Wildcat Campground

Overview

About Wildcat Campground

Why stop

Open bluff meadow above Wildcat Beach
Surf and wildlife around camp

Heads up

Long hike or strenuous bike approach
Tide-dependent route to Alamere Falls

A grassy, open meadow on a bluff over the ocean, with the sound of surf running under everything you do. It is a primitive backcountry camp with eight tent-only sites, no cars, and a short walk down to Wildcat Beach. Some sites sit more open to the water than others, so views and privacy vary depending on where you land.

Parkwolf’s verdictWhy this one is worth the miles

Map

Where it is

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CampgroundWildcat Campground37.97055, -122.79087

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Plan your stop

Before you go

Best time to go

Coastal conditions can shift between fog, sun, and rain, and the coast can run cooler than the trailhead. Bring layers, a wind shell, and rain protection even on a warm forecast. Clear weather is the payoff for photographers, since the open bluff and the light on the water from the meadow edge are why most people bring a camera at all, but coastal fog, sun, and rain can change quickly and views are not guaranteed.

Getting there (foot, bike, or horse only)

There is no auto, RV, or trailer access. You arrive under your own power:

Plan for the return, which is the part people underestimate. Whatever you carry in, including water for the trail and all your food, comes on your back or your bike.

5.5 miles one way from Palomarin, the shortest walk in.
6.3 miles by the Bear Valley route.
6.7 strenuous miles by bike from Five Brooks, crossing 1,300-foot Inverness Ridge.

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 Wildcat Campground, 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.

More about Wildcat Campground

The sites and what is actually thereFive regular sites for 1 to 6 people, each with a picnic table and a food storage locker.

Five regular sites for 1 to 6 people, each with a picnic table and a food storage locker.
Three group sites for 7 to 25 people, with tables and lockers.
Potable water, year-round vault toilets, and trash containers.
Vault toilets are not running-water restrooms. There are no showers and no electrical hookups, so come self-sufficient.
No wood or charcoal fires at campsites. Bring a stove and fuel for cooking.

Beach walks and Alamere FallsThe beach is a short walk below camp, and Alamere Falls is about 1.

The beach is a short walk below camp, and Alamere Falls is about 1.0 mile south along Wildcat Beach. That walk is tide-dependent, so check a current tide table before you commit and turn around if the water is pushing up against the cliffs. Do not treat it as a sure thing on any given day.

Wildlife, and why the locker mattersRoosevelt elk and California quail are repeatedly reported around the meadow and coastal scrub,…

Roosevelt elk and California quail are repeatedly reported around the meadow and coastal scrub, though nothing is guaranteed. The animals that will affect your night are the raccoons, foxes, and skunks, which are plentiful and aggressive here. Put every scented item in the provided locker, including toiletries and trash, keep your pack closed, and never feed wildlife.

Rules to know before you goA permit is required before you start hiking, biking, or riding.

A permit is required before you start hiking, biking, or riding.
Camp only in your designated site.
No pets and no drones.
Quiet hours from sundown to sunrise, and leave by noon on your departure day.

Honest drawbacksThe approach is long and the climb back out is strenuous, so this is a poor fit for anyone…

The approach is long and the climb back out is strenuous, so this is a poor fit for anyone wanting an easy first night outdoors. The campground is small, and fog can obscure the views, which vary by site and conditions. If you need a shower, a flush toilet, a campfire, or a car nearby, pick somewhere else.

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.