Park Superintendent Cicely Muldoon announced the 18th year of shuttle bus transportation Saturday, Dec. 26, 2015 and running through and running through late March 2016. "Winter is a wonderful time, not only to watch the annual Pacific gray whale migration from Alaska to Mexico, but also to celebrate the recovering populations of northern elephant seals as they return to breed at Point Reyes." The winter wildlife docent program also begins with volunteers at the Chimney Rock and Lighthouse overlooks to assist visitors with learning more about the northern elephant seals and migrating gray whales.
Limited parking is available at prime viewing areas such as the historic Lighthouse and Chimney Rock headlands. Bus service eases congestion in these areas. The shuttle transportation system was identified in the Headlands Management Plan as an important tool to protect the fragile headlands while also allowing access for visitors.
Bus service runs only in good weather on weekends and federal Monday holidays (bus service will operate on December 31 and January 1). Ticket sales open at 9:30 am at the Kenneth C. Patrick Visitor Center at Drakes Beach and close at 3 pm. Children 16 and under are free; adult tickets are $7.00 per person. Federal Interagency Senior and Access pass discounts apply to the purchase. Sir Francis Drake Boulevard is closed at South Beach junction when the buses are operating. The road closure begins at approximately 9:30 am and the road reopens at approximately 5:15 pm. For more information, please call the Bear Valley Visitor Center at 415-464-5100.
Please visit our website at https://www.nps.gov/pore/planyourvisit/shuttle.htm for complete information.
-NPS-
Tags: point reyes point reyes national seashore winter shuttle bus system shuttle bus drakes beach kenneth c. patrick visitor center point reyes lighthouse road closure sir francis drake boulevard whale watching gray whale elephant seal elephant seals
Source: U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service
