Point Reyes National Seashore

A safe pet is a happy pet . When exploring the park with your four-legged pals, always leave the leash on to keep yourselves and your dog safe. There are beaches in the Seashore that allow dogs, and some that don't. Dogs are never allowed on Drakes Beach due to the presence of marine mammals such as this snoozing northern elephant seal. Though they can weigh up to 5,000 lbs, elephant seals move faster than you think! They also have large, sharp teeth and may bite...ouch! ... You may bring your leashed pet to: the east side of Limantour North Beach South Beach (though it is currently not open to the public due to road construction) Kehoe Marine mammals and other wildlife can be seen on any of our beaches, which is why it is important to always keep your dog on leash in the allowed areas. Please also pick up any waste left by your dog and dispose of it in trash receptacles. Thank you! Learn more about how to responsibly bring your pet to Point Reyes: https://www.nps.gov/pore/planyourvisit/pets.htm. NPS Photo. #WinterWildlifeWonders #TuesdayTips #ElephantSeal #HelpMeStayWild #BarkRanger #RespectWildlife #FindYourPark #EncuentraTuParque #ProtectYourPark

It's National Bird Day and Point Reyes National Seashore is a wonderful place to look for and appreciate birds, whether you are just getting started or an experienced birder. Try out these sites! https://www.nps.gov//planyourvi/wildlife_viewing_birds.htm... What bird do you want to see in 2021? Photo by C. Arreglo. Taken on Coast Miwok ancestral lands. #PointReyesNPS #FindYourPark #EncuentraTuParque #NationalBirdDay #PeregrineFalcon

The high surf advisory is still in effect through 11 pm Tuesday and conditions are extremely dangerous at the coast. Please use utmost caution if you must be at the shore, stay far away from the wash zone, watch for sneaker waves, and never turn your back on the ocean.

It's International Mountain Day! Where's your favorite mountain? We're celebrating International Mountain Day with this spectacular view of the Point Reyes peninsula from our very own Mount Vision (1282 ft).We go to the mountains to study and learn, to connect with nature, and in solitude learn about ourselves--just one of many ways to find peace in parks.Learn more www.nps.gov/subjects/npscelebrates/find-peace-in-parks.htm Thanks to @lindasudduth on Instagram for sharing ...this photo with us. Tag your photo with #PRNSYes for a chance to be featured. #MountainsMatter#FindingPeace #FindYouPark #EncuentraTuParque #PointReyesNPS

"I'm not sleeping, I'm just resting my eyes." This long-tailed weasel doesn't hibernate, is active day and night, and eats 40% of its body weight each day. That doesn't stop him from finding a moment of calm in the chaos. ... Visit your local national park or local green space today and get yours. #PeaceInParks #PointReyesNPS #FindYourPark #EncuentraTuParque

Please continue to practice caution on beaches in Point Reyes, stay far up from the wash zone, watch for sneaker waves, and never turn your back on the ocean.

In accordance with the California Regional Stay-at- Home order in the Bay Area Region and Marin County, beginning at noon on Tuesday, December 8, Point Reyes National Seashore is open for day use activities only. Campgrounds are temporarily closed. Some services and facilities are limited. Consistent with the state’s regional stay at home order, day use limits will be in place until local conditions change. Please refer to California’s regional Stay-at-Home order (https://cov...id19.ca.gov/stay-home-except-for-essential-needs/) for more about these restrictions. All overnight camping within Point Reyes National Seashore will be prohibited until further notice. This includes hike-in backcountry sites and boat-in sites on Tomales Bay. All visitors planning trips to Point Reyes National Seashore are asked to be our partner in recreating responsibly. Please follow these Recreate Responsibly (https://www.nps.gov//planyourvisit/recreate-responsibly.htm) tips: Adopt social distancing practices; stay at least 6 feet from people outside your household. Wear a face covering when social distancing cannot be maintained. Stay on the trail, for your safety and the safety of others. Stay within your limits. Point Reyes National Seashore is a great place to find outdoor adventure, but please don’t push yourself beyond your physical limits. The NPS urges visitors to do their part when visiting a park and to follow CDC guidance to prevent the spread of infectious diseases by maintaining a safe distance between yourself and other groups; washing your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds; avoiding touching your eyes, nose, and mouth; covering your mouth and nose when you cough or sneeze; and most importantly, staying home if you feel sick. #RecreateResponsibly #PointReyesNPS

Please note the high surf advisory from 7:00pm Friday - 9:00am Sunday. Always be aware, keep an eye on everyone in your group, and never turn your back on the ocean.

