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Point Reyes National Seashore MAP MORE ACCESS INFO GETTING THERE
******************************* ******************************* Abbot's Lagoon Trail C-E; ** ; 1.5 miles I was pretty surprised to see this trail recommended in more than one guide as a good choice for wheelchair users--it's one of the more frustrating routes I've attempted, in that it becomes more difficult, and eventually impassable, before you get anywhere near what looks from the distance to be a lovely secluded inlet. Maybe it's been improved, but when I was there in 2004 narrowness, steepness and bad erosion stopped me within a half mile, and I could see soft sand further ahead that only a boardwalk could have made passable. Last visit spring 2005
Bear Valley Trail AG & B; **** ; 4 miles; Transit; Rainy Weather Yes The trailhead is about 300 feet from the Bear Valley visitor center.
This is deservedly one of the most popular trails in the Bay Area. Its
first mile is ADA accessible, on hard-packed gravel. In the next two
miles the grades may be difficult for an unassisted manual-chair user,
but should not be a problem for most power wheelchairs. Further on are
more steep stretches where traction may be poor, bringing one within
sight of the ocean. Unfortunately, at this point the trail, descending
toward Arch Rock becomes dirt, and impassable due to deep ruts. We have
also explored the trail toward Glen Camp, which was dirt (read: not
for wet weather) steep and difficult (a C on my scale) but enjoyable.
Last visit 2006
Bull Pt TrailD; ** ; 1.5 miles For good reason, this trail isn't marked on all the Park maps, but it's on your left about a mile before the Pt Reyes Beach North turnoff on Sir Francis Drake Hwy. You'll see an (inaccessible) privy by the parking area, the only amenity provided. If you have a good power chair or a lot of muscle to apply, and if
a very rough ride doesn't bother you, Bull Point is a good place to
get away from the crowd. It can hardly be counted as a trail, starting
as a meandering track marred by the stench of cattle pastured there,
and It might be possible with sufficient assistance to get one's wheelchair down to the little strip of beach (at the right edge of the photo) and that would be very nice. Last visit spring 2005
Coast Trail (North end, from the Youth Hostel) B & C; **** ; 2.9 miles; Rainy Weather Yes If you don't like crowds, and do want to go several miles, this is
the best choice in Point Reyes. In June 2006 I towed a bicycle cart there, with cots and gear for an overnight campout, to celebrate the aforesaid accessible toilet.We were greeted by a wet wet ocean fog, which rolled back strangely in the middle of the night to let us see the stars, but returned to soak everything by morning. Nevertheless, and in spite of the dubious accessibility of our campsite, it was a great trip, replete with adorable wildlife like crowds of baby quail and dignified wildlife like phalanxes of brown pelicans. If you are planning to go there, please contact me for the useful trivia I don't have time to write out now. Last visit June 2006.
Estero Trail The first part of this dirt trail has poor surfacing and medium steep spots, but in dry weather it is a very pleasant half-mile or so down to a causeway crossing an arm of Drake's Estero. After that, the trail gets rough and rougher, as the photo shows, and in several trips, I've never gotten more than a mile and a half, but that first part is one of my favorite trails in Point Reyes, being less used than most. Last visit Fall 2002
Five Brooks TrailheadB - D; *** ; 1+ miles; Transit The West Marin Stagecoach
makes flag stops at this trailhead -- well, at the Highway 1 turnoff.,
down a 0.1 gravel access road. Since their website says that for ADA
passengers they will travel off their routes up to three quarters of
a mile, wheelchair users can get here by transit (or by paratransit:
to Hwy 1 at Five Brooks Road). It might even be possible to go one-way
by wheelchair from here to the Bear Valley Visitor Center, probably
via Ridge Trail and Glen Trail, and catch the bus home from there. But
on my visit I only went far enough to confirm Before that junction, within 0.1 mile of the trailhead, there's a picnic table next to the nameless pond, a lovely place for lunch. Since there's only the one table, and it's the only place to sit by this lake, it might be a mistake to depend on finding it available, at least on weekends. But when we were there, on a Tuesday morning, we saw no other hikers, and had no competition for our peaceful stop by the water. then we continued north on Stewart Trail, wandering up and down along the wooded hillside, enjoying racketing birds and the gradual emergence of the sun from the morning fog. But what we saw a lot of was horses, and what we We would have enjoyed sharing this lushly forested byway with the horses
