With a solid winter of rain in the hills, it’s peak waterfall season in Marin County. The only question is which cascade to see first.
For Ian McLorg, chief park ranger with Marin County Parks, Dawn Falls is the first that comes to mind. The approximately three-quarter-mile trail to the falls is in the Baltimore Canyon Preserve.
“Dawn Falls, especially after some good rain, is a pretty spectacular waterfall,” McLorg said.
To access Dawn Falls Trail, he suggested entering via Crown Road in Kentfield and hiking the Southern Marin Line Fire Road.
“A short jaunt from the trailhead at Southern Marin Line Fire Road, you just head as if you’re going towards Corte Madera, and the Dawn Falls Trail drops off to your left down the fire road,” McLorg said. “That one is a great one to see this time of year.”
Water tumbles over the top portion of Buck Gulch Falls in Novato, Calif., on Tuesday, Feb. 27, 2024. (Alan Dep/Marin Independent Journal)
McLorg said Cascade Falls in the Cascade Canyon Preserve is also a great option. The trailhead is at the end of Cascade Drive in Fairfax. It’s about half a mile to the falls.
“That one is quite spectacular and is a popular one for folks to come and visit,” McLorg said.
McLorg cautioned that parking for the trails can be limited because the trailheads are often around neighborhoods. He suggested parking closer to downtown and biking, ridesharing or using public transit to get to the trail.
McLorg also recommended Buck Gulch Falls in the Ignacio Valley Preserve. The trailhead, which is at the end of Fairway Drive in Novato, is less than a mile to the waterfall.
“I think probably in levels of difficulty to be able to access, Dawn Falls would probably rate the most difficult just because of hiking down from the fire road to falls and then hiking back out,” McLorg said.
The Cascade Canyon and Buck Gulch trails to the waterfalls are relatively flat, he said. Buck Gulch Falls might be better for families because it is the shortest, he said.
“It’s a short jaunt up to the waterfalls and it’s a pretty beautiful waterfall,” McLorg said.
One of McLorg’s favorites is the lesser known Ken Harth Waterfalls in the Indian Valley Preserve. The trail is at the end of Ignacio Boulevard.
“If you are looking for a bit more of a challenge and a longer hike looping in some of the other trails and seeing a larger preserve, Indian Valley is great,” he said.
The Mount Tamalpais watershed, which is managed by Marin Municipal Water District, has Cataract Falls and Carson Falls. Both are popular spots, according to Adriane Mertens, communications manager for the district.
“Thanks to recent rains, both falls are in full display,” Mertens said.
Lilibeth Balalag takes a photo of Evelyn Marks while Edward Balalag looks on at Cascade Falls near Mill Valley on Feb. 27, 2024. (Douglas Zimmerman/Special to the Marin Independent Journal)
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The 1.5-mile hike to Cataract Falls begins at the Laurel Dell Trailhead on Ridgecrest Boulevard. The trek to Carson Falls is 3.9 miles beginning at the Azalea Hill Trail parking lot on Bolinas-Fairfax Road.
The trails to both falls have steep and rocky terrain that can be loose and slippery when wet. Mertens said walking poles can be helpful.
Mertens noted that for Carson Falls, it is essential for visitors to read and follow the protection measures in place for the endangered foothill yellow-legged frog that breeds in the water pools. Hikers and dogs need to stay out of the water to protect the species, she said.
McLorg said the streams located in Cascade Canyon Preserve are also home to the frogs, as well as breeding grounds for the trout population, and visitors should stay out of the streams and walk carefully near them.
Sandy Guldman, president of the Friends of Corte Madera Creek Watershed, said Cataract Falls and Carson Falls are both “spectacular.”
“There’s Cataract, which is just wonderful, but I like Carson a lot,” Guldman said. “It’s a little more challenging to get to.”
More information about recreation in the Mount Tamalpais watershed is online at marinwater.org/visiting-mt-tam. County parks information is online at parks.marincounty.org/parkspreserves.