A list of the best waterfall hikes in Sonoma, Marin and Mendocino
Sonoma Creek Falls, Sugarloaf Ridge State Park, Kenwood: For an easy-access, quick fix, there’s no better choice than the sweet canyon waterfall right here in Sonoma County that gushes forth during winter rains amid huge boulders and greenery. The 25-foot waterfall draws weekend crowds who revel in the refreshing results of a wet season.
Phillips Gulch and Stengel Beach, Sonoma Coast: The Sonoma Coast is characterized by steep bluffs fronting beaches or coves. Small ravines that traverse the coastal forest and grasslands transport water seasonally. The water spills directly over the cliffs, creating lovely beach waterfalls. Two of the best ones are Phillips Gulch at Salt Point State Park and Stengel Beach (pictured) at The Sea Ranch. (Chris Hardy / Sonoma Magazine)
Alamere Falls, Point Reyes National Seashore, Marin County: Alamere Falls is a cascading coastal falls that bleeds over a slick, shale bluff onto an ocean beach. It is a rare “tidefall” that crests the edge of the continent near the southern end of the national seashore, also offering gorgeous coastal views that, on clear days, take in the Farallon Islands.
Cataract Falls, Mount Tamalpais Watershed, Marin County: The Mount Tamalpais Watershed houses a number of waterfalls, with one of the most popular being the picturesque cascades of Cataract Falls. The Cataract Trailhead begins on Fairfax-Bolinas Road, hugging the southwest end of Alpine Lake. Follow the trail uphill past East Fork Cataract Creek and the Laurel Dell picnic area, after which the trail descends to the falls.
For a longer but mostly flat hike, begin at the Rock Spring Trailhead off Ridgecrest Boulevard and travel north on Cataract Trail, which criss-crosses the creek several times. Just before you get to the waterfall on this trail, you’ll pass the junction of Cataract and Helen Markt trails where there’s a decent-sized pool to relax at.
Carson Falls, Mount Tamalpais Watershed, Marin County: This gorgeous, multi-tiered waterfall is just under five miles west of Fairfax and has multiple simple routes to get there. The most popular path consists mainly of fire roads and begins at the junction of Fairfax-Bolinas Road and Pine Mountain Fire Road. Follow the rocky Pine Mountain Trail from the parking area for about a mile and turn left on Oat Hill Fire Road, which you walk for about 150 yards until you reach Little Carson Trail on the right. Travel down that trail for about a half mile to the falls.
Steep Ravine, Mount Tamalpais State Park, Mill Valley: Three miles east of Marin’s famed Stinson Beach, Webb Creek flows through Mount Tamalpais State Park’s wooded Steep Ravine, creating a number of modest, tranquil waterfalls surrounded by foliage. The rugged Steep Ravine Trail — the only trail in Marin that features a ladder (nearly 15 feet in length) — begins at the Pantoll Campground on Coastal Fire Road off Panoramic Highway and meanders southwest along the creek. The full trail stretches about two miles down to Highway 1 near Rocky Point Road, but this trail can be combined with the Dipsea and Old Mine trails to create a 3.5-mile loop that has spectacular views of both the redwood canyon’s waterfalls and the city skyline.
Dawn Falls, Baltimore Canyon Open Space Preserve, Kentfield: A few miles west of Larkspur sits this 193-acre preserve’s blissful, babbling Dawn Falls. The easiest way to get there is to start from the western edge of Madrone Avenue and follow Dawn Falls Trail along the redwood-lined Larkspur Creek for just over a mile to the falls. You could also access the waterfall from the falls trail entrance on Southern Marin Line Fire Road — a 10-minute walk starting from the Crown Road trailhead that’s a half mile north of the falls.
Fern Canyon Trail, Russian Gulch State Park, Mendocino County: Though a popular Mendocino Coast walk, there is nonetheless something intimate about the hike up Fern Canyon to the 36-foot waterfall in Russian Gulch State Park. Delicate ferns line the canyon and woodland trees and draw visitors onward as they follow the meandering creek along the canyon floor. You can get right up close to the broad stone face of the waterfall and stand amid fallen trees, or hike above the falls, taking care not to slip on wet rocks.