Point Reyes National Seashore
A cool experience with 6 to 10 mile hikes
Trek into the wilderness and sleep in the backcountry
Pups are welcome at camp and on hiking trails
Places we've visited and fallen in love with
Trip · 3-day backpacking trip
For · Friends and new backpackers
Distance · At least 2 miles of paddling
Vibe · Relaxing and chill
Permit · Yes, reserve a boat-in campsite in Tomales Bay
Drive · 1.5 hours from SF
Ideal dates · May to October
Pets · Welcome on kayaks, certain launch areas, and beaches
Tomales Bay is a 15-mile long inlet off of the Pacific Ocean and is the largest unspoiled coastal embayment, aka bay, in California. The west side of the bay belongs to Point Reyes National Seashore, and that's where you can camp overnight in places only accessible by boat. Bop around various beaches, explore small sandy coves and paddle through bioluminescent waters underneath a starry sky. Kayak-backpacking in Tomales Bay is a special experience worth doing at least once, if not more.
Official Point Reyes National Seashore Website
Directions to Chicken Ranch Beach Launch Site
Main image credit: N/A
Marshall and Tomales Beach have:
Once you reserve a camping permit, finding a boat-in campsite in Tomales Bay is largely first-come, first serve. You can camp just about anywhere along the bay, unless you book a Marshall or Tomales Beach Group campsite designated to those specific beaches. Marshall and Tomales Beach are the only campsites with toilets and trash collection. Everywhere else you'll need to bring a wag bag to carry out your 💩 and trash. Leave No Trace, baby!
Bring at least a gallon per person of potable water per day because there aren't any drinking water sources available. Dog-friendly beach campsites are Indian, Kilkenny, Long Cove, Fruit Tree, Marshall, No Name, Tomales, and Elk Fence South Beach. Protip: Saturdays are the busiest time to be paddling around the Bay so score a mid-week camping reservation to duck the crowds.
Nightly Fee: $20
Tomales Bay was named after Rancho Bolsa de Tomales, a Mexican land grant given by Governor Pío Pico to Juan Nepomuceno Padilla in 1846.
Bioluminescence is a glowing, shimmery light produced by a chemical reaction within a living organism, which in this case is marine life.
The Coast Miwok used to live in Tomales Bay. Their villages included Echa-kolum, Sakloki, Shotommo-wi, and Utumia
You won't be saving money, but you'll save space and weight with these camp sandals.
Clothes
Sleepover! This is a tent you can stand up in and have plenty of space for air mattresses, doggos, and more.
Shared Gear
A reliable, popular, and relatively affordable dual-burner camping stove that is fairly heavy, but performs well.
Kitchen
It's pricey, but the New York Times' Wirecutter recommended this attachment as a way for wheelchair users to navigate uneven terrain.
Essential Items
Instead of transporting stuff on your lap, use this storage bag to easily store items underneath your wheelchair.
Essential Items
Never dig around your pack to find some hand sanitizer. Instead, hang this one on the outside of your pack.
Personal Stuff
If you're an experienced backpacker, this is the lightest full-size, full-featured, frameless pack made.
Essential Items
Add a little magic to your experience by hanging these twinkling lights around your tent every night.
Shared Gear
Sometimes you just want a camp chair that gets the job done. Nothing glamorous or fancy. Well, this is it.
Shared Gear
The more you backpack the lighter your shelter becomes, and the lighter it is, the more expensive it can be.
Shared Gear
Camp underneath the stars and watch glorious sunrises in Joshua Tree National Park, the second largest national park in California.
