Hi,

A friend of mine and I are planning a day trip to the Point Reyes area for photography. We were wondering if there's any specific area along the coast for viewing sunrise. Can anyone help ?

Thanks,
Prabal.

If you drive to the very end of the Point, to the lighthouse parking area or to Chimney Rock, you can watch the sunrise back over Drake's Bay, the coast and the hills in the distance. You could also drive up the Mt. Vision Road (look at a map or the park's website-it's not well signed and easy to miss) a few miles past Inverness, which gives you a view west over all of Point Reyes.

christy1, thanks for your response. Is there any specific point along Mt Vision Road where you get this view ? I see a vista point called Bayview. Is it what you're referring to ?

Thanks,
Prabal.

Assuming you have a clear day, you may have more opportunities to view a sunset in the Point Reyes area.

Betsy: my thoughts as well - LOL!

prabal: technically you could watch a sunrise at Pt Reyes if you go to the tip where the lighthouse is, but head off on a minor road in the opposite direction to Chimney Rock. The tip of Point Reyes is like the head of a hammerhead shark.If you go to the eastern tip, you'll be able to catch a sunrise over water. Be forwarned however that the weather can be quirky at the Point. There are times when I've been to the lighthouse and everything south of the lighthouse was in heavy fog and everything north of the lighthouse was in brilliant sunshine. The eastern tip is in the fog belt.

On the other hand, the view from the top of the hill before the lighthouse will give you a glorious vista of Point Reyes Beach, which is ten miles long. SUNSET along the West Coast at numerous points, including Point Reyes, is breathtaking.

There's a Youth Hostel within Point Reyes National Park, which would probably be the closest lodging if you wanted to catch a sunrise or a sunset. Know the roads well and have a good map as it gets very, very dark when the sun goes down.

Enjoy Point Reyes - beautiful photographs await you!

Drive to the end of the Mt. Vision Road, which is only a few miles long. There is parking at the end-just keep walking up the (gated) road to the high point. From this pdf map, you can see what I'm talking about (look for the Mt Vision road as it intersects with Sir Francis Drake south of Tomales Bay St. Park)-it looks like it is actually Point Reyes Hill that is the high point, not Mt. Vision. THe Bayview trail is further south.

http://www.nps.gov/pore/pdf/map_trailsnorth_060101.pdf

Point Reyes was on my "life list" for a long time, and i was so happy when I finally went. Saw elephant seals on the beach!! We had a FABULOUS seafood meal in Point Reyes Station at The Station House!!! Local oysters; Mmmmmm.
Enjoy!