Visit one or more
of the 24
waterfalls in or near 16 of California's
State Parks with falls ranging
from 10 feet to more than 600 feet.
Auburn State Recreation Area,
(EL DORADO and PLACER COUNTIES) one mile
south of Auburn on Highway 49, features
Codfish Falls on a fairly easy hike
along the north fork of the American
River. Following the river approximately
1.2 miles, the hike takes visitors to
Codfish Creek and upstream to the falls,
a cascade of about 100 feet. The trail
head is located off Ponderosa Road that
runs between the towns of Weimar and
Foresthill.
Big Basin Redwoods Sate Park, (SANTA
CRUZ and SAN MATEO COUNTIES)
23 miles north of Santa Cruz, has
several water falls. The first set of
waterfalls is the most
popular in the park. The group consists
of Berry Creek, Silver, Cascade, and
Golden Falls. The
falls can be accessed by taking the
Sunset/Skyline to the Sea Trail loop.
The loop is almost 12
miles/six hours in its entirety and can
be strenuous in areas. Hikers should be
warned that they
will need water, snacks, and a park map.
Also, hikers should start early in the
day to ensure
that they will have enough daylight to
safely complete the hike.
The best time of the year is spring.
After all of the winter rains, the falls
are flowing at
their peak. Also, by spring time the Big
Basin Trail Crew has been able to clear
any trees that
may have fallen during the winter.
Berry Creek falls is probably one of the
most photographed waterfalls in Northern
California. It is approximately 70 feet
high and there is a viewing platform so
hikers can sit and
appreciate the beauty. Hikers are
reminded to respect the area and stay on
designated trails.
The other waterfall in the park is Sempervirens Falls, easier to reach and
accessible by
vehicle or by hiking. There is limited
parking on Sky Meadow Road near the
falls and a newly
constructed path, approximately 150
feet, that leads down to the falls. If
visitors choose to hike
to Sempervirens Falls, they are advised
to take is the Sequoia Trail which
starts near Park
Headquarters and is approximately one
and a half miles to the falls. Best time
to visit is either
winter or the spring. Sempervirens Falls
has a newly constructed viewing
platform. Visitors are advised to stay
on the platform and not go in the falls.
Castle Crags State Park, (SHASTA and
SISKIYOU COUNTIES) six miles south of
Dunsmuir on Highway I-5, does not
contain a waterfall, but Burstarse Falls
is in the adjacent
Shasta-Trinity National Forest. Visitors
to Castle Crags often make the trek to
the falls. The
trailhead is three miles west of the
park entrance on Castle Creek Road. From
the trailhead,
hike uphill 1/2 mile on steep Dog Trail
to its junction with the Pacific Crest
Trail. Turn left and
hike two more level miles to signed
Burstarse Creek. Hike upstream 1/8 mile
to the falls. This
falls is fed by rainfall and snowmelt,
and is best viewed in spring. It
dwindles to a trickle in
summer. The 40 foot falls is remote and
wild, and is a stunning reward at the
end of the scenic
hike to reach it. Wildflowers can be
viewed along the trail and near the
falls in spring.
The phone number of Castle Crags State
Park is (530) 235-2684.
Emerald Bay State Park, (EL DORADO
COUNTY) 22 miles south of Tahoe City on
Highway 89, features Eagle Falls. The
falls are located in a designated
National Natural
Landmark area. Visitors park at the
Emerald Bay/Vikingsholm parking lot
area. From the parking lot trailheads
visitors can hike to the top of the
falls along a roadside trail or down to
the bottom of the lower falls and across
on a footbridge. One of the best times
to visit the waterfall is in the spring.
Grover Hot Springs State Park, (ALPINE
COUNTY) three miles west of Markleeville
on
Hot Springs Road, is near a waterfall
located in the adjacent Toiyabe National
Forest on Hot Springs Creek. To reach
it, follow the Waterfalls Trail from the
campground west 1-1/2 miles. The best
times to see the waterfalls are in the
spring during high water flow and during
a cold winter when ice forms on the
falls.
