This tunnel of trees in Point Reyes was planted for a radio station, and volunteers at the end still tap out Morse code
The most photographed road in Point Reyes doesn’t lead to a beach or a lighthouse. It leads to a radio station.
Drive out Sir Francis Drake Boulevard toward the tip of the peninsula and you’ll spot it from a long way off: a dark row of Monterey cypress standing in the middle of open, treeless ranchland. Get closer and the branches knit together overhead into a long green tunnel, with a white Art Deco building waiting at the far end like the last shot of a movie.
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Why a radio company planted trees on a cattle ranch
In 1929, the Radio Corporation of America (RCA) went looking for land on the Point Reyes peninsula for a station that could catch signals from across the north Pacific. It settled on the G Ranch near Point Reyes Beach, and between 1929 and 1931 it built the receiving station that still sits at the end of the drive.
The cypress trees went in around 1930, and the Park Service ties them to the sense of prestige RCA wanted the site to project. Monterey cypress was a smart pick, too: it’s one of the few trees tough enough to handle the wind and ocean weather out here.
Nearly a century later, those wind-whipped trees are the reason most people pull over. Who knew a corporate landscaping decision would end up all over Instagram?
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The “Wireless Giant of the Pacific”
For most of the 20th century, this station handled ship-to-shore communication, which earned it the nickname “Wireless Giant of the Pacific.” It has used the call sign KPH since 1946, a name that traces back to a radio station that once operated out of San Francisco’s Palace Hotel.
On July 12, 1999, operators here sent what they believed was the last commercial Morse code transmission in the United States. The Point Reyes stations were decommissioned that same year, and the story could easily have ended there.
Instead, the Maritime Radio Historical Society partnered with the Park Service in 2000 and put KPH back on the air on July 12 of that year. They still mark the date every summer with an event called Night of Nights.
Walking the tunnel
We had way too much fun taking photos in here. When the sun’s out, light slips through the branches in long golden streaks, and when the fog rolls in, the whole tunnel turns moody and a little spooky.
My one strong opinion: don’t just snap a photo from the road. Park, get out, and walk it slowly toward the station, then turn around halfway for the view back out to the open ranchland.
The Park Service asks visitors to parallel park on the shoulder of Sir Francis Drake Boulevard, pulled completely off the road so you’re not blocking traffic. There are no restrooms at the tunnel itself; the closest ones are at the Estero Trailhead and North Beach.
Watch someone tap out Morse code
This is the part most tunnel visitors miss completely. Volunteers from the Maritime Radio Historical Society staff the receiving station on most Saturday afternoons starting at noon, and they lead tours of restored radio equipment, some of it dating back to World War II.
You can watch Morse code being sent and received, and you can even send a radiogram of your own. Space and volunteer time are limited, so the Park Service recommends emailing ahead to reserve a spot (contact details are on the park’s KPH and Cypress Tree Tunnel page).
Make a day of it
Point Reyes National Seashore doesn’t charge an entrance fee, so the tunnel is a free stop. It sits roughly halfway between the Bear Valley Visitor Center and the lighthouse, about a 25-minute drive from the visitor center.
From there, keep following the lighthouse signs to the end of the road, or pull off at North Beach for a windy walk on the sand. Our roundup of the best beaches in Point Reyes and our full list of things to do in Point Reyes can fill out the rest of your day.
So, would you walk the tunnel in golden sunshine or full fog? Tell us your pick (we’re secretly Team Fog).
Trip tips: grab a rental car to get out here, lock in your hotel before the good rooms are gone, or skip both and book a camper van instead.
Rules and fees change, so always confirm current requirements before you go.
