Point Reyes Complete Guide

Only 30 miles from San Francisco, Point Reyes National Seashore attracts admirers year-round to its forests, wetlands, and beaches. Visitors come to this tranquil place to hike, camp, backpack, bike, kayak, horseback ride, picnic, fish, and nature-watch. This invaluable resource gives detailed information on the trails, roads, camps, and and beaches within the Seashore, plus surrounding parks and preserves. Point Reyes: The Complete Guide to the National Seashore & Surrounding Area has much more than coverage of all the popular recreational activities and hiking trails.

Get the complete guide to the Point Reyes peninsula in California, and discover the history of the area, activities to enjoy, and 50 hiking and backpacking trips. Escape the urban hustle. Find the slow rhythm of time spent in nature. Just 30 miles from downtown San Francisco, the Point Reyes peninsula is a place apart—where trails weave through Douglas-fir forests, beaches rim the rocky coastline, whales swim in offshore waters, and coastal grasslands are swathed in wildflowers. Let Jessica Lage introduce you to this unparalleled area and guide you along its best trails for hiking, biking, horseback riding, backpacking, and more. Wander old ranch roads that have been converted into trails. Go birding on a tranquil estero. Gaze at wildflowers on the site of a once-thriving dairy ranch. The Point Reyes wilderness protects a diverse ecosystem. Of every species of California plant, nearly 18 percent can be found there—as well as almost 10 percent of the world’s marine mammal species. Plus, more than 45 percent of all North American bird species visit the seashore. Point Reyes is your guide to the entire area: the national seashore, Tomales Bay and Samuel P. Taylor state parks, the Golden Gate National Recreation Area, and towns in the vicinity. The book presents the natural and human history of the area, activities to enjoy, and 50 detailed trips for hikers and backpackers. Inside You’ll Find Complete trail descriptions for 42 hikes and 8 backpacking excursions Updated color maps and photographs of the national seashore and adjacent parks Suggested activities, from kayaking to exploring tidepools The natural and human history of the area Small-town highlights, such as galleries, eateries, and museums Make your way to this recreational paradise. Whether you have a few hours, a weekend, or an entire vacation, a visit to Point Reyes is a trip you’ll remember forever.

Completely updated, this Point Reyes guide features exceptional trail mapsThe Point Reyes National Seashore, just north of San Francisco, is a naturalist's delight with areas of true wilderness and over 100 miles of trails. Setting this guide apart are the updated 3-D relief maps detailing trail elevations, mileage, and natural and man-made landmarks. Three brand-new hikes and updated information complete this new edition.

''The most beautiful volume ever done [on Marin] is Point Reyes Visions.''

"In the past 40 years an amazing amount of data has been accumulated and analyzed on all aspects of the natural history of Point Reyes. Jules Evens has taken the difficult job of tackling an almost impossibly complicated subject and has succeeded masterfully. Natural History of the Point Reyes Peninsula provides an overview of not just the peninsula, but also adjacent land and ocean habitats, as well as thoughtful insights gleaned from research. The overwhelming draw to this area is observing some part of its natural history, and this book provides an intelligent summary of past and present knowledge."—Bob Stewart, former Naturalist in Residence for the Point Reyes National Seashore and author of Butterflies of Arizona: A Photographic Guide

A comprehensive guide of the Pt. Reyes National Seashore trails that offers detailed descriptions, hand drawn maps and a glossary that points to the page of each trail. Whether you are visiting waterfalls, searching for swimming holes or beautiful views, this guide will fit easily in your pack.