The Lighthouse Visitor Center

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Open year round, Thursday through Monday.
Closed Tuesdays and Wednesdays.
Closed December 25.
The stairs to the lighthouse are closed when winds exceed 40 miles per hour (64 km/h).
Hours: 10:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.
Phone: (415) 669-1534

The Lighthouse Visitor Center offers exhibits on the historic Point Reyes Lighthouse, as well as on whales, seals and sea lions, wildflowers, birds and maritime history.

The Lighthouse Visitor Center is located 45 minutes west of Bear Valley on the Point Reyes Headlands, at the end of Sir Francis Drake Blvd. There is a 650 meter (0.4 mile) walk (mostly uphill) from the parking lot to the Lighthouse Visitor Center.

Allow at least 2 hours round trip for travel to and from the Lighthouse from the Bear Valley area and another hour to tour the Visitor Center and Lighthouse.

The Point Reyes Lighthouse itself is another 150 meters (0.1 miles) beyond the Visior Center at the base of some 300 steps - the equivalent of 30 stories. The lens room, which houses the original clockworks and first-order Fresnel lens that were manufactured in 1867 and installed in 1870, is open from 2:30 p.m. to 4 p.m. Thursdays through Mondays as staffing and weather conditions permit. The lower chamber of the historic lighthouse has exhibit panels on the history of the light and the keepers. The equipment building next to the lighthouse exhibits the two 1947 super typhon foghorns, the air compressors, and a backup power generator that were used at Point Reyes.

Special Event: Evening programs illuminating the historic light occur on the first and third Saturday of the month, April through December. There is no fee, but reservations are required. Please call (415) 669-1534 10:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m on the day of the program to reserve a spot.

Additional information:
Visitors will likely experience high winds, cool temperatures, fog and/or rain along the 800 meter (0.5 mile) walk to the Lighthouse, so dress appropriately.
Please take your time walking from the parking lot to the Visitor Center and climbing the stairs.
Restrooms are available 24 hours a day.
A pay phone is available outside the Visitor Center.

www.nps.gov/pore/planyourvisit/visitorcenters.htm