Discover the most magical spots to pitch your tent or park your rig on your next Tomales Bay State Park adventure.
Pine forests and tidal marshes support a variety of wildlife, while hiking trails connect beaches.
Tomales Bay State Park is popular with day visitors seeking sheltered coves and gentle shorelines ideal for picnics and swimming. Clamming and boating are recreational highlights, with a variety of hiking trails making it easy to explore on foot. Walk to Indian Beach, Pebble Beach, and Shell Beach from Heart's Desire, or opt for the loop trail from Alan Sieroty Beach at Millerton Point, located on the opposite side of the bay. Staying overnight is prohibited, but boat-in camping is possible at Tomales Bay Campground, a bit further north of the state park at the Point Reyes National Seashore. Twenty daily permits are available for boat-in camping, only at Marshall Beach and Tomales Beach, both on the national seashore. Visitors cannot hike, bike, or ride horses to these Tomales Bay beaches, reservable three months in advance. For other nearby camping options, check out Samuel P. Taylor State Park.
Tomales Bay State Park is open daily from 8am to sunset. Parking is limited and can fill up quickly, especially during holiday and summer weekends. Try to get here by mid-morning, come late in the day, or arrive on a weekday. Heart’s Desire Beach is most popular for summer picnics and swimming, as the water is warmer on the bay than at oceanside beaches. During summer and fall, you might see—and hear—Tule Elk rutting and bugling.