Limekiln State Park, (MONTEREY COUNTY)
55 miles south of Monterey on Highway
One, has a waterfall, Limekiln Creek
Falls that flows year round in Limeklin
Creek. It's best visited in the spring.
The water flows 100 feet over the face
of a cliff encrusted with moss and
limestone. It is a half-mile walk on a
marked trail from the day use parking
area up through the redwood canyon to
the falls. The park has seasonal
bridges, so visitors may have to ford
the stream off-reason.
Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park,
(MONTEREY COUNTY) 26 miles south of
Carmel on Highway 1, is home of Pfeiffer
Falls. The beginning of the Pfeiffer
Falls trail is just a short distance
from the Big Sur Lodge at the park's
entrance. During the easy half-mile
stroll to the falls along
Pfeiffer-Redwood Creek, visitors will
see some of the finest redwood groves in
the Big Sur region. The 60-foot
waterfall at the end of the trail is a
scenic highlight. The best time to see
Pfeiffer Falls is in the spring.
Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park,
(MONTEREY COUNTY) 37 miles south of
Carmel on
Highway One, has McWay Falls. The
wheelchair accessible Overlook Trail
leads from the
park's day use and parking area to an
observation deck with views of the falls
and coast. This
scenic waterfall drops 80 feet off a
cliff onto the beach nestled in a
picturesque little cove.
Although there is no access trail to the
bottom of the falls, the overlook view
of the cove and the
Pacific Ocean is stunning. McWay Falls
flows throughout the year, so any sunny
day is a great
time to take in the view.
The Overlook Trail ends on the terrace
of what once was the lower level of the
Brown
House built in the late 1930s. The
foundation of the house remains as do
the rail tracks of the
"tram" that serviced the house and
allowed access from the road to the
house. The first
electricity in Big Sur was generated
from a pelton wheel which was housed in
a building off the
4
Overlook trail, near the beginning of
the trail close to the parking lot. The
wheel provided
electrical service to the residences
here but was not distributed beyond the
Brown property.
The Pelton Wheel House now contains
displays describing the Pelton Wheel and
its uses.
Lake Oroville State Recreation Area
(BUTTE COUNTY): Feather Falls, in the
adjacent Plumas National Forest, is the
nation's 6th highest waterfall,
measuring more than 640
feet from the top to the canyon below.
To get there from Highway 70, exit Oro
Dam Boulevard in Oroville and proceed on
Highway 162 east for 8.3 miles to Forbestown
Road and turn right. Continue 6.7 miles
to Lumpkin Road and turn left. Continue
10.6 miles on Lumpkin Road, across the
Oroville Reservoir Bridge continuing to
Bryant Road. Turn left on Bryant and
drive 1.5 miles to the Feather Falls
National Recreation trail head. There
are two trails to the falls; one is 3.4
miles and the other 4.5 miles one-way to
the falls. Visitors are advised to allow
a minimum of four hours for the complete
trip. The hike is considered moderately
difficult, with a change in elevation of
1100 feet. The best time to visit is in
the late Spring when the falls are
enhanced by Spring run-off. There is a
wonderful and flower full wild flower
trail in the spring.
Malakoff Diggins State Historic Park,
(NEVADA COUNTY) 16 miles northeast
of Nevada City, has the Humbug Creek
Falls, which can be reached from the
Humbug Creek Trail following Humbug
Creek down to the South Yuba River. The
falls can be viewed about 1.5 miles
along the trail. The falls are small;
however the pools and the canyon are
very scenic. The best time to see the
falls is in spring, especially April
through June.
