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Basic Information
 Tomales Bay boat-in camping is allowed on west-side National Park beaches north of Tomales Bay State Park's northern border (i.e., north of Indian Beach and Duck Cove). These beaches are tidally influenced and generally are small sandy coves backed against steep cliffs. Campers on Tomales Bay beaches must arrive by boat and may not hike, bike, or ride horses to the beaches. Twenty permits are available each day—9 for parties of 1 to 6 people, 8 for parties of 7 to 14, and 3 for parties of 15 to 25.
TOTAL SITES: 20 Electric Hookups: 0 RV Only: 0 Tent Only: 20 Walk to/Boat to: 20 Group: 3 Horse: 0 Other: 0 Amenities
Fire/Stove Policy Gas camp stoves are the preferred means for cooking. Visitors planning to cook food over a beach fire or barbecue briquettes should come prepared with an alternative means of cooking (i.e., self-contained gas stove) in the event of a Spare the Air Alert or high, very high, or extreme fire danger conditions. If you wish to build a fire, obtain a free fire permit at the Bear Valley Visitor Center or from our Beach Fires web page at https://nps.gov/pore/planyourvisit/beachfires.htm. The collection of wood (whether driftwood or downed wood) for fires (or otherwise) is prohibited on Tomales Bay. You must bring firewood from outside of the park—but wait until you are in West Marin before purchasing firewood. Don't Move Firewood: Buy it where you burn it. Build the fire below the high tide line & not near any large driftwood logs or vegetation nor under overhanging tree limbs. Charcoal fires are only allowed in camper-provided self-contained barbecue grills. Visit the park's Beach Fires web page for more details. Toilet Types
Shower Types
Weather Weather can change rapidly and with little warning at Point Reyes. Point Reyes is renowned for its strong winds, fog, rough seas, and temperatures that are cooler than elsewhere in the San Francisco Bay Area. Always observe and evaluate wind and wave conditions before entering the water. Extreme weather conditions may be encountered at any time. Visit our Your Safety While Boating at https://www.nps.gov/pore/planyourvisit/safety_boating.htm for more information. Regular Tomales Bay Boat-in Camping Permit Regular permits accommodate 1 to 6 people. We do not allow groups of more than 6 people to reserve multiple permits. Groups of more than six are restricted to 7- to 25-person group permits. Everyone associated with your party at a given beach must be under the same permit. $30.00 Small Group Tomales Bay Boat-in Camping Permit (aka Boat B "site") Small group permits are for parties of 7 to 14 people. Parties of six or fewer people are not permitted to reserve group permit. If you reserve a Boat B permit, you are required to camp at Marshall or Tomales Beaches where vault toilets are provided, unless you have and use a portable toilet. $60.00 Large Group Tomales Bay Boat-in Camping Permit (aka Marshall Beach Group or Tomales Beach Group "site") Large group permits are for parties of 15 to 25 people. Parties of six or fewer people are not permitted to reserve group permit. If you reserve the group permits for Marshall Beach or Tomales Beach, you are required to camp at the specified beach. $90.00 Email Address Send this campground an email Phone number (Voice) 415-464-5100 Mailing Address 1 Bear Valley RoadPoint Reyes Station, CA 94956 Physical Address 1 Bear Valley RoadPoint Reyes Station, CA 94956 Directions There are no designated campsites along Tomales Bay. Instead, there are a number of beaches on which one may camp, if one has a boat-in camping permit. Campers on Tomales Bay beaches must arrive by boat, kayak, canoe, or other small watercraft (except for PWCs). Overnight parking for boat-in campers is allowed at Miller Boat Launch, Tomales Bay Resort, and Lawson's Landing, but prohibited within Point Reyes National Seashore and Tomales Bay State Park. Visit our Boat-in Camping page for more details.Additional Information Sanitation: Disposing of human waste in the bay or onto park beaches is prohibited. On Tomales Bay, there are vault toilets at Marshall Beach and Tomales Beach. If camping on other beaches, you are required to pack out all human waste using a portable toilet or similar commercially designed waste disposal containers that can be emptied into an RV dump station or pit toilet, or a GO anywhere toilet kit® (formerly sold as WAG® Bags). While there are restrooms at Hearts Desire Beach, Lawsons Landing, and Miller Boat Launch, a pit toilet at Indian Beach, and portable toilets at Chicken Ranch Beach, camping is prohibited at all of these locations. Cell Phone Additional Information 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. Regulations Visit our park's A Guide to Low Impact Boat Camping web page to learn about the rules and regulations. Basic rules and regulations include: Camping is by permit only. Camping permits must be obtained before starting your trip. Visitors may make online reservations for a Tomales Bay boat-in camping permit at Recreation.gov. Boat-in camping permits/sites are available three months to the day in advance. Print your Recreation.gov confirmation email and be prepared to show it to park rangers while on the water or on the beach.
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Accessibility Information
ADA Information - There are no ADA campsites/beaches. Wheelchair Access - No wheelchair access. RV & Trailer Information - RVs and Trailers are prohibited. RV Allowed - No Trailer Allowed - No Classification - This campground is a primitive camping area. Permit AvailabilityAll Tomales Bay Boat-in Camping Permits are available for reservations through Recreation.gov three months to the day in advance. Need to Know InformationVisit our Guide to Low Impact Boat Camping page for additional details. Where to Park and LaunchThere are three locations at which watercraft may be launched onto Tomales Bay and overnight parking is permitted: Tomales Bay Resort, Miller Boat Launch, and Lawson's Landing. Overnight parking for boat-in campers is prohibited within Point Reyes National Seashore (i.e., along the Pierce Point and L Ranch Roads and at the Marshall Beach Trailhead) and Tomales Bay State Park. See the Where to Launch section on our Guide to Low Impact Boat Camping page for more details. Where to campMost permits allow campers to choose their own beach from those indicated as open to camping on our Tomales Bay Boat-in Camping Map. If you reserve one of the three 15- to 25-person permits that have either "Marshall Beach Group" or "Tomales Beach Group" in its name, you are required to camp on that beach. See the Where to Camp section on our Guide to Low Impact Boat Camping page for more details. SanitationAll waste (including human) must be removed. Disposing of human waste in the bay or onto park beaches is prohibited, so campers must bring portable facilities or limit camping to Marshall Beach and Tomales Beach, where vault toilets are available. See the Sanitation section on our Guide to Low Impact Boat Camping page for more details. Drinking WaterThere is no potable water available. Pack in all of the water you will need for cooking and drinking. Camping MapDownload the Tomales Bay Boat-in Camping Map. (2,632 KB PDF) |
Last updated: June 27, 2024