Chimney Rock sits on the eastern spur of the Point Reyes Headlands, facing Drakes Bay. The National Park Service says it is a favorite for elephant seals, birds and wildflowers, and winter is when the seals arrive.

Three things to do

  • Chimney Rock Trail: A 1.75-mile round trip along the crest of a narrow peninsula, with views of Drakes Bay and the coast to the southeast. It is known for spring wildflowers. From March through May, dozens to hundreds of gray whales pass every day on their way north. There is no beach access, because the cliffs drop straight to the water.
  • Elephant Seal Overlook: A short, mostly flat dirt trail about 850 feet long. From December through March, several hundred northern elephant seals may haul out at the southwest end of Drakes Beach to give birth and mate.
  • Historic Lifeboat Station: Wayside exhibits explain the U.S. Life-Saving Service and Coast Guard history here. Volunteers sometimes open the boathouse on weekends and holidays from January through March.

About the lifeboat station

The United States Life-Saving Service built the station in 1927. It replaced an 1888 station on Ten-Mile Beach, where heavy surf made launching boats hard, according to Wikipedia. It is one of the best-preserved rescue stations of its era on the Pacific coast. It still has its launch rails, which run about 100 feet and reach some 60 feet into the water. One of its old rescue boats, CG 36542, still sits inside. The station closed in 1968 and went to the Park Service the next year. It became a National Historic Landmark in 1989.

Before you go

  • Parking: The lot has 20 spaces and fills up, especially in the afternoon. There is no fee.
  • Gas, food and water: The nearest gas is 20 miles away in Point Reyes Station, so plan on at least a 40-mile round trip. There is no food west of Inverness and no drinking water at Chimney Rock.
  • Restrooms: Open at the parking lot from 6 a.m. to midnight.
  • RVs: RVs and vehicle-and-trailer combinations over 24 feet are not allowed on Chimney Rock Road.
  • Dogs: Dogs are allowed only in the lot and on the road west of it.
  • Drones and cell service: Drones are banned, and cell service is minimal.
  • Weather and cliffs: Expect wind, fog and cold. Stay on the trail. The park says cracks were found on the bluff near the trail in 2015.