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Point Reyes National Seashore
Bicycle Riding at Point Reyes National Seashore
 

Point Reyes National Seashore provides a variety of off-road biking opportunities traversing diverse habitats and terrains. You can explore trails through evergreen forests, coastal scrub, or along estuaries and beach bluffs.

Visitor Centers offer a free map of the park's trails, indicating which trails are designated for bike travel. These maps are also available to download from our Maps page. Point Reyes permits biking only outside of wilderness areas along emergency access/dirt fire roads, paved roads and a few single-track trails.

For a list of businesses that rent bicycles in the Point Reyes area, visit our Outfitters and Tours page.

Horseback riders have right-of-way on the trails with hikers coming second. Bicyclists must yield to both of these trail user groups. Be aware that many horses are easily spooked when approached from behind. Reduce your speed when approaching horses or hikers. When approaching from behind, announce your presence. Stop on the downhill side of the trail while horses pass. The speed limit on all trails, even when headed downhill, is 15 mph. Be courteous. If trails are dry and dusty, slow down even more so as not to leave hikers in a cloud of dust.

In the summer and fall, reports of yellow jacket activity along trails increase. Park staff will post notices at appropriate trail junctions warning hikers of the presence of yellow jacket nests located in close proximity to the trail as nests are discovered and/or reported. Please use an alternate route if you are allergic, want to avoid any risk of yellow jacket stings, or are riding a horse. Please notify park dispatch at 415-464-5170 if you encounter a swarm of yellow jackets along a trail that has yet to be posted. Visit our Your Safety Around Yellow Jackets for more information.

The maximum number of bicyclists in any one group is 10. Larger groups of cyclists will have to divide into groups no larger than 10. This size restriction is necessary for the safety of cyclists using public roadways and authorized trails within the Park. These roadways and trails are narrow and winding and will not safely accommodate large numbers of bicyclists.

Caution
Loose dirt and gravel cover many of the trails. This slick surface can be difficult to maneuver in and can make for easy slide outs. The loose dirt can also hide potholes. These technical riding surfaces challenge even the most experienced bikers. We recommend always wearing a helmet, a long-sleeved shirt and long pants.

Carry plenty of water!

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Within Point Reyes National Seashore, bicycles are only permitted on the following trails:

  • Kehoe Beach Trail
  • Abbotts Lagoon Trail - on the first mile of the trail to the bridge
  • Marshall Beach Trail
  • Chimney Rock Trail
  • Bull Point Trail
  • Estero Trail - from the Estero Trailhead off of Sir Francis Drake Boulevard to the junction with the White Gate Trail
  • Sunset Beach Trail
  • Drakes Head Trail
  • White Gate Trail
  • Inverness Ridge Trail
  • Coast Trail - from the Coast Trail's northern trailhead near the Hostel to the Coast Campground
  • Sky Trail - from the Sky Trailhead to the Sky Campground
  • Bear Valley Trail - from the Bear Valley Trailhead the junction with the Glen Trail
  • Stewart Trail
  • Glen Trail - from the junction with the Stewart Trail to the junction with the Glen Camp Loop
  • Glen Camp Loop - from the junction with the Glen Trail to the Glen Campground
  • Olema Valley Trail

Within the north unit of Golden Gate National Recreation Area, bicycles are permitted on the following trails:

  • Tomales Bay Trail
  • Bolinas Ridge Trail
  • Jewell Trail
  • Cross Marin Trail
  • Randall Trail
  • McCurdy Trail

Trail Closures and Advisories


Multimedia:

NPSWilderness has produced two videos about NPS wilderness: America's Wilderness and Leave No Trace Outdoor Ethics which bicyclists and other visitors to Point Reyes may find of interest.

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Park Map
Maps
Find the park map, trail maps and other useful maps here
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Leave Not Trace
Leave No Trace
Take only pictures, leave only footprints.
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Humpback whale spout

Did You Know?
Marine biologists have identified nearly a third of all known marine mammal species in the waters surrounding Point Reyes. Blue whales and humpback whales feed here during spring and summer months. Gray whales migrate past our shores twice a year on their round trip from Alaska to Baja.
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Last Updated: August 28, 2011 at 12:31 MST