Two Wheel Beach Hop

Biking Santa Maria Beach in Point Reyes

Sublime and under the radar, Santa Maria Beach is a south-facing sanctuary with a secret: After biking to it, a short stroll south also leads to one of the best intertidal zones in Point Reyes. To reach Santa Maria Beach, pedal 3 miles (one way) along the wide, bike-friendly Coast Trail. After rolling the first 2 miles through forest, emerge alongside Limantour Beach and wind atop shoreline bluffs toward dramatic dunes in the distance. Lock up your bike at Coast Camp, or walk it down a short spur to Santa Maria Beach. Long, sublime, and slim on crowds, Maria is a stand-alone beauty well worth the visit on its own.

But at low tide you can also walk 1 mile south beneath fluted mustard-covered cliffs to reach Sculptured Beach. Thousands of mussels cling to dramatic rock formations and hollowed-out arches while anemones, barnacles, sea stars, and sponges lurk in shallow pools below. Another secret? Continue south around another outcrop to elusive Secret Beach, known for its grottos, tunnels, sea stacks, and secret amphitheater. Accessible at very low tides (zero to negative) only.

tidepoolsantmaria_ap-image-jpeg

HIKING TIP: Hikers can access Santa Maria Beach via a shorter approach (2 miles) on the Laguna and Fire Lane trails. No bicycles on these trails. To bypass the beach walk, Sculptured Beach is also accessible via a spur trail and staircase about 1 mile south of Coast Camp.

Bike Rentals: Bring your own two-wheeler or rent one from Point Reyes Outdoors or Blue Waters Kayaking.

Bike-friendly Coast Trail starts at Coast trailhead, across the street from the Point Reyes Hostel. Visit the Point Reyes National Seashore website for a map and directions. The hiking-only Laguna Trail and trailhead is just past the hostel. Free parking. No dogs. CAUTION: Sculptured Beach and Secret Beach are only accessible at low tide. It’s very possible to become stranded or endangered by heavy surf! Do not attempt without full understanding of the tide tables.  

Trending Stories NorCal

View all Stories
  1. Field of Light at Sensorio in Paso Robles

    Light This Way

    Hidden in the bucolic hills of Paso Robles lies one of the greatest light shows on earth. The lighted art exhibition, Sensorio, is as if the rainbow magic of the aurora borealis was plucked from the sky and planted in the fields.

    View
  2. Surfboards and tents for shade are set up on the beach at Cull Canyon Regional Recreation Area in the Swim Lagoon Area

    Switchbacks and Swimming Holes

    Hike hard, play hard! This 7-mile out-and-back in Cull Canyon Regional Recreation Area is a great workout with payoff vistas and a relaxing post-hike picnic and dip in the water.

    View
  3. Hike the Rainbow

    Catch all the colors of a rainbow at Calero County Park on this 10-mile hike currently showcasing the season’s best blooms.

    View
  4. Hike Purisima Creek Open Space Preserve

    Purisima Charisma

    Hundred-foot redwoods, a shaded canyon, and views overlooking Half Moon Bay. This 10-mile loop hike in Purisima Creek Redwoods Open Space Preserve is a roller-coaster of uphill and downhill along with easygoing stretches through some of the Bay Area’s most beautiful landscape.

    View

Trending Stories SoCal

View all Stories
  1. People on a guided horseback tour with Central Coast Trailrides at Santa Margarita Ranch near Paso Robles

    Saddle Up with Central Coast Trailrides

    Untouched and sweeping, the mountainous scenery and deep valleys of Santa Margarita near Paso Robles are just begging to be explored. So saddle up for a scenic adventure with Central Coast Trailrides (CCT) at the 14,000-acre Santa Margarita Ranch.

    View
  2. A woman on a hiking trail with huge open space and yellow flowers around her at Wildwood Park in Thousand Oaks

    Going Wildwood

    Consider this your invitation to get a little untamed. In just one walk through Wildwood Park in Thousand Oaks, you can chase the sound of a cascading waterfall, duck into a shadowy cave, and soak in big hillside vistas. The mostly flat 4.25-mile loop makes wild feel wonderfully accessible.

    View
  3. Two people fly fishing on the Truckee River with guides from Reno Fly Shop

    Zen and the Art of Fly Fishing

    Learning to fly fish is one of the most fun and beautiful ways to connect with nature, family, friends, and yourself. It’s also a great way to truly experience the magic of a place. Make that place Reno Tahoe, where a fly fishing adventure with Reno Fly Shop is like being planted in a plein air painting of dreamy outdoors.

    View
  4. A woman on the overlook deck overlooking the Truckee River at Oxbow Nature Study Area in Reno

    This Way to Oxbow and Dickerson Road

    Just west of downtown Reno—tucked right alongside the Truckee River—is a nature haven for wildlife spotting and waterside relaxing. The 22-acre Oxbow Nature Study Area is ideal for those seeking solitude and a short hike. Afterwards, explore the creative hub of Dickerson Road.

    View