Wildcat Campsite 1
Photo: NPS Photo
About
Wildcat Campground is located in an open meadow on a bluff overlooking the ocean with a short walk to the beach. One may access Wildcat Campground by foot, bicycle, or horse; not by boat, auto, or RV. It is a 6.3-mile hike from Bear Valley Trailhead or a 5.5-mile hike from the Palomarin Trailhead. The only bicycling route is via a strenuous 6.7-mile ride along the Stewart Trail from the Five Brooks Trailhead. There are five regular (1- to 6-person) sites and three group (7- to 25-person) sites.
Campsites
Location
1 Bear Valley Road
Point Reyes Station, CA 94956
Fees
Hours
The Wildcat Campground is open year-round, 24 hours a day. Camping is by permit only. Camping permits must be obtained before starting your trip. Visitors may make online reservations for a permit at this backcountry (i.e., hike-in) campground at Recreation.gov. Print your Recreation.gov confirmation email and be prepared to show it to park rangers on the trail and at your campsite. Place printouts of your confirmation email face up on the dashboard of each vehicle remaining overnight at park trailheads.
Reservations
Camping is by permit only. Camping permits must be obtained before starting your trip. Visitors may make online reservations for a permit at this backcountry (i.e., hike-in) campground at Recreation.gov. Some permits/sites are available at 7 am three months to the day in advance and some are available at 7 am 14 days to the day in advance. Print your Recreation.gov confirmation email and be prepared to show it to park rangers on the trail and at your campsite. Print out additional copies of your confirmation email to place face up on the dashboard of each vehicle remaining overnight at park trailheads.
Make a Reservation →Directions
There are multiple routes to get to the Wildcat Campground. The shortest hike is 5.5-miles via the Coast Trail from the Palomarin Trailhead (the south end of the park). It is a 6.3-mile hike from the Bear Valley Trailhead via the Bear Valley, Glen, and Stewart Trails. The only bicycling route is via a strenuous 6.7-mile ride along the Stewart Trail from the Five Brooks Trailhead over the 1,300-foot-tall Inverness Ridge. Regardless, campers must hike, or ride a bike or horse to get to the campground.
Weather
The moderating influence of the Pacific Ocean creates a climate with no great extremes of heat or cold. Any season can bring interesting weather during your visit to Point Reyes National Seashore. Come prepared! You can check the National Weather Service forecast for the Wildcat Campground at http://forecast.weather.gov/MapClick.php?lon=-122.79&lat=37.97 .
Accessibility
No wheelchair access.
Reliable AT&T and Verizon cell service is largely limited to the communities of and along the roads connecting Inverness, Inverness Park, Point Reyes Station, and Olema. Cell service elsewhere in the park and by other carriers tends to be extremely limited with weak signals, or nonexistent.
Gas camp stoves are permitted. Charcoal fires: The charcoal grills at Wildcat Campground were permanently removed on May 12, 2022. Charcoal fires are now prohibited. Beach fires: Permits are required for beach fires in the park and can be acquired at the Bear Valley Visitor Center or from our Beach Fires page at https://www.nps.gov/pore/planyourvisit/beachfires.htm. Small fires made out of natural driftwood are only permitted on sandy beaches (below the high tide line, if possible). Downed wood above the beach's vegetation line may not be gathered and burned. Put fires out with water, not sand. Visit https://www.nps.gov/pore/planyourvisit/beachfires.htm for more details. Fire bans: Visitors planning to cook food over a beach fire should come prepared with an alternative means of cooking (e.g., self-contained gas stove) in the event of a Spare the Air Alert or high, very high or extreme fire danger.
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RVs and Trailers are prohibited.
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Each regular (aka individual) 1- to 6-person campsite has a picnic table and a food storage locker. The group sites have two picnic tables and two food storage lockers. Store your food and other scented items properly in the food storage lockers provided at the campsite. Do not leave any food or scented items unattended outside of the locker or stored in your tent. Raccoons, foxes, and skunks are plentiful and aggressive. Do not feed wildlife. Scented items may include, but are not limited to: soap, toothpaste and toothbrushes, toiletries, feminine products, lip balm, deodorant, sunscreen, mosquito repellent, gum, candy, first-aid kits, pots, pans, plates, bowls, cups, forks, spoons, knives, clothes in which one has cooked or eaten, and wash basins (i.e., the kitchen sink). As a general rule, if you put it in your mouth or on your skin or if food comes in contact with it, it should be stored in an animal-resistant food storage container.
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There are no ADA camp sites.
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No Roads
Designated Primitive Campsites