhead, walk to the left of the historic Pierce Point Ranch, which offers a glimpse into the early dairy ranching days on the Peninsula.. Continue straight, in a general northern direction, on the same trail for 7.6 km until the trail dead ends at Tomales Point. The Tomales Point Trail through the Tule Elk Reserve offers panoramic views of the Pacific Ocean, Bodega Bay, and Tomales Bay as one potentially hikes 9.4 miles (15 km) round-trip to the northern end of the Peninsula. Do not climb cliffs. Pierce Ranch excelled in the production of the finest quality of butter, as indicated by Goldberg, Bowen, and Company—a famous San Francisco fine food purveyor—which purchased the entire butter production of Pierce Point Ranch during late 1800s. There is very little shade, so make sure to bring some sunscreen. It is also a prime wildlife viewing trail, as it is remote and the tule elk are enclosed in this reserve. Please note that if you are calling between 4:30 pm and 10 am, park staff may not be available to answer your call. This area can only be safely accessed during the outgoing low tide. It does feel like the end of the world in the best way. Loose soil and/or rock can give way suddenly and you may fall. Cell phone reception is very minimal to nonexistent in the Tomales Point area. This is an opportune section of the trail to be on for sunset (so long as fog doesn't obscure the view). ), or speak with a ranger. As a beginner and a large man (270lbs) I feel it may be more than just a "beginner" trail, although my son (also a large man) and I made the full distance. Wildlife (we saw elk and a wolf), breathtaking cliffs, beautiful trees, and the impressive ocean. Many visitors spend at least an hour or two in the Tomales Point area. Tomales Point Trail There is a reason Tomales Point Trail is popular. Established in 1858, Pierce Ranch (aka Pierce Point Ranch) was the largest of four independent ranches on the the Point Reyes peninsula in the late 1800s. Bring food from home or purchase food at one of the. Start at the Tomales Point Trailhead near the Historic Pierce Point Ranch. A short, moderately steep 0.4-mile (0.6 km) hike leads down to a beautiful beach in a small cove with intense surf that is surrounded by rocky cliffs. Located in the far northern corner of the Seashore, the Tomales Point Trail is one of the most spectacular hikes in the park. Don't confuse this worthwhile out-and-back trail with the better known and more crowded Tomales Point Trail. The Tomales Point area is a popular destination for visitors wishing to view tule elk, birds, and wildflowers. Tomales Point Trail, Point Reyes Station: See 100 reviews, articles, and 213 photos of Tomales Point Trail, ranked No.4 on Tripadvisor among 18 attractions in Point Reyes Station. Please note: The main house currently serves as a residence for park employees. Tomales Point lies at the northernmost tip of Point Reyes National Seashore where the Pacific Ocean meets Bodega Bay. If you park along the Pierce Point Road south of the parking lot, ensure that no part of your parked vehicle is on the pavement in order to allow other vehicles to safely pass. Please visit our Viewing Tule Elk page for elk watching tips and our Tule Elk page for more information about this species. Horses are also able to use this trail. On our hike out to the point, we were completely socked in by the fog. We want to acknowledge and thank the past, present, and future generations of all Native Nations and Indigenous Peoples whose ancestral lands we travel, explore, and play on. That’s the sense offered by the 9.7-mile round-trip … Please help do your part to slow the spread of the coronavirus by staying close to home; if you do visit Point Reyes, please maintain at least six feet of physical distance. This is a good location from which to view elk gathered at a perennial spring in the gulch below. Wear layered clothing. On Saturday, Anna, her husband Paul and I drove out to Tomales Bay to hike the Tomales Point Trail. Tomales Point is located at the northern-most end of the Point Reyes peninsula. Don’t needle them or step off the trail and peace shall be maintained. Visitors are welcome to walk through the ranch complex, where interpretive signs describe the history and function of the various buildings. The 9.7-mile (15-km) round-trip Tomales Point Trail leads along the ridge crest of a narrow peninsula, offering spectacular views of Tomales Bay and Bolinas Ridge to the east, Bodega Bay to the north, and the coastline of the Point Reyes peninsula stretching to the south. The Outbound works best with JavaScript enabled. There were many black cormorants hanging out and nesting, and the probably inaccessible hidden beaches were cool to behold. The