Parking
Use the Bear Valley parking area and start at Kule Loklo Trailhead at its north end, about 100 meters from Bear Valley Visitor Center. A free gravel lot is available in the area.
Overview
About Kule Loklo Trail
Why go
- A short walk reaches a replica Coast Miwok village and interpretive exhibits.
Heads up
- The dirt approach climbs steeply at first; roots and gopher holes roughen the footing.
Map & elevation
The route
Loading the Point Reyes map
Full mapElevation91–124 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 Kule Loklo Trail, 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 trailhead
Bear Valley Visitor Center0:00 / 0:32
“You're coming up on Bear Valley Visitor Center, a useful place to sort out your day before heading to the outer coast.”
Plays as you drive up to this trailhead in the Parkwolf Point Reyes Tour Guide.
More stories near here in the app
- The Horses That Still Work Here
- The Ocean's Hidden Food Supply
- A Tree Full of Acorns
- The Beads That Traveled Inland
- 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 Kule Loklo Trail
A short walk to a villageKule Loklo Trail is a 0.
Kule Loklo Trail is a 0.8-mile out-and-back from the north end of Bear Valley’s parking area to a replica Coast Miwok village. That is the full return distance; the path runs about 0.4 mile each way. It is a brief interpretive walk rather than a long hike: allow about 20 minutes for the walking and extra time to read the signs and look among the structures.
What’s at the end“Kule Loklo” means “Bear Valley.”
“Kule Loklo” means “Bear Valley.” The reconstructed village and its signs interpret Coast Miwok life in Marin and southern Sonoma. This is a replica, not a surviving historic settlement, so the most rewarding visit is a slow one that leaves time with the exhibits. The route’s payoff is the village and its cultural context, not a coastal overlook.
The climb and accessThe dirt path climbs a small hill fairly steeply at first, then levels out; exposed roots…
The dirt path climbs a small hill fairly steeply at first, then levels out; exposed roots interrupt the tread. Gopher holes make the grassy ground between the structures uneven, which can make moving around harder for wheelchair users and people on crutches. Start at Kule Loklo Trailhead at the north end of Bear Valley’s parking area, about 100 meters from the visitor center. Dogs are prohibited on the trail and at the village. The National Park Service lists no accessible restroom for the visit.
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.
