Following the Light of Point Reyes

Some lighthouses welcome sailors to port, some warn them of danger. Point Reyes Lighthouse, north of San Francisco, was most certainly built to warn vessels away from a treacherous coastline where many ships went down.

Congress voted construction funds for a light in 1852, but legal conflicts with bluff landowners delayed installation until 1870. Meanwhile, many more ships ran aground.

From past experience, lighthouse keepers had learned that placing a light too high atop California’s coastal cliffs diminished the light’s fog-penetrating effectiveness; thus, the Point Reyes Lighthouse was built about halfway down the 600-foot bluffs.

The odd placement of the station greatly increased its construction cost, as well as the cost of supplying it during its century of service. Nasty weather, isolation from the world and the relentless bellow of the foghorn made the lot of the lighthouse keeper difficult and contributed to drinking and discipline problems.

By some accounts, Point Reyes is the foggiest point on the Pacific Coast and is said to be second only to Rhode Island’s Nantucket Island in the U.S. When the fog lifts, however, the lighthouse observation platform is a superb place from which to watch for migrating California gray whales. During the winter months, bring your binoculars and scan the horizon for them.

The lighthouse visitor center is open Thursday through Monday, 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. weather permitting. Inquire at the center about the tours.

A path and 308 exhausting stairs get you to the lighthouse. The trip down to the lighthouse is easy. It’s coming back that is tough, but there are several landings to catch your breath on.

So compelling is Point Reyes Lighthouse, most visitors don’t bother with the walk to Chimney Rock Overlook, which offers a panoramic view nearly equal to that of the lighthouse. You’ll travel a spring wildflower-lined path, glimpsing an old U.S. Coast Guard Lifeboat Station. While you might not be able to discern which offshore rock resembles a chimney, you will be able to view the coastline all the way to San Francisco on a clear day.

Directions to trail head: From California 1 in Olema, drive north a short distance past the turnoff for Point Reyes National Seashore Bear Valley Visitor Center, then turn left on Sir Francis Drake Highway. Follow the highway 18 miles as it swings west then south. Near its end, the highway splits at a signed junction; the west fork leads a bit more than a mile to the Point Reyes Lighthouse trail head; the east fork leads about 1.5 miles to the Chimney Rock trail head.

The National Park Service recently announced that in 1998, during weekends, the road to the Lighthouse and Chimney Rock will be closed to vehicles, and the agency will begin an experimental shuttle service. Tickets may be purchased at the visitor center at Drakes Beach.

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Lighthouse, Chimney Rock Trails

WHERE: Point Reyes National Seashore

DISTANCE: To lighthouse is 1.2 miles round trip with 400-foot elevation gain.

TERRAIN: Towering cliffs

HIGHLIGHTS: Superb winter whale-watching, commanding views

DEGREE OF DIFFICULTY: Short bur strenuous.

PRECAUTIONS: Wear your best waterproof boots and clothing.

FOR MORE INFORMATION: Point Reyes National Seashore, Point Reyes, CA 94956; tel. (415) 663-1092 (Bear Valley Visitor Center).