first part is through wildflowers which grow right up to the trail. Alternate parking at the Jepson Trailhead, on Pierce Point Road, is 1.5 miles from Heart’s Desire Beach. In recognition of its importance, it was written up in 1878 and again in 1880 as an outstanding example of a dairy ranch. © 2020 The Outbound Collective - Terms of Use - Privacy Policy. A flat trail provides access to a self-guided tour of the ranch complex. The trail descends into the wide, shallow valley where the Lower Pierce Ranch used to be located. The main attraction of this trail is the abundant Tule Elk (Cervus canadensis ssp. National Weather Service Forecast for the Tomales Point area. Please respect the privacy of the residents. However, it's worth mentioning that Tomales Point is stunning. Bing Maps has a collection of great trails with directions to trail heads as well as photos. There is no sandy beach here, but it is an interesting shoreline that few people see. 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 Tomales Point and other areas of the park. The region is home to a tule elk population.. Gallery Limantour Spit Trail. Pierce Ranch is probably the least altered, least modernized, physical complex of ranch buildings in the area. At the one-mile (1.6-km) mark is Windy Gap at the head of White Gulch. The views are so worth it! Please stay on the main trail and away from the cliff tops. This hike is pretty flat for the most part and it’s a great place to see the beautiful coastline. The historic Pierce Point Ranch offers a glimpse into the early dairy ranching days on the peninsula. Start at the Tomales Point Trailhead near the Historic Pierce Point Ranch. Although the both ocean and Tomales Bay are visible, the views in this middle part of the hike aren’t that great since the hillop is so wide. Reyes National Seashore, Remodeled Dillon Beach Haven W/ Hot Tub, Game Room, Charming Farmhouse On Organic Cattle Ranch, Photograph the Cypress Tree Tunnel in Point Reyes. We saw so many elk and they got even closer to the trail on the way back. This hike will take you through the Tule Elk Preserve in Point Reyes Nation Seashore, and offers fantastic views of Bodega and Tomales Bay, as well as the Pacific Ocean. This open trail offers spectacular views of Tomales Bay, Bodega Bay, and the Pacific Ocean. Tomales point trail is on the road to McClures beach. Be extremely cautious with gett... Kayak Beautiful Tomales bay and experience the bioluminescence ecology of the bay. Follow the trail for roughly three miles. Among the many ranches of the Point Reyes peninsula and of the nearby Olema Valley, Pierce Ranch is the one with the greatest degree of integrity of early buildings in its physical complex. Fish and Wildlife Service and the National Park Service, to reintroduce the extirpated tule elk to Tomales Point. If you don't want to sweat much on the return hike, turn around here. The Point Reyes region ranches were, as a group, considered to be the best dairy ranches among the 300 in the state as of 1900, and Pierce Ranch was at the top among the Point Reyes ranches in the quality of its product. In places, it can be challenging to recognize which path to follow among the bush lupine, but the myriad paths tend to reconnect and ultimately merge into one path along the last half mile (0.8 km) of the "trail.". Always practice Leave No Trace ethics on your Tomales Point is a moderate day hike with incredible seaside views, ending at the northern tip of Pt. The trail gently meanders over rolling hills for its entirety, with no shortage of views overlooking endless ocean, precipitous coastal cliffs, and what feels like a bird’s eye view over a uni… Plus, more Elk! Bluffs along the California coast are inherently unstable. The Tomales Bay trail is on the east side of the bay. 1 Bear Valley Road Directions to Tomales Point from the Bear Valley Visitor Center. The point is accessible only via a 9.5 mile hike (out and back) along Tomales Point Trail. This beach is really easy to get to. Tomales Point Trail - 9.5 Miles Round-Trip Tomales Point caps the northernmost tip of Point Reyes National Seashore where the Pacific Ocean meets Bodega Bay. A Stay at Home (also known as Shelter-In-Place) Order is in place for Marin County until further notice. Be sure to use the restrooms before heading out on area trails. Please note that if you are calling between 4:30 pm and 10 am, park staff may not be available to answer your call. • TurnKey photo-verifies this home is professionally cleaned with products approved by the EPA for use against COVID-19. The Skinny The only official trails in the Tomales Point area are the Tomales Point Trail and McClures Beach Trail, shown in the map to the right (or above, if you are