Wild for Wildcat

Backpacking and Camping at Wildcat Camp in Point Reyes

Group of friends at the beach at sunset near Wildcat Camp in Point Reyes National Seashore

There’s a good reason why getting a reservation at Wildcat Camp in Point Reyes is so tough: With seven sites strewn along a coastal bluff adjacent to Wildcat Beach, it’s one of Northern California’s premier camping destinations. And the journey to reach it is as sweet as the destination!

The best way to access Wildcat Camp is via a 5.5-mile (one-way) hike. Get an early start at the Palomarin Trailhead near Bolinas, where Coast Trail weaves along the cusp of the continent. Bass Lake marks the halfway point; stop for a snack at this large deep-blue watering hole. From there it’s about another hour to camp.

Pitch your tent in the open meadow and spend the rest of the day collecting driftwood or playing Frisbee on the deserted beach (just a five-minute stroll from camp). Hungry for more hiking? Spectacular Alamere Falls is just 1 mile down the beach at low tide.

Backpackers overlooking the bluff and down to the Pacific ocean at Point Reyes National Seashore near Wildcat Camp

Two people sit around a campfire located at the beach near Wildcat Camp in Point Reyes National Seashore

Backpacker hiking on the Coast Trail surrounded by yellow wildflowers in Point Reyes National Seashore

Three friends on the bluff trail at Wildcat Camp overlooking the beach and ocean in Point Reyes National Seashore

Friends set up a group camp with multiple tents at Wildcat Camp in Point Reyes National Seashore

Beach goers wandering and relaxing on the sand near Alamere Falls in Point Reyes.

The 50-foot tumbler launches off a cliff into the sand (and is very popular with day hikers). At night make new friends around a beach bonfire, and be sure to pass the s’mores. In the morning, when the winds are usually calm, stand high on the bluffs, skimming the waters for gray whales. Eyes wild open.

PRO TIP: There’s one first-come, first-served spot that you can try to get by being at the Bear Valley Visitor Center when it opens at 8 a.m. on Saturdays and Sundays. No dogs.

Make reservations and plan your trip.

Trending Stories NorCal

View all Stories
  1. Afternoon on the Island

    What is it about tiny islands in the middle of lakes? There’s something that just draws you in. It’s even more fun when getting there is half the adventure because you have to reach it by canoe, kayak, paddleboat, or a ranger-guided boat tour!

    View
  2. Hiker in the forest at Mount Sutro in San Francisco

    San Francisco's Middle Earth

    No need to travel to New Zealand to visit Middle Earth. San Francisco’s Mount Sutro Open Space is practically Hobbiton—a hidden “shire” in the middle of the city. Okay, maybe not quite as magical, but still an incredible place to take a hike in city limits.

    View
  3. A group of people clamored around the summit marker at Mission Peak in the Bay Area

    Your Mission Is Less Crowded

    Mission Peak is one of the Bay Area’s most popular mountains, with many hikers climbing every weekend. Skip the crowds with this 6-mile loop up the less-traveled southern route.

    View
  4. Hike top Angel Island Mount Livermore San Francisco Bay

    Good Heavens

    The 4-mile hike to the top of Angel Island offers Bay-mazing scenery. Some people claim you get a five-bridge view: Richmond-San Rafael, Bay, Golden Gate, San Mateo-Hayward, and Dumbarton bridges.

    View

Trending Stories SoCal

View all Stories
  1. Locals' Feature: Jim Litchfield, Owner of Reno Fly Shop

    If there's a river, you're likely to find Jim Litchfield there. As the owner of Reno Fly Shop, Nevada's premier fly fishing outfitter and shop, Jim's passion for rivers knows no bounds: he's fished in places near and far, including Alaska, Bolivia and Christmas Island. But home is beautiful Reno, where he has been running Reno Fly Shop and leading tailored river float and fly fishing adventures (including beginner-friendly options) for over a decade.

    View
  2. Bear Hug

    This 5.5-mile loop through Coyote Lake-Harvey Bear Ranch County Park explores one of the newest segments of the acclaimed Bay Area Ridge Trail, one redolent with trees ranging from madrone and manzanita to buckeye and blue elderberry (with a bubbly post-hike bonus).

    View
  3. Easiest Best Hike in the World

    Choose the easiest and most view-rewarding hike in Yosemite. Okay, we’ll go first: the combination of hiking to Sentinel Dome and Taft Point. Both of these lookouts are within a couple miles of each other on Glacier Point Road

    View
  4. Bikers and walkers on the Bay Area Ridge Trail with the Golden Gate Bridge behind them

    National Park City Walk

    See San Francisco the way locals do by hiking the Presidio, a national park right in the city! Wooded trails, secluded beaches, and epic views of the Golden Gate Bridge feature on this 5.5-mile out-and-back on the Bay Area Ridge Trail. It’s a lovely slice of the City by the Bay.

    View