Beach Hazard Statement in effect for the beaches at Point Reyes National Seashore until 5 pm today, Monday, December 7 and High Surf Warning until 5 pm tomorrow, Tuesday, December 8. Remain aware of your surroundings and never turn your back to the ocean. #RecreateResponsibly

#HappyNewYear! 2021 will (hopefully) be our comeback year! What’s your favorite comeback story? How about that of the northern elephant seal? Around 150 years ago, elephant seals were hunted to near extinction, as people harvested their blubber for oil. Their population ran thin - there were only a handful of seals left in the world. After the Mexican and United States governments enforced their protection, the elephant seal population skyrocketed. Now, there are an estimated... 230,000, and it continues to grow each year! Sometimes simple protections are all that are needed to make huge strides in the conservation of a species. QUIZ: Do you know where the last remaining colony was in the 1800s? Comment below! Hint: It’s an island! Follow along with us and our friends (Hearst San Simeon State Park, Año Nuevo State Park, Friends of the Elephant Seal, and The Marine Mammal Center) every week for more #FunFactFriday posts about elephant seals. : NPS. NMFS Permit #21425. #WinterWildlifeWonders #ElephantSeal #HelpMeStayWild #FindYourPark #EncuentraTuParque

Everybody poops ! On your walk in the park you might stumble upon... Deer poop, pellet shaped, with a dimple on one end and a point on the other Fox poop, tubular shaped, up to 2-3 inches, with pointy ends Coyote poop, tubular shaped, up to 4 inches long, with pointy ends... ...toilet paper flowers? One of these things does not belong. There's no shame when nature calls , but please remember to #RecreateResponsibly and #LeaveNoTrace: 1) Whenever possible, use available bathroom facilities . Most bathrooms in Point Reyes are open at this time. Try to #GoBeforeYouGo. 2) Pack it out. Bring a portable toilet/wag bag to remove all waste from the park. This is a requirement on the remote beaches on the west side of Tomales Bay. 3) Bury your waste in a cathole, 200 feet away (about 70 steps) from the trail or any water source. How? Dig a hole 6-8 inches deep using a trowel. It's important that the hole is deep enough to mask the smell from animals and other hikers and to aid in decomposition. Pack out all of your trash, including toilet paper and sanitary napkins. Fill in, cover and disguise the cathole when finished. Please, help us reduce the recent super bloom of toilet paper flowers in the park. #PointReyesNPS #FindYourPark #EncuentraTuParque

Uh oh! It's the night before Halloween and we've spotted ranger ghosts in the park. Don’t get spookedon your next adventure to Point Reyes. Know before you go! Check out the park closures webpage for up-to-date information on closed roads and trails in the park https://www.nps.gov/pore/planyourvisit/conditions.htm Avoid ghostly beings by staying out of these areas. Can you see both ghostly rangers? ... #RecreateResponsibly #PointReyesNPS #FindYourPark #EncuentraTuParque

Please watch this important discussion with Dr. Carolyn Finney, author of Black Faces, White Spaces: Reimagining the Relationship of African Americans to the Great Outdoors; John Eleby, NPS Park Ranger; and Point Reyes National Seashore Association representative, Isaac Taylor. #FindYourPark #EncuentraTuParque #PointReyesNPS

Person: has a home Bat: is for me? . . Bats sleep by day and fly by night, so how do bat biologists tell one species from another in the darkness? By eave...sdropping on their squeaky conversations! When bats emerge from the shadows, scientists at Point Reyes might be listening in, with audio recorders placed near their roosts. The squeaks they detect can help scientists identify all the different bat species that call Point Reyes home, which there are many and can often be found just outside your home. . . #PointReyes_PRNSA #PointReyesNPS #FindYourPark #EncuentraTuParque #Bats #BatWeek #wildlifewednesday @usgs See more

