McClures Beach

Nice quiet and peaceful stroll through the beach. Cool seeing the elk poop even on the beach.

Nicest beach I’ve been to in Marin County by far. The scenery here is breathtaking. Take a lunch and find the secret beach on the far side of McClure’s.

Great escape, my new favorite beach in Point Reyes. Bring a picnic and a blanket and make it a day. I had a foot and ankle injury in Jan and this is one of the first non-​paved hikes I’ve done and it was easier than expected and only 15 mins or so from car to ocean. Can’t wait to do it again!

Definitely a must! My husband and I stayed in the Point Reyes region for a couple of nights and this was one of many hiking trails/​beaches that we hit up that weekend.
We found the hike breath-​taking. Literally. If you are even slightly out of shape, the return trip to your car is going to be quite a huffer and puffer. The hike goes downhill the majority of the way there but it’s not really all that steep. It just seems more painful on the way back. What goes down must go up! :D
Also, the wildlife here was just amazing. Of course, Elk was a big hit. We also managed to spot a whale blowing water out into the ocean a ways. It was just the coolest thing. We saw many lizards on the trail and neat little bugs and critters. Overall a fun hike that most people miss.
The «end» result (sort of, since you have to back track to the car) of the hike is also quite spectacular since you get the wide open ocean staring right back at you. If you have not been here, I do not know what you are waiting for.
**NO DOG ZONE**

Windy. Slope-​y to walk down to the beach but quick walk down. Last beach before heading the Northern tip of Point Reyes.
There is an outhouse for bathroom usage. Parking lot available.

While people are busy viewing Tule Elk on Tomales Point, there is one area many of them are skipping. It is an area though that does not deserve to be skipped. McClures Beach is another one of those very beautiful Point Reyes Beaches many people tend to ignore. Then again, not many people visit Point Reyes Beaches, especially those on the western shore because of the dangerous surf. Still, they provide great beachwalking and photo opportunities. I will admit though that as I speak, people are figuring this out. Still, the people who do visit the beaches are nice friendly locals and friendly tourists.
The hike to the beach begins right near the trail to Tomales Point. I have yet to complete that trail and I will describe that in a different review. A trail goes to the left down a canyon. You might see some Tule Elk as you descend the hill. The trail is about .5 miles long and it has the nice headland terrain that this part of Point Reyes has. Then the trail hits the beach.
The beach itself is small but you can explore it and find more options. You should check the tide tables before you go because when there is low tide, there are some tide pools to the left of you. Also, there are some large rocks around that are not covered by the water. This makes McClures Beach different from the other Point Reyes beaches on the western shore because most of them are part of one long beach stretching from Kehoe Beach to just before the Lighthouse.
You can explore by going over some rocks and seeing a smaller beach. Remember the tides though. Also, there are a few nice photo opportunities with the rocks and tide pools.
Overall, this is a great place for the atmosphere, the beauty and the solitude. Also, remember to keep your eyes on the ocean because the surf is very dangerous here.

i love this beach because it’s rarely crowded and one of my fav hiking trails is literally right there.

This is the northernmost beach in Point Reyes park. To get to the beach there’s a bit of a hike from the parking area but it’s a nice walk.
This beach is usually the least crowded of the Point Reyes beaches.
No dogs though.