Inverness, California
Inverness is a community of 1,346 people in Marin County, California.
Why visit Inverness
Townapedia lists 4 museums and landmarks, 13 parks and trails, 3 places to eat, 3 places to stay and 2 attractions in and around town.
Highlights include Point Reyes Hill, Kule Loklo, Point Reyes National Seashore and Rancho Punta de los Reyes.
Weather in Inverness
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Inverness
Inverness is an unincorporated community in western Marin County, California, United States. It is located on the southwestern shore of Tomales Bay, 3.5 miles (5.6 kilometers) northwest of Point Reyes Station and approximately 40 miles (65 km) via road northwest of San Francisco, at an elevation of 43 feet (13 meters). For statistical purposes, the United States Census Bureau has defined Inverness as a census-designated place (CDP). In the 2020 census, the population was 1,379.
From the Wikipedia article Inverness, California (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Things to do2
Museums and landmarks4
Kule Loklo
Museum · 3.8 mi
Recreated village in California, United States
Parks, trails and playgrounds13
1 more on the map.
Restaurants and cafes3
History
The town is about 5 miles (8 km) northeast of Drakes Bay on the Pacific Ocean, named after Sir Francis Drake, who explored the coast in the 16th century. Although Drake's official log was lost, the ship's doctor's log described landing in an area that reminded him of the White Cliffs of Dover. Drakes Bay is backed by similar-looking cliffs, leading many to believe this is where the ship landed.
The region became the property of James Shafter, who began to develop the property in the 1890s. It became a summer resort where people from San Francisco and Oakland came to camp, hike and swim in Tomales Bay. Many built small summer cabins that still exist today. Small steamboats took day trippers down the bay to secluded beaches. They left from Brock Schreiber's boathouse, which has been preserved and is a prominent local landmark with its prominent sign "Launch for Hire".
In 1995, Inverness Ridge was the site of the Mount Vision Fire, which burned a large area of Point Reyes National Seashore and a number of homes built on the ridge. The town itself was threatened but was saved by helicopters dipping water from Tomales Bay to drop on the Bishop pine forest between the town and the burning ridgetop.
From the History section of Inverness, California on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Where to stay3
Shopping1
Schools, colleges and libraries4
Map of Inverness
30 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
People and cost of living
American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020-2024, U.S. Census Bureau. Estimates have margins of error, larger for small towns.
Disaster history
Marin County has had 12 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for severe storms.
- 2023-04-03: Severe Winter Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides (Severe Storm)
- 2023-01-14: Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides (Flood)
- 2023-01-09: Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, And Mudslides (Flood)
- 2020-03-22: Covid-19 Pandemic (Biological)
- 2020-03-13: Covid-19 (Biological)
- 2019-05-17: Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides (Severe Storm)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
Gnoss Field (NOT) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 17 miles away.
- Lagunitas-Forest Knolls 10 mi southeast, about 16 min by car
- Woodacre 13 mi southeast, about 21 min by car
- Bolinas 14 mi southeast, about 22 min by car
- Lucas Valley-Marinwood 15 mi east, about 25 min by car
- Sleepy Hollow 15 mi east, about 25 min by car
- Petaluma 16 mi northeast, about 27 min by car
- Fairfax 16 mi southeast, about 25 min by car
- Novato 17 mi east, about 27 min by car
- San Anselmo 17 mi southeast, about 27 min by car
- San Rafael 20 mi east, about 33 min by car
Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.
Local news
Headlines from INDB, the NEMICO news database.
Reviews, tips and questions
Loading what members have shared...
Sources and licences
- NCES EDGE (Public domain): public schools
- OpenFEMA (Public domain): disaster declarations
- OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL 1.0): places, airports, map data
- U.S. Census Bureau (Public domain): population, income, housing, education, commute
- Wikidata (CC0 1.0): elevation, founding date, time zone, website, landmarks and historic places
- Wikimedia Commons (see each image): photos
- Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0): overview and history text
Photo credits
- Inverness, California - March 2022 - Sarah Stierch, Missvain, CC BY 4.0
- KuleLoklo3272, Stepheng3 ( talk ), Public domain
Page built October 30, 2026. Spotted a mistake? Tell us or suggest a place.