Do you want to get your feet wet in the world of fisheries and get on the job experience? We are partnering with the Mosaics in Science Diversity Internship program to bring on a summer intern who will help collect vital information on endangered coho salmon and threatened stealhead. Housing will be provided at no cost to the intern and they will receive a stipend. The application period is open now and closes on Jan. 24, 2021. Get more details about the internship and how to... apply: https://www.mosaicsinscience.org/internships/ The Mosaics in Science Program provides college students and recent graduates that are under-represented in STEM fields with work experience in the National Park Service. NPS Photo #PointReyesNPS #NPSInternship #MosaicsInScience Outdoor Afro Latino Outdoors

Did you know Townsend’s big-eared bat (Corynorhinus townsendii) is one of 13 bat species known to occur at Point Reyes National Seashore? Uncommon over much of its range, this bat uses caves, hollow trees, and abandoned buildings as roosts. In the summer, females roost together in maternity colonies (only around ten are known along the California coast) that may consist of dozens or hundreds of bats raising their pups. Townsend’s big-eared bats will abandon their roost and pu...ps if they are disturbed, so the NPS has protected the largest roost in our area from human intrusion and bat numbers have since increased. The population is monitored by the U.S. Geological Survey from a distance through "flight counts" as the bats leave their roost in the evenings to feed. Check out https://www.nps.gov/pore/learn/nature/bats.htm to learn more about bats in Point Reyes. Bureau of Land Management photo. #BatWeek #PointReyesNPS #FindYourPark #EncuentraTuParque #WildlifeWednesday

Na na na na na na na na na na na na na na na na #BatWeek! Today's the first day of Bat Week , but we should be thankful for bats every day. Bats are the largest group of mammals, after the rodents, with over 1,100 species worldwide. Did you know bats eat A LOT of insects? They can eat their own body weight in insects in one night! Think about all the many more mosquito bites you could get if bats weren’t around. Since they’re a natural pest control, their insect-loving diet... reduces the amount of pesticides needed. Learn all about bats, including some fun bativities, at www.nps.gov/bats. #FindYourPark #EncuentraTuParque

Forest fanatic?...or beach buff? Whatever your weekend plans...remember to do it responsibly. Here are your weekly #recreateresponsibly reminders: follow all closures due to the #WoodwardFire and roadwork on Sir Francis Drake. Expect delays of up to thirty minutes. Be aware that all trails South of Limantour Rd to just north of Stewart trail are CLOSED due to hazardous conditions from the Woodward Fire. This includes but isn’t limited to the Bear Valley trail and Sky tra...il systems. physically distance from other visitors and wildlife. wear a mask. be a #barkranger. Visit beaches with your pup that are dog friendly: Limantour, North Beach and Kehoe Beach. Dogs must be on leash at all times. know before you go. Current conditions and closures are detailed on our website: nps.gov/pore #PointReyesNPS #FindYourPark #EncuentraTuParque

#DYK: Viewing nature scenes reduces stress and can improve your mood? Try it out! Imagine yourself on a foggy hike on the Tomales Point Trail, observing a sleepy snoring elephant seal from a healthy distance, or feeling the sand beneath your toes on a walk at McClures Beach. Did it work? Spending time in nature, and when you're in a pinch even viewing photos or videos of nature (https://npgallery.nps.gov), lowers cortisol and blood pressure and is linked with lowering level...s of stress, depression, and anxiety. October is #EmotionalWellnessMonth. Treat yourself with some much needed time in nature. More info: https://www.nps.gov/articles/naturesbenefits.htm #FindYourPark #PointReyesNPS #EncuentraTuParque

Ah, come on Dad! I’m not cold! Watch how this little chick emerges from underneath the adult male snowy plover. Chicks can leave the nest just hours after hatching and are able to catch their own food. However, they still need protection from predators and poor weather, and will huddle under one of the parents for a source of heat. The western snowy plover breeding season at Point Reyes National Seashore wrapped up a few weeks ago, with 11 total fledglings from 39 nests. Bo...th nest and chick survival were low compared to recent years. However, biologists found 3 nests on South Beach, a site where snowy plovers have not bred since the 1980s! Want to know more about the 2020 snowy plover monitoring season? Check out this blog: www.nps.gov/pore/blogs/snowy-plover-updates-2020.htm. Video by Matt Lau/NPS. #FindYourPark #EncuentraTuParque #PointReyesNPS #SnowyPlover

