| McClure's Beach, Point Reyes National Seashore Looking south on an overcast winter's afternoon |
The preserve consists of 70,000 acres of the Point Reyes peninsula, 30 miles north of San Francisco. The peninsula is a well defined area, separated from the rest of Marin County by a rift zone of the San Andreas Fault; about half of this is sunk below sea level and forms Tomales Bay. The small town of Point Reyes Station forms the gateway to the peninsula and provides most services to it, though some services are also available at Inverness on the west shore of Tomales Bay.
The preserve includes wild coastal beaches and headlands, estuaries, and uplands. Although parts of the peninsula are commercially farmed, and parts are under the jurisdiction of other conservation authorities, the National Park Service provides signage and seeks to manage visitor impact on the entire peninsula.
The northernmost part of the peninsula is maintained as a reserve for tule elk, which are readily seen there. The preserve is also very rich in raptors and shorebirds.
The Point Reyes National Seashore attracts 2.5 million visitors annually.
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