just the same, but because of their large numbers, there was another
inconvenience--picking our way among their droppings. On this trip we did not explore Olema Trail south of Five Brooks trailhead. We know that at least part of it is narrower and less well graded, which at the least would make sharing it with horses more difficult. But it is probably more nearly level. And no doubt very beautiful, as Point Reyes always is. Last visit July 2009
Palomarin Trailhead D; **** ; 0.7+ mi This trailhead is at the south end of Point Reyes, reached from highway 101 via Stinson Beach and Bolinas, a long and winding drive. The dirt trail is very difficult due to deep ruts, rocks and erosion, and would probably be muddy in wet weather. It does offer lovely views of the rugged coastline, but the long drive combined with the difficult terrain makes it a poor choice unless you love the challenge. I don't know how much further you could get on this trail: if you try it, please let me know. Last visit Spring 2005
Details: No dogs are permitted on Point Reyes trails (service dogs excepted). Good parking and accessible toilets are at all trailheads described here except Bull Point and Coast Trail. You can print out a trail map from the link provided, or pick one up at theVisitor Center, which is reached from Highway 101 via Sir Francis Drake Blvd to Olema, right, then immediately left on Bear Valley Rd. The West Marin Stagecoach shuttle stops at the Visitor Center, which is right by the Bear Valley trailhead, and also will make a flag stop, Tuesdays Thursdays and Saturdays only, at the Five Brooks trailhead. Parking at the Youth Hostel, for the Coast Trail, is along the little travelled road, and no toilet is provided as far as I know, except at Coast Camp, 2.9 miles' hike away. The toilet at Bull Point Trail is not accessible. Palomarin trailhead is reached via Highway 101. North of Stinson Beach, turn left toward Bolinas about 1.5 miles on Olema Bolinas Rd, then right on Mesa Rd, which turns into bone-rattling gravel washboard over several miles to the trailhead. |
Trail
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puddles
of their manure. Even when we at last got clear of them, out where a
sea breeze cleared the air--and the path had pretty much disappeared
in the grass-- the uninteresting (for Point Reyes) fields we were crossing
made me wonder if it was worth going all the way to the point. But when
we got there, we enjoyed the low bluff overlooking Drake's Estero, and
the fact that we had the whole area entirely to ourselves. 
It's a slightly rough, occasionally soft gravel service road (okay for
wet weather) that drops gently over grassy hillsides and among mixed
woods and brush, skirting a creek and climbing slightly to reach grassy
bluffs looking over the Pacific after about 1 mile. From there the trail
is nearly level for 1.5 miles, most of the way to Coast Camp.
.
that
the Rift Zone Trail and the Greenpicker Trail are not very accessible
(steep single track), while the Olema Valley and Stewart Trails are
usable, though going north from the parking area, the wide, well graded
gravel Stewart trail becomes rather steep within 0.2 mile, and Olema
Valley trail, going south (a left turn just past the pond) becomes narrow
and is probably muddy in wet weather.
discovered
was that many of them were not a bit happy to see us. Perhaps horses
at the Five Brooks stable don't see many bicycles or dogs, since neither
are permitted on these trails. We didn't take a poll, so I'm not sure
whether it was my friend's guide dog or my wheelchair that caused the
flared nostrils and nervously dancing hooves, but to minimize the equine
consternation we had to pull off the trail and stay still as each group
of riders passed us. Fortunately Stewart Trail is a fire road,wide enough
that even horses who needed extensive persuasion could eventually sidle
by, but it took time, and we had to turn back after only about a mile,
at the junction with Greenpicker Trail.
I
have done time as a stable hand, and mucked out many a stall -- and
enjoyed it, too! as only a horse lover can -- but that barnyard odor
is not what we come to Point Reyes to find.