Historic Point Reyes Lifeboat Station

Overview

About Historic Point Reyes Lifeboat Station

Why stop

Rare intact marine railway in a dramatic Drakes Bay setting

Heads up

Limited tour access and steep descents on the walk

This white 1927 boathouse is the only surviving station on the Pacific Coast that still has its intact marine railway, the sloped track that let Coast Guard crews launch motorized lifeboats straight into the water. Rescue operations started in 1889/1890 on exposed Ten Mile Beach, then moved in 1927 to this more sheltered Drakes Bay site, where crews stayed until 1968. The property came to the Park Service that year and was restored in 1976. It has been a National Historic Landmark since 1990.

Parkwolf’s verdictWhy stop here

Map

Where it is

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Full map

SightHistoric Point Reyes Lifeboat Station37.99410, -122.97367

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Plan your stop

Before you go

Best time to visit

For a quieter visit, come on a weekday or in the off-season, which is when visitors consistently describe the stop as less traveled. If seeing the interior matters to you, aim for a weekend or holiday between late December and early April and accept that it may not happen.

Getting there

The walk is about 0.6 mile from the Chimney Rock parking lot, following the Boathouse signs.
At the Y, take the paved path and driveway to the right.
Parts of the route are steeply downhill, which means a steady climb back up. Wear real shoes and pace yourself.

4 active Point Reyes alerts

ClosureOld Tocaloma/Platform Bridge closed to vehiclesDo not drive across the Old Tocaloma/Platform Bridge; it is closed to all vehicular traffic until further notice.Official details
ClosurePalomarin Beach Trail closedPalomarin Beach Trail is closed to all visitors, employees, and residents until further notice; do not use the trail. - The trail is closed because unstable and failing sections have made it unsafe.Official details

See all 4 alerts

A park ranger sits on a dash-mounted phone, talking, as Parkwolf’s Tour Guide plays “Army Cutworm Moths: A Grizzly Bear Buffet” on Grand Loop Road below Dunraven Pass in Yellowstone — Parkwolf Tour GuideThe highest, rockiest slopes around here are a summer buffet for grizzly bears.

Point Reyes Tour Guide

Your drive to Historic Point Reyes Lifeboat Station, narrated.

Parkwolf is a GPS audio tour guide for Point Reyes National Seashore. As you drive, it chimes in with what’s ahead: hidden gems, upcoming stops, history, geology, and wildlife, right through your car’s speakers.

Recorded for this place

Chimney Rock and Elephant Seal Overlook

0:00 / 0:32

“Up ahead is Chimney Rock, a narrow headland with Drakes Bay on one side and the open Pacific on the other.”

Plays as you drive up to Historic Point Reyes Lifeboat Station in the Parkwolf Point Reyes Tour Guide.

More about Historic Point Reyes Lifeboat Station

What you actually seeMost of the time this is an exterior and viewpoint stop.

Most of the time this is an exterior and viewpoint stop. From the path and the shoreline you get the boathouse, the long railway running down to the pier, the beach, the calm inner curve of Drakes Bay, and the far shoreline across the water. The wider historic district includes the Officer-in-Charge Quarters, old roads, a cypress windbreak, water tanks, and the walls and fencing that frame the site. Amenities specifically identified here are historical and interpretive information or exhibits and a picnic table.

Access and rules worth knowing before you drive outThe lot holds only about 20 vehicles and availability is very limited, especially weekend…

The lot holds only about 20 vehicles and availability is very limited, especially weekend afternoons.
Chimney Rock Road is roughly 10 feet wide and two-way. Vehicles over 24 feet, and vehicles with trailers over 24 feet combined, are not allowed.
Pets are not permitted on paths, trails, or driveways in the Chimney Rock area.
Drones are prohibited throughout the seashore.

Can you go inside?Usually no. The station is not generally open to the public.

Usually no. The station is not generally open to the public. On weekends and holidays from late December through early April, docents sometimes staff the boathouse and may offer tours. Treat that as an occasional bonus rather than a schedule you can plan around, and be content with the outside view if nobody is there.

Honest drawbacksIt is a short, easy-to-reach piece of maritime history, but it is a small site.

It is a short, easy-to-reach piece of maritime history, but it is a small site. Some visitors find the walk pleasant and the stop itself less visually striking than expected, particularly if the boathouse is closed. Go for the story, the unusual railway, and the bay views, not for a big-ticket attraction.

Wildlife

Wildlife in Point Reyes

All Point Reyes wildlife maps

2,552 sightingsNorthern Elephant SealMost seen around 11 AMSighting map

127 sightingsGrey WhaleMost seen around noonSighting map

109 sightingsHumpback WhaleMost seen around 10 AMSighting map

29 sightingsSteller Sea LionMost seen around noonSighting map

203 sightingsCalifornia Sea LionMost seen around noonSighting map

352 sightingsHarbor SealMost seen around 7 AMSighting map

Sighting maps show where each species has been reported across Point Reyes. Wildlife moves, so no sighting is guaranteed.