Hike Point Reyes: Best Day Hikes in Point Reyes National Seashore

Haven for birds, heaven for hikers.

For hikers, Point Reyes is California's wild coast at its very best. Forested ridges give way to windswept bluffs, quiet estuaries, and deserted beaches where the Pacific still sets the agenda. The Trailmaster, John McKinney, has walked the entire 1,600-mile California coast and ranks the trails of Point Reyes among the very finest anywhere along its shoreline.

Beach hikes. Ridge hikes. Forest hikes. Point Reyes has them all. Meander Bear Valley beneath towering Douglas firs. Hike Tomales Point in the company of tule elk. Watch elephant seals from the trail to Chimney Rock. Marvel at Alamere Falls cascading onto the beach. Relax on the white sands of Hearts Desire Beach. Climb Mount Wittenberg for sweeping coastal panoramas. Wander Drakes Estero as shorebirds wheel overhead.

Choose from easy nature walks, exhilarating day hikes, and unforgettable adventures along one of America's most spectacular coastlines. The veteran hiking author shares colorful stories, trusted trail descriptions, and the insider knowledge that comes from decades of exploring Point Reyes. This updated edition features current trail information and park details to help you make the most of every outing.

Also by The Trailmaster

• Hike the East Bay: Best Day Hikes in the Region's Parks and Preserves
• Hike the Golden Gate National Recreation Area Parklands: Best Day Hikes
• Hiking on the Edge: Dreams, Schemes, and 1,600 Miles on the California Coastal Trail

From The Trailmaster's California National Parklands Series

• Hike Yosemite: Best Day Hikes in Yosemite National Park
• Hike Sequoia & Kings Canyon: Best Day Hikes in the National Parks
• Hike the Redwoods: Best Day Hikes in Redwood National & State Parks

John McKinney Amazon Bio John McKinney is an award-winning writer, public speaker, and author of 30 hiking-themed books: inspiring narratives, top-selling guides, books for children. John tells the bittersweet story of his epic hike along the entire California coast in the critically acclaimed Hiking on the Edge: Dreams, Schemes, and 1600 Miles on the California Coastal Trail. A trek to remote monasteries in Greece led to a miracle adoption, a glorious and sometimes hilarious tale told in Hiking the Holy Mountain: Tales of Monks and Miracles on the Trails of Mount Athos, Greece. John is particularly passionate about sharing the stories of California trails. He is the only one to have visited-and written about-all 280 California State Parks, and works with park and conservation organizations to promote and protect them. His "Every Trail Tells a Story" series of guides highlight the very best hikes in California. The master storyteller about hiking is a frequent public speaker, and shares his tales on the radio, on video, and online. For 18 years John, aka The Trailmaster, wrote a weekly hiking column for the Los Angeles Times, and has hiked and enthusiastically told the story of more than 10 thousand miles of trail across California and around the world. The intrepid Eagle Scout has written more than a thousand stories and opinion pieces about hiking, parklands, and our relationship with nature. John loves to share the trail with others. He's designed and led tours for a walking vacation company, led hikes to benefit nonprofit organizations, and served as National Hike Leader for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society's Hike For Discovery program. John's studies in broadcast journalism at the University of Southern California proved somewhat useful on his career path; more so were the hikes he took with his friends in the USC hiking club. Hike on!