Parking
Park along C Street in Point Reyes Station and walk to the trail entrance at C Street and Third Street.
Overview
About Giacomini Barn Loop
Why go
- Old barn and bay-facing benches make easy birding stops
- A half-mile walk fits a short Point Reyes Station visit
Heads up
- Too short for a substantial hike
Map & elevation
The route
Loading the Point Reyes map
Full mapElevation19–32 ft
Plan your hike
Before you go
Parking
Safety
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
The highest, rockiest slopes around here are a summer buffet for grizzly bears.
Point Reyes Tour Guide
Your drive to Giacomini Barn Loop, 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 area
Bovine Bakery in Point Reyes Station0:00 / 0:20
“You're nearing Bovine Bakery in Point Reyes Station, a handy stop for handmade pastries and strong drip coffee. I'd choose a morning bun: flaky outside, soft in the center, and one of the bakery's best-known treats.”
Plays on the road 0.1 mi from the trailhead in the Parkwolf Point Reyes Tour Guide.
More stories near here in the app
- The Winter Salmon Run
- A Seal on Shore
- When the Tide Returned
- Tomales Bay's Other Oyster
- 61 audio storiesacross Point Reyes’s roads, triggered by GPS as you drive
- Wildlife heatmapsfor Northern Elephant Seal, Grey Whale, Humpback Whale, and 13 more
- Works offlinemaps, 65 trails, 41 places, and audio download before you lose signal
- CarPlay readysimple controls built for the drive
“Fantastic app with many points of information… It’s great to just turn on while you’re driving and it gives you an audio tour of the national Park. We love it!!!!”
Trail guide
Hiking Giacomini Barn Loop
A short wetlands loopGiacomini Barn Loop is about 0.
Giacomini Barn Loop is about 0.5 miles from C Street and Third Street in Point Reyes Station, including the walk in and back on a shared access path. It is an easy birding walk, not a substantial hike; allow around 20–30 minutes with time to pause. The route skirts the upper edge of the restored Giacomini Wetlands and is nearly level.
Barn and bay benchesThe old white barn at the grassland edge gives the loop a clear destination.
The old white barn at the grassland edge gives the loop a clear destination. Look for barn swallows around it. A short walk from the barn, two pairs of park benches face Tomales Bay; scan the wetlands for egrets and herons, with a bald eagle as a less certain bonus. The setting has a story too: in 2008, about 550 acres of dairy pasture were returned to marsh.
Starting from townPark along C Street, then follow the path to the C Street and Third Street entrance.
Park along C Street, then follow the path to the C Street and Third Street entrance. Dogs are allowed on trails in the Giacomini Wetlands but must stay leashed. This is a good short stop when you want to stretch your legs or watch birds without committing to a longer Point Reyes hike.
Wildlife
Wildlife in Point Reyes
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 mapSighting maps show where each species has been reported across Point Reyes. Wildlife moves, so no sighting is guaranteed.
