Just in time for Memorial Day and the busy summer season, Point Reyes National Seashore announced its Top Ten list for a successful park visit. Make no mistake, this list is not your ordinary list, it was put together by park rangers so visitors can get the inside scoop from the people who know the park best! Visit our Top 10 Tips page for Point Reyes National Seashore park ranger insider tips for a sensational Seashore visit.
"We are excited to welcome all visitors to the Seashore for this summer season," says park superintendent Craig Kenkel. "Our rangers at Point Reyes created our Top-Ten List to give insider information on how to have a great experience, make lasting memories, and stay safe at the Seashore."
Seashore park ranger top-ten insider tips to Plan Like A Park Ranger are:
1. Plan and prepare for your trip with the NPS App! Skip the line and learn about things to do and places to visit in our new app developed by Point Reyes Rangers! Trail maps, hiking guides, alerts and more are available at your fingertips. You can also download content from entire parks for offline use when you don't have cell service. Download through the Apple Store and on Google Play.
2. Have a Plan B, C, and D. Close to 2.4 million people visit Point Reyes each year. Visit midweek or early morning to beat the crowds. If that's not possible, have a plan B or C. Have several possible hikes picked out, just in case you arrive at a trailhead and the parking lot is full.
3. Wind and Fog. Wind and Fog. Temperatures may be in the triple digits just 10 miles inland, yet in the 50°s or 60°s at the coast. Point Reyes is the windiest and foggiest place on the west coast, especially during the summer. Check the weather forecast and views of the coast with our Point Reyes Beach webcam and bring cozy layers-it could be quite chilly!
4. Check for changing conditions After a year of closures, most of Point Reyes is open for your enjoyment. However, while you may have your heart set on visiting a particular spot in the park, sometimes there are circumstances that throw a wrench into the best laid plans. Make sure to check current conditions and any closures that may be in place before your visit.
5. Looking for the Instagram highlights? Cypress Tree Tunnel? Point Reyes "Shipwreck"?" South Beach Overlook? Post your highlights while supporting the mission of the National Park Service. Social media has a bigger impact than you think, so please post appropriate and responsible behaviors. Take the Point Reyes Pledge and adhere to the principles of Leave No Trace. Drones are not allowed anywhere in the Seashore, so leave your drones at home.
6. Coyotes, badgers, and bobcats, oh my! Point Reyes has incredible opportunities for wildlife sightings. Observe wildlife respectfully and from a distance and park your vehicle completely off the road when viewing from the car.
7. Be wave wise. The beaches in Point Reyes are known for their dangerous beauty, and people have been swept away by large waves and strong rip currents here. Never turn your back to the ocean, and watch out for sneaker waves, which are waves that come in much higher than previous sets and can wash over and pull out people walking along the ocean's edge. Visit our Safety Issues Associated with Beaches page for more information.
8. Know the high and the low of it. Check the daily tides if you plan to walk along the beach or to Alamere Falls. Incoming high tides can make your planned walk along bluff-lined beaches unsafe and could trap you, while low tides offer fabulous opportunities for tidepooling.
9. Visit the beach with your B.A.R.K. Ranger. Friendly pets on leash are welcome on sections of Limantour, South, North, and Kehoe Beaches!
* Bag pet waste
* Always leash your pet
* Respect wildlife
* Know where to go
10. Family Friendly Fun! The Bear Valley Visitor Center has animal exhibits and easy trails for little legs. Stop by to talk to rangers about what other trails are great for children. You can also learn about and protect Point Reyes by earning your very own junior ranger badge The Junior Ranger program is for young kids, as well as for those who are young at heart!
Visitors are encouraged to review CDC guidance when making their plans to visit Point Reyes National Seashore and to recreate responsibly. Consistent with the CDC recommendations, people who are not fully vaccinated must continue to wear masks indoors and in crowded outdoor spaces. Masks are required for everyone on all forms of public transportation.
www.nps.gov
About the National Park Service. More than 20,000 National Park Service employees care for America's 423 national parks and work with communities across the nation to help preserve local history and create close-to-home recreational opportunities. Learn more at www.nps.gov, and on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube.
Tags: point reyes point reyes national seashore summer top 10
Source: U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service
