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The stairs are formidable. Unlike most lighthouse staircases, The Point Reyes Lighthouse has external stairs. Out in the open and on display are the notorious 313 steps. Descending the stairs feels like a fun adventure with epic views. But what goes down must come up. Then the physical fitness challenge begins.
If you arrive on a clear, good-weather day, head straight for the Point Reyes Lighthouse. The Point Reyes National Seashore in California is beautiful. You will be tempted to stop and enjoy the views. Logistically it may make more sense to hike a trail closer to the entrance. Head for the lighthouse. The weather at Point Reyes National Seashore is unpredictable. The park closes the lighthouse due to fog, wind, or any inclement weather that makes the stair climb unsafe. On the morning we entered the park, the sky was clear.
There were only a few cars in the designated parking lot. It’s another good reason to visit Point Reyes Lighthouse first thing in the morning. Parking is limited and fills up quickly. After parking the car, we start the 5-10 minute walk along the path to the Visitors Center. On the path you see the park’s famous Leaning Tree. The views of the cliffs and sea are amazing, even from the parking lot. I’m beginning to see why people rave about visiting Northern California.
Before the Visitors Center building, you will see the green garages and a sign for the restrooms. You may want to make a quick stop. There are no restrooms at the Visitors Center or down at the lighthouse. You don’t want to discover while gazing up at the lighthouse that you have to walk up 313 stairs to use the
restroom.
Our first order of business is getting our National Park Passport Stamp. The Visitors Center is small contains a condensed exhibit on sea life.
My favorite part was the building’s resident raven. I’m delighted he made an appearance during our visit.
Finding the stairs empty of people, it’s the perfect time to begin the climb down. The view is breathtaking. The rocks rise up like intricately carved sculptures. The striking ombre blue sky dances over the deep, dark blue sea. From the top of the stairs the lighthouse looks like a toy.
The scene is ever changing the closer you get to the Point Reyes Lighthouse.
Excitement rises after discovering the lighthouse building is open. Opening is dependent on staff availability. A staff welcomes us into the cramped space. He demonstrate how the clockworks functions. The shiny gears’ movement are fascinating.
We ooh and ahhh until new visitors appear at the door, then we exit so everyone gets a chance to gawk at the mechanical wonder. After walking around the lighthouse’s exterior, we stroll through the equipment building.
Feeling satisfied that we covered every inch of Point Reyes Lighthouse, we hype ourselves up for the upward climb. 313 stairs is a challenge for most people. With my pulmonary hypertension I expected it to be extra challenging. Massive amounts of stairs are my nemesis. I assumed it would take double the time and be extremely difficult.
Thankfully the National Park System created a plan. Every so many steps, a fenced landing appeared . You could stand at the railing and admire the view or sit on one of the benches. There were plaques encouraging visitors to take a rest and whale watch. I imagine staff walking up the stairs, feeling fatigued and pointing to a spot saying, “Here, a landing should go here.” It felt like when the climb started to feel like a lot, a landing magically showed up.
The prescribed rest stops made the ascent less laborious and I felt very accomplished once I reached the top. As long as you don’t have severe mobility issues, you can do the Point Reyes Lighthouse Stairs. Just take your time and enjoy each landing.
Not long after departing the parking lot, heavy fog enveloped the Point Reyes National Seashore. It lingered for several hours. I was happy with our decision to visit the lighthouse first thing in the morning while the weather was clear.
I consider lighthouses a side quest. We don’t travel to specifically visit a lighthouse, but if there is one already at a destination, we’ll give it some love.
Read about our visit to Biscayne National Park Lighthouse
Read about our visit to Fire Island National Seashore Lighthouse
There is a U.S. Lighthouse Passport stamp book. We’ve seen the stamps during visits, but we determined our main quest stamp book limit is two.
Used to visiting tall lighthouse buildings with internal spiral stairs, visiting a lighthouse on a cliff with straight external stairs was a treat. I can’t say enough about how absolutely stunning the scenery is. Pictures do not do it justice. If you are visiting Northern California, visiting the Point Reyes Lighthouse is a must. It’s our favorite National Seashore and lighthouse thus far.
FIND A PLACE TO STAY NEAR POINT REYES NATIONAL SEASHORE
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