Smoke may be visible as unburnt fuels in the interior of the fire area continue to burn and may flare up under favorable weather conditionslike the past few daysproducing more smoke. The fire probably will not be completely extinguished until the park receives rain. The fuels that continue to burn are large tree trunks and smoldering fuels that are very difficult to access. Compromised trees are falling on a regular basis within the interior and along the perimeter of the f...ire creating hazards for firefighters. While it might not look dangerous, if you were to go into a closed area, and something were to happen to you and you required assistance, everyone might be put in harm's way. Please only call 911 to report new fires. Thank you for your continued patience during this extraordinary time! https://www.nps.gov//manag/firemanagement_woodwardfire.htm Screenshot of Inverness Ridge with one smoke column as viewed from Black Mountain camera from AlertWildfire.org. #PointReyesNPS #FindYourPark #EncuentraTuParque #RecreateResponsibly

Crab buffet, anyone? These marbled godwits are strutting their stuff on Drakes Beach probing the sand for aquatic invertebrates with their long bills. Look for them here and other places in the park with soft substrates (mud or sand) and if you see them today, please enter your sightings in eBird as part of the #OctoberBigDay and the first Global Bird Weekend! This photo was taken on traditional Coast Miwok lands. ... #PointReyesNPS #FindYourPark #EncuentraTuParque

YOU HAVE PUFFINS?!? Where can I see puffins?! are common questions that we rangers get here at Point Reyes National Seashore. About 120 tufted puffins (Fratercula cirrhata), which are members of the auk family and the largest of the three species of puffins, currently nest on the Farallon Islands, a little over 20 miles off of Point Reyes. These medium-sized, stocky seabirds with white face masks and orange beaks are very occasionally seen floating near our coastline, but y...ou’re more likely to see them if you take a boat trip out towards the Farallon Islands where the steep, rocky cliffs and the natural crevices on the rocks provide nesting habitat safe from many land predators. Here in Point Reyes people often mistake surf scoters (which are plentiful in waters just off the Point) for puffins, since they also have orange on their beaks. Tufted puffins have relatively short and stubby wings that are better adapted for diving and swimming, so their flights out of the water are, shall we say, less than graceful. Picture lots of rapid flapping happening! However, they can dive up to 300 feet and easily zip through schools of small fish, coming out with beakfuls to take back to their chicks. Little tiny teeth on the roof of their mouth help hold up to 20 small fish at one time! These comical-looking birds, sometimes called parrots of the sea, are dedicated parents, with life-long pair bonds where both parents raise the chick. To learn more about birds in Point Reyes National Seashore, visit go.nps.gov/pore/birds Photos by Kevin Haney #PointReyesNPS #FindYourPark #EncuentraTuParque See more

The #WoodwardFire is 100% contained. Containment means that the fire is enclosed by a control line. Control lines are natural or created barriers that prevent the fire from spreading. For example, fire crews for the Woodward Fire created control lines with back burning near the Bear Valley and Limantour areas. But 100% containment does not mean that the fire isn’t still active. The fire continues to burn in the interior and is expected to burn until heavy winter rains arrive.... That could mean weeks, if not months. Trail crews are still encountering active fire activity like this one in the burn area. Again, the WOODWARD FIRE IS STILL BURNING Please continue to respect area closures to keep yourself and first responders safe. Current closures are listed here: go.nps.gov/pore/WoodwardFire NPS Video/ Ryan Hickey #PointReyesNPS #RecreateResponsibly

Check out all the fun activities going on for World Migratory Bird Day! What are some birds you've seen during the fall migration? #PointReyesNPS #FindYourPark #EncuentraTuParque

Check out this video to learn how Point Reyes National Seashore biologists are protecting snowy plovers and their habitat. Find out how you can help protect them too! https://go.nps.gov/pore/snpl #SavingSpeciesTogether #WorldHabitatDay #ProtectYourPark #SnowyPlover