W5
Campsite #W5 at Point Reyes National Seashore Campground, CA
$30
Tent Site #W5
| Walk-In | 4 people |
| 5 | weak |
5/20
6/6
Campsite #W5 Features: Walk-In access, Back-In parking, Food Storage Locker, Picnic Table, Tent Site
Campsite Reviews (15)
5.0 out of 5
| 5 star | | 80% |
| 4 star | | 20% |
| 3 star | | 0% |
| 2 star | | 0% |
| 1 star | | 0% |
@AnneL2049436 · Camped on May 13, 2025 at Campsite #W5
Point Reyes backpacking is glamping at its finest! The 4 campgrounds need to be reserved in advance and come equipped with tables, "bear boxes", pit toilets, potable water, garbage and recycling. However, don't under-estimate the effort it takes to walk the miles and go up and down in elevation. You can also bike in to these campgrounds on specific roads. The views are stupendous, the flora and fauna are so abundant that you can't quite understand what you see in one day. If you stay at Coast Camp or Wildcat camp, you have a private beach. The downsides are Poison Oak, Stinging Nettles and ticks. Because of budget cuts, the lesser trails are overgrown and sometimes you can't avoid the plants hanging over the trails. Overall, an experience that should be on your bucket list.
@Katherine16020 · Camped on May 10, 2025 at Campsite #W5
Absolutely stunning campground. We had site 5, which was nice and private. We saw all kinds of wildlife including elk and coyotes and wildflowers were blooming. Worth the early wakeup to hike down to Alamere falls at low tide. It was pretty windy, which might be a problem for some camp stoves. The campground was quite luxurious with vault toilets, potable water, trash disposal, bear boxes, and picnic tables very pleasant 1 night backpacking trip!
@TimE040D26B61D · Camped on Jan 25, 2025 at Campsite #W5
Easy to get the permit, rules are well-posted and not extraordinary. We saw a volunteer and a ranger checking permits on the trail. Good encounter. We saw a restroom/trash service worker both days we were at Wildcat. Restrooms were clean, lots of toilet paper.
@KevinH9468586 · Camped on Jan 20, 2025 at Campsite #W5
Great views, short trip to Allamere falls. Was lucky enough to see one coyote and ten Tule Elk passing through camp during the two days I was there. Clean toilet, running water, garbage pickup, picnic table, food storage locker -- really nice facilities for backpacking!
@Christoph38781 · Camped on Nov 11, 2024 at Campsite #W5
Wildcat has many sites spread across the top of a cliff overhanging a sandy beach overlooking the Pacific Ocean. There are vault toilets, running water, and plenty of space between sites with some low growing bushes for a medium sense of privacy. The ocean waves are very mild background noise due to the cliff deflecting the roar significantly. I saw sea otters down the beach among the kelp. There are some rock formations along the beach for exploring. Never turn your back to the sea. If you get caught in a sneaker wave, don't try and move your limbs out from the sand, but try and anchor yourself until the wave washes back out to the ocean, then make a dash for higher ground. The waves can get massive and come up to the foot of the cliffs so I'd advise observing the surf when atop the cliff before taking the trail down to the beach.
@VallarieW5218A · Camped on Sep 25, 2024 at Campsite #W5
Wildcat is always a favorite. The trail from Palomarin is great yet still a bit overgrown the last mile. Havent taken the coastal view loop into wildcat from Palomarin because in June it was impassible - waiting to see a trail report on that section. The new animal boxes at the campsites are great. Glad to see them installed. Point Reyes is a jewel
@RobertS9225788 · Camped on Sep 2, 2024 at Campsite #W5
Beautiful, well maintained sites
@EdC8853916 · Camped on Jan 23, 2024 at Campsite #W5
Great location. Picnic table, restrooms, and bear box were all excellent shape and clean. Also, campsites spread sufficiently for privacy and to enjoy a wilderness experience.
@DouglassNE9A0B · Camped on Nov 29, 2023 at Campsite #W5
Great trip! Be sure to plan ahead if visiting the falls- it may be high tide.
@JanelleUAAFB70 · Camped on Nov 16, 2023 at Campsite #W5
Point Reyes was beautiful, the trails were beautiful, I had an amazing time.
@MikeP3321518 · Camped on May 19, 2023 at Campsite #W5
Great campsite if you want to be close to the ocean and hear the waves!
@TerrieA176 · Camped on Jan 10, 2022 at Campsite #W5
Cool temps, noisy creeks, verdant trails moist with dew. Our site at Glen Camp, cloaked in impenetrably woven boughs of Doug Fir, clung to coldest hour air and days old damp. Our arrival mid-afternoon allowed us to leave our dark cathedral in search of a patch of sun for dining ambience. Fir Top is appropriately named: a summit topped with thick forest of the dominant Doug. A small rectangle of rays became our dinner table, dark settling upon us before we returned to camp.
Day two was an easy walk to our new digs on the beach at Wildcat. After setting up camp, a quick walk down the beach to Alamere Falls highlighted our trip. After our record-challenging wet December, the falls are throwing mist in a wide arc on the soft sand. When we'd soaked in the beauty and powerful magnificence of water all around us, we returned to the bluff over Wildcat Beach for a dinner light show of pinks, oranges and purples on the horizon. The thundering of the surf as the tide rose throughout the night was strangely soothing, and we had a restful sleep.
We opted to take Coast Trail after the climb out of Wildcat, and so passed by the Arch Rock that suffered collapse in 2015. The hike up Bear Valley Trail was pleasantly accompanied by the singing of Bear Creek tumbling toward the sea.
I can't help but be eternally grateful for the opportunity to begin the new year with such an incredibly soul-nourishing backpack.
Day two was an easy walk to our new digs on the beach at Wildcat. After setting up camp, a quick walk down the beach to Alamere Falls highlighted our trip. After our record-challenging wet December, the falls are throwing mist in a wide arc on the soft sand. When we'd soaked in the beauty and powerful magnificence of water all around us, we returned to the bluff over Wildcat Beach for a dinner light show of pinks, oranges and purples on the horizon. The thundering of the surf as the tide rose throughout the night was strangely soothing, and we had a restful sleep.
We opted to take Coast Trail after the climb out of Wildcat, and so passed by the Arch Rock that suffered collapse in 2015. The hike up Bear Valley Trail was pleasantly accompanied by the singing of Bear Creek tumbling toward the sea.
I can't help but be eternally grateful for the opportunity to begin the new year with such an incredibly soul-nourishing backpack.
@JenniferT111 · Camped on Apr 25, 2021 at Campsite #W5
An amazing location in a field of goldenrod. Tule elk grazed nearby and the spring flowers were in bloom. Complete privacy from other sites and a thunderous ocean drowned out any camper noise so I felt as if I were alone. The only issue was not being able to find my site through the tall goldenrod that carpeted the campground area. It was worth every step it took to find it. It was fairly windy which made pitching a tent somewhat difficult, but again, it was worth the additional effort. What an amazing hike out and an even more amazing night under a full moon. I cannot wait to go back....provided I can manage to find a reservation. My favorite campground so far.
@RussellB325 · Camped on Feb 22, 2021 at Campsite #W5
I enjoyed a 3-day backpack trip to Wildcat campground from Palomarin along the coast trail. Outstanding weather for Feb. The trail was in good condition with a bit of mud. The campground was clean with potable water. Overall, a great trip with amazing scenery.
@TrondK494 · Camped on Feb 11, 2021 at Campsite #W5
Another amazing trip to Point Reyes!
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