Point Reyes — Bear Valley to Arch Rock
Point Reyes National Seashore · near Point Reyes Station / Inverness · SF Bay Area
Hiking
At a glance
- Difficulty
- moderate
- Route type
- out-and-back
- Distance
- 8.2 miles
- Elevation gain
- 200 ft
- Time needed
- day
- Best season
- Year-round · Clear winter days have best visibility · Summer afternoon fog is routine
Permits and booking
- Permit required
- No
- How the permit works
- No hiking permit required. Free day use. Bear Valley Visitor Center parking is free. No timed entry for day hiking. Overnight camping requires permit through Recreation.gov.
- How hard the permit is to get
- 0 of 5
What is here
- Features
- Arch Rock — dramatic coastal arch above the Pacific · Bear Valley creek corridor through Douglas fir and bishop pine · Morgan Horse Ranch and Kule Loklo Miwok village site · Point Reyes Lighthouse (separate road) — whale watching Dec-Apr
Worth knowing
- Dogs
- Not permitted
- Good for a first timer
- Yes
Hiking detail
- Intl tip
- The Point Reyes area pairs naturally with Tomales Bay kayaking (covered in the kayaking guide) — Tomales Bay runs along the eastern side of the peninsula directly above the San Andreas Fault, its long straight shape created by the same geological boundary that makes Point Reyes an island on the Pacific Plate. Hog Island Oyster Company's Marshall farm, on the Tomales Bay shore, is one of the Bay Area's finest outdoor dining experiences.
The guide
The Bear Valley to Arch Rock trail is Point Reyes National Seashore at its most accessible — flat for the first two miles throu…
In the Guidebook
Everything above is yours for free. The written guide to Point Reyes — Bear Valley to Arch Rock — what it is actually like, and what we would tell a friend before they went — comes with the Guidebook.
Getting there
- Coordinates
- 38.0412, -122.7993