Secret Beach and Skylight Cave

Distance: 5-5.6 miles (8-9 km) roundtrip from Limantour Beach parking lots 6.1miles (9.8 km) roundtrip from the Laguna Trailhead 8.1 miles (13km) roundtrip from the Coast Trailhead Skylight Cave is a sea cave with a collapsed ceiling at the north end of Secret Beach, which is located within the Phillip Burton Wilderness along the eastern shore of Drakes Bay. Even though Skylight Cave is only 2.5 miles (3.8 km) from the closest parking lot at Limantour Beach, it is usually only safe to visit at tides that measure -1 (negative one) foot or lower. There is also one section of the route that will require descending and later climbing back up a nearly vertical eight-foot-tall wall of rock. The best thing you can do to guarantee a safe, fun visit to Skylight Cave is to be prepared. To visit Secret Beach and Skylight Cave safely, Point Reyes National Seashore recommends hiking/walking to Santa Maria Beach adjacent to Coast Campground and, from there, walking a mile (1.6 km)southeast to SculpturedBeach when the tide is very low ( more information about tides is provided below ). Many trails/routes lead to CoastCampground, Santa Maria Beach, and Sculptured Beach, but the most commonly used routes are:from the Limantour Beach South Parking Lot via Limantour Beach; from the Laguna Trailhead via the Laguna and Fire Lane Trails; and from the Coast Trailhead via the CoastTrail. The northern 2.8 miles (4.5 km) of the Coast Trail from the Coast Trailhead to Coast Campground is open to bicycles .Visit our Hike to Sculptured Beach page for in-depth descriptions on these three routes. Theseroute descriptions alone are not a substitute for a trail map. Print out the park's South Districttrail map (3,422 KB PDF) before your visit, or pick one up at a visitor center on your way.. Always check current conditions before heading out into the park and familiarize yourself with park regulations . Please practice Leave No Trace principles. Visit the park's Hiking at Point Reyes National Seashore page for hiking tips and information about trail etiquette and safety. Visit the park's Trail Advisories and Closures page for current information about closed trails, trails blocked by trees, or other temporary hazards or advisories. Please take note!The Sculptured Beach Trail was decommisioned in 2023. Many social media posts, websites, and guide books may still reference the Sculptured Beach Trail. This is NOT a maintained trail, and poses many hazards to off-trail hikers- poison oak and crumbling and eroding cliffs . Visitors who use this unmaintained trail may endanger themselves and rescuers, and damage park resources.The National Park Service strongly advises visitors against using this unmaintained route. Please use therecommended routesdescribed on our Hike to Sculptured Beach page to visit the Sculptured Beach, Secret Beach, and Skylight Cave. Park Regulations Glass :Glass containers are prohibited on all Point Reyes Beaches. Take only pictures; leave only footprints: Almost everything one finds at Point Reyes is protected by law, including shells, rocks, fossils, flowers, and artifacts. Please only travel on authorized trails, respect posted signs, and practice Leave No Trace principleswhen recreating in the park. Bikes are prohibited on most routes leading to Secret Beach and Skylight Cave. Bikes are permitted on the northern three miles of the Coast Trail from Coast Trailhead to Coast Campground. Visit our Bicycle Riding page for more information. Dogs are not permitted on Sculptured Beach, Secret Beach, nor on any of the trails in this area of the park. Visit our Pets page to learn where pets are permitted at Point Reyes National Seashore. Check current conditions before your visit. Horses and pack animals are permitted on most park trails, including the Laguna Trail and Coast Trail.Please visit our Horse Riding page for more information. Drones are not permitted anywhere in Point Reyes National Seashore. Hiking Directions to Sculptured Beach via...