Who manages the Point Reyes Lighthouse and can you visit it?

The National Park Service manages the Point Reyes Lighthouse within Point Reyes National Seashore in California. It is open to visitors, with a visitor center at the top of the headland and 313 stairs down to the lighthouse itself. Check the NPS site for current hours.

Point Reyes Lighthouse — Pacific Coast RV Guide

By PickRV·Cited primary sources·Updated June 27, 2026

The Point Reyes Lighthouse sits at the windswept tip of the Point Reyes Peninsula in Marin County, California, on a rocky ledge high above the Pacific. Built in 1870 and now preserved by the National Park Service within Point Reyes National Seashore, it is one of the most atmospheric stops on the Northern California coast — often wrapped in fog, frequently buffeted by wind, and reached by a long stairway down the headland.

Best season — Winter and spring for whale watching; clear days vary year-round

At a glance

The facts worth checking before you roll out

Conservative, source-minded facts for planning your visit — always worth confirming against current conditions before you travel.

State

California

Managed by

National Park Service (Point Reyes National Seashore)

Built

1870

Retired from service

1975

Access

313 stairs from the headland

On the ground

Point Reyes is one of the windiest and foggiest points on the Pacific coast, which is exactly why a lighthouse was placed here in 1870 to warn passing ships. The tower served for over a century before the Coast Guard automated the light and the park took over preservation.

From the parking area at the western end of Sir Francis Drake Boulevard, a short walk leads to the visitor center and the long stairway down to the historic tower. The headland is also a celebrated spot to watch for gray whales during their winter and spring migrations.

Because conditions shift quickly out on the point, confirm current visitor-center hours and stair access on the National Park Service site before you drive out — and base your rig at one of the seashore-area or West Marin campgrounds.

Official sources

National Park Service — Point Reyes Lighthouse National Park Service
NPS — Visit the Point Reyes Lighthouse National Park Service

Nearby & related

Keep planning California

Sourced costs, campground directories, and the places worth a detour — the next layer of California trip planning.

Planning an RV trip near Point Reyes Lighthouse: A Pacific-Coast RV Traveler's Guide?

Browse RV rentals

Was this guide helpful?