Point Reyes National Seashore Campground

Group of middle schoolers went on a 3 day backpacking trip at Point Reyes, and it was amazing. It was cold, rainy, windy, muddy but was totally amazing. Sky and Coast group campsites were really great with vault toilet, potable water, picnic tables bear bins, and had plenty of flat durable and tentable areas to accommodate our 8 tents. Hiking trails were all well maintained and clearly marked. The sunset and tidepools at the beach near Coast camp were wonderful, and the stars, oh my the stars, in the post-rain clear early morning sky were amazing too. So aside from braving the bad weather, our backpacking experience was memorable, and we will certainly be back in a few months to explore more of Point Reyes.

Stayed two nights at Coast Camp #5 followed by two nights at WIldcat Camp #6. Beautiful trip. Cold winter evenings are fine with lots of wool and down layers! One big rain and wind day at Wildcat. Bear box latches in sites are now so stiff (rusty?) that they're very hard to open and close, even the newer ones at Coast. (Wildcat's new bear boxes are about to be installed, currently all in a pile near the bathrooms). Had to put a medium-size stone up inside the latch cover and push IT against the latch mechanism. Large guy-hands might do ok.

Amazing high and low tides because January + new moon! Luckily this time the low-low tide was in afternoon rather than middle of night. So at Coast Camp I was able to get all the way to "Secret beach no. 2"! Requires a minus tide. From Sculptured Beach to SBno.1 climb up onto an outcrop (easy, almost steplike access), then around it to the cliffside, and then a trickier but short climb straight down a 'corner' notch to the sand. (On my way back, I couldn't climb back up the same way - shoes too slippery to hold on the first slanted foothold - but turns out to be an easy short climb up the nice curved shoulder of the outcrop, tons of handholds and footholds. That way is harder to see from above though, so would probably still use the straight notch for coming down.)

Then walk behind next outcrop and you have access (at low tide) to get through either a minus tide walk-thru arch or a higher crawl-through tunnel over to Secret Beach #1. Secret Beach #2 has the Hole-in-the-ceiling cave! Right there as soon as you get onto that 2nd beach (yet another arch-tunnel, then - only at a minus tide - you can get over some rough tidepool rocks to the beach). The cave has a lowish rock entrance but inside is a huge round interior in the soft cliff material open to sky! Awe-inspiring. Beautiful beach with great layered strata in cliffs. Leave enough time to get back before incoming tide blocks way.

We had a fantastic experience camping at Sky Camp. This was one of the most beautiful campsites I have ever visited. We stayed in #4 and had the most beautiful views of the ocean. Easy hike in, with many more hike options once you arrive, and longer routes to arrive. Went on NYE and the temperature was moderate. There was an outhouse with toilet paper, trash and recycling bins, a bear box, and potable running water nearby.

Great for bikepacking! We arrived after dark and had to ask other campers where the water spigot was because it wasn't immediately obvious but otherwise had a great time.

Pretty nice and clean campgrounds, beautiful location!

We went during a rainstorm, which ended up being so so fun. We stayed in site 11 which has moderate cover from the wind which helped are tents stay up in the night . For what it was, it worked really well. Bathroom is just a toilet with a bottomless hole with a water spout 30 feet away. Nice cement tables and new (as of dec 2023) food lockers. I don’t know how useful this is but it didn’t flood and there were not trees to fall down on us during the crazy storm. We had two 2-person tents and they fit pretty nicely in the space (they were close though, I could hear all the rustling from the other tent). All and all good experiences. Would definitely check it out

Wonderful trails--well laid-out and maintained, highly scenic.
Campsites were nice with picnic table, water spigot, outhouse, bear boxes and trash receptacles.
Very comfortable.

Had the entire campground to myself, great view from #11! Cold and breezy, just fine!

Excellent stay. Great campground. Will come again.

FYI wildcat site #4 had 2 mice hidden in the bear locker in top where the metal curves. Do NOT leave items in this locker, use another locker or bring your own bear canister. Other than that, beautiful site and excellent trip. If going to Alamere falls, I recommend going along the beach but check the tide chart because that route can be inaccessible at high tide. It's a much shorter hike along the beach and the falls are more impressive from that view.