After some time in the national parks we wanted to explore the national seashore as well. Point Reyes is pretty close to us and the reviews sound as if the park could be fun! The drive from Albany to Point Reyes was around 1hr in early morning traffic, not too bad, but the road was in a bad shape and you had to take care. Again we packed our bagles and around 2l of water per person.
Hike description
The hike was awesome, we enjoyed the dense forests, the great diversity, and the awesome views when we got close to the coast. During most of the time we were covered by trees and bushes, so it was neither too hot nor too cold; close to the coast you might need a light jacket otherwise a t-shirt is perfect. We started off with the hard part: the first part of the hike was pretty steep, zig-zaging up on the Horse trail was exhausting and we got a bit sweaty. After covering the elevation difference the rest of the hike was a breeze, meandering down towards the coast. The view is kind of secluded until you are close to the coast but you can always enjoy the nature. Near the coast you have a breathtaking view, including some cliffs.
Height profile of the complete hike.
The length of the hike was around 14mi (~22.5km) with an elevation difference of roughly 2100ft (660m). We were a bit exhausted from the length of the hike but the difficulty is pretty low.
Picture time
The following images show some impressions from the hike, mostly taken on the Coast trail where the view is most impressive!
Summary
This hike is an awesome 6 hour day hike. There are plenty of areas where you can rest and enjoy the view. Most of the trails are covered by trees and bushes, so the heat is not too bad. The views along the coast are breath taking.