This Lighthouse Has Looked Over the Northern California Coast for More Than 150 Years

Perched on one of the windiest, foggiest points in North America, the Point Reyes Lighthouse has stood watch over the Pacific for more than 150 years. Though it’s no longer an active navigational light, the historic 19th-century tower remains one of the most iconic and scenic destinations on the Northern California coast.

The lighthouse was first lit on December 1, 1870, built in response to decades of shipwrecks along the treacherous Point Reyes Headlands. Its massive first-order Fresnel lens—shipped all the way around Cape Horn—helped guide mariners safely past one of the most dangerous stretches of coastline in the country.

For over a century, lighthouse keepers lived on site, tending to the oil lamp, maintaining fog signals, and riding out fierce storms. The station survived major events including the 1906 earthquake and was later modernized with electricity in the 1930s. In 1975, the original tower was retired and replaced by a nearby automated beacon, but the historic lighthouse was preserved as a museum by the National Park Service.

Today, visitors can hike a short 0.4-mile trail from the parking area at the end of Sir Francis Drake Boulevard to reach the Lighthouse Visitor Center—one of the best whale-watching spots on the coast. From there, a 313-step staircase leads down to the lighthouse itself. The walk is short but steep, so come prepared.

Inside, exhibits showcase the original Fresnel lens and clockwork mechanism that once powered the light.

The visitor center and lighthouse operate on limited hours and may close in high winds, so be sure to check conditions before making the trip.