viewing this page on a small screen). As other reviewers stated, the seashore and the Tomales Bay views are stunning, and seeing dozens of elks grazing … These paths also can lead to locations where visitors may be more at risk to injury, endangering themselves and any potential rescuers. There are many sensitive elk habitats along the way, so it is always a good idea to stay on trail. Visit our Recreate Responsibly page for guidelines for responsible recreation in the outdoors at Point Reyes and other park lands during the COVID-19 Pandemic. The parking for the Tomales Point Trail is on the site of the Pierce Ranch house and dairy barn where locally famous butter was produced starting in 1858. Tule elk once inhabited the grasslands of the Point Reyes peninsula and the Olema Valley, as well as other grasslands within Marin County. ), or speak with a ranger. While referenced in many books and websites as a good location to find tidepools, tidepoolers have lost their lives here when sneaker waves have struck them. As an example of how sea cliffs are hazardous, in January 2017, part of the bluff at the northern end of Tomales Point collapsed. Dogs: Dogs are not allowed on any of the beaches or trails at Tomales Bay State Park. This trail is very well maintained and you are almost guaranteed to see tule elk along the way. This mellow trail is an out-and-back, so you can turn around at any point. nannodes). I got home and told my son I'd hiked this nothing-burger trail. Since then, the herd has grown and numbers ~300 in 2017. Stay away from cliff edges. Reyes. Follow Pierce Point Road 9 miles (14.5 km) to the parking lot at Pierce Point Ranch and the Tomales Point Trailhead. 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. Along the trail, you'll have great opportunities to see tule elk. I finally did, and when I'd almost fully back-tracked to my car I said "Well, done that. The dairy products were shipped to San Francisco from a dock in Tomales Bay. Don't need to do that again". But, if you are willing to proceed, you will soon arrive at a stock pond at the site of the Lower Pierce Point Ranch. I wasn't prepared to hike for a mile or two in sand, which made for a relatively slow and annoying few hours, so if this isn't for you, turn back at the cypress grove. Surrounded by water on three sides for the length of the trail, it feels like walking nature’s plank—but in a good way. The Tomales Point Trail runs along coastal bluffs, up the peninsula's spine, and through the Tule Elk Preserve en route to its climactic finish on the Seashore's wave-battered cusp. Allow one hour and thirty-five minutes for the drive (three hours and ten minutes round-trip) from the Santa Rosa area, northwest San Francisco, or the northern East Bay. All the grass dried up over the summer. Small cracks are present in the ground, some several feet from the edge. There were lots of people taking those flower photos here. Please park perpendicular to the road where possible. On a clear day, this makes for spectacular views. It is long (I was wearing older hiking boots and felt it in my feet), but so worth it! The Shafter brothers sold a 2,200-acre tract of land on the end of Tomales Point to Solomon Pierce for $7,000 in 1858. If you plan on hiking to Tomales Point, be aware that additional sections of the cliff may collapse. Panels have ADA-compliant fonts. Beyond the Lower Pierce Point Ranch site, the trail is no longer maintained and becomes sandy. The tule elk seem to be accustomed to visitors walking along the Tomales Point Trail, but tend to react negatively to visitors they encounter off-trail. As a result, a section of the Tomales Point Trail is no more. Tomales Point Trail. Pierce Point Ranch was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1985, and was subsequently opened to the public as an interpretive site. •Your newly remo... Stemple Creek Ranch is a family-owned and operated organic cattle ranch in Tomales, CA, just a few miles from the Pacific Ocean. It was about an hour outside of the city and 100% worth the drive. Tomales Point Trail. The hike to Tomales Point is one of the easier trails to follow. Bodega Bay is to the North, Tomales Bay is to the East, and the Pacific Ocean is to the West. One can catch the sun setting "into" the ocean and still have enough twilight to walk back to one's vehicle before dark. The drive to the Tomales Point Trailhead is a winding road up and down hills, sometimes scenic and generally slow because of all of the tight turns. Would be quite hot during summer as there's not much shade, especially towards the end. Did it on 12/24 and had an incredible time. The trail climbs up onto a wide, flat ridge. 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