Malibu Creek State Park, (LOS ANGELES
COUNTY) four miles south of Highway 101
on Las Virgenes/Malibu Canyon Road in
Calabasas, has three waterfalls, all of
them manmade. The first waterfall is in
the heart of Malibu Canyon and is called
the Rindge Dam Waterfall. This fall is
approximately two walking miles south of
the park and is next to the "Sheriffs
Monument." The Rindge Fall cascades 85
feet and is best seen in winter. The
second fall is up the canyon three
walking miles and is called the Century
Lake Dam. The fall cascades 60 feet and
is usually flowing year-round. The
Century Lake fall is located by walking
west 1.2 miles on Crags Road. The
starting point is the lower parking lot
at Malibu Creek State Park. Visitors can
get a map at the entrance station. The
third fall is reached by walking west
from Century Falls another 2.3 miles to
Malibu Lake Dam. The fall is
approximately 40 feet and normally flows
year-round.
Burney Falls in McArthur-Burney Falls
Memorial State Park (SHASTA COUNTY) McArthur-Burney Falls in Shasta
County was named the 8th wonder of the
world by President Teddy Roosevelt. It is visible from the Falls
Overlook, just 200 feet from the closest
parking area. There is excellent viewing
any time of year. Burney Falls is a 129
foot, spring fed waterfall that flows
100 million gallons of water per day,
year round. It has been designated as a
Natural National Landmark by the
Department of the Interior. It is
considered a scenic showpiece of
northern California. Additional water
comes from springs, joining to create a
mist-filled basin. Burney Creek
originates from the park's underground
springs and flows to Lake Britton,
getting larger along the way to the
majestic falls. The park is located 11
miles northeast of Burney on Highway 89.
Mount Tamalpais State Park, (MARIN
COUNTY), north of the Golden Gate, has
Kent
Canyon Falls, with a vertical drop of
approximately 10 feet. The falls are
located ½ mile west of
Frank's Valley on Muir Woods Road. Peak
flow of the waterfall is between
December and
March. There is no official trail that
leads to the falls, just some "social"
trails.
The park phone number is (415) 388-2070.
Plumas-Eureka State Park
(PLUMAS COUNTY) features beautiful
Jamison Falls, located on Lower Jamison
Creek. The falls are located one mile up
the Grass Lake Trail and fall over 70
feet. The trailhead is near the park
campground. The falls are best visited
Spring thru Fall.
Point Mugu State Park,
(VENTURA COUNTY) 15 miles south of
Oxnard on Highway One, has a natural
(seasonal - winter months) and beautiful
waterfall at La Jolla Valley. The fall
cascades only 20 feet but the setting is
pristine, with boulders and native
vegetation. To get there, park in the La
Jolla parking lot and take the easy 1.5
mile hike on the La Jolla Valley
trailhead.
Topanga State Park (LOS ANGELES COUNTY)
Directions: from Highway 101 in
Woodland Hills, go south on Topanga
Canyon Boulevard seven miles to Entrada
Road, follow
signs to the park; there are three
waterfalls.
Temescal Canyon Water Falls is located
in Temescal Canyon, from Sunset
Boulevard and
Temescal Canyon Road in the Pacific
Palisades area of Los Angeles. It's
approximately a mile
hike to reach the falls, one way, from
the parking lot on the Temescal Canyon
Trail. Temescal
Water Falls is a cascading type fall
with two main drops. The Temescal Canyon
Trail bridge
crosses between the two main cascades,
each about a 10-foot drop. The falls are
year round -
best in spring. Santa Ynez Canyon Water Falls is
approximately 18 feet in height. Best
access is from
Palisades Drive, off of Sunset Boulevard
in the Pacific Palisades area of Los
Angeles. It's a one
and half mile hike, one way, from the
trail head on Verda de la Montara. There
is a longer and
more demanding hike from Trippet Ranch
in the community of Topanga. The trail
end three hundred feet from the water
fall. Rock hopping is required to reach
the base of the falls. The falls are
best in spring, with limited flow in
late summer and fall. Topanga Canyon
Water Fall is a beautiful ribbon water
fall that can be seen from Topanga
Canyon Boulevard, Highway 27, after
significant rainfall. The water fall
drops 60 -70 feet into the sycamore tree
tops from the canyon's east side. Access
is difficult because there is no parking
on the highway.