I thought places like this only existed in dreams...
Alamere Falls is my new favorite hike--with a waterfall that breaks right onto the beach, miles of rugged coastline, mossy-green covered trails, and scenic panoramic views--it's my recipe for a perfect hike. The only thing that was missing was the sun. But even the dense fog and the rain that rolled in couldn't damper our mood when we finally made it to the falls.
Getting to the trailhead was a mission in itself. Located about an hour's drive from San Francisco, the hike starts at the Palomarin trailhead in an unmarked dirt parking lot at Point Reyes National Seashore. It's accessed by the 1-Coast Hwy, criss-crossing roads that are so winding they look like they belong in a high performance car commercial. We overshot Olema-Bolinas Road looking for a street sign that didn't exist, and serendipitously ended up at a turnout with another lost car looking for the same road. A friendly hiker gave us a trail map, and we were able to find the unmarked road.
The hike itself is an easy 8-mile R/T trek with sweeping views of the ocean on one side and verdant eucalyptus groves on the other. We encountered a lot of salamanders and banana slugs on the wet trail. By the time we reached the falls, we got a brief reprieve from the rain and fog, and we timed it just right to be on the beach at low tide.
How to get there:
(From SF) Take the 101 to Hwy-1 North toward Stinson Beach. Continue on Hwy 1, and make a left on Olema-Bolinas Rd. If you miss this unmarked street, the next available left is Horseshoe Hill Rd. Both streets meet up, so you can take either road. Turn right on Mesa Rd. past the Point Reyes Bird Observatory. The road turns into a dirt road that leads to a small parking lot, and the beginning of the Palomarin trailhead. (No Adventure Pass or parking permit is needed)
Trail:
Stay on the main path that follows the coast. Where the trail forks, follow the sign toward Wildcat Camp. There will be a sign for a detour to the Alamere Falls Trail on the left. The sign cautions hikers that the trail is dangerous and unmaintained, but it's actually fairly well-traveled and even the rocky scramble down to the falls didn't seem too treacherous.
Alamere Falls is my new favorite hike--with a waterfall that breaks right onto the beach, miles of rugged coastline, mossy-green covered trails, and scenic panoramic views--it's my recipe for a perfect hike. The only thing that was missing was the sun. But even the dense fog and the rain that rolled in couldn't damper our mood when we finally made it to the falls.
Getting to the trailhead was a mission in itself. Located about an hour's drive from San Francisco, the hike starts at the Palomarin trailhead in an unmarked dirt parking lot at Point Reyes National Seashore. It's accessed by the 1-Coast Hwy, criss-crossing roads that are so winding they look like they belong in a high performance car commercial. We overshot Olema-Bolinas Road looking for a street sign that didn't exist, and serendipitously ended up at a turnout with another lost car looking for the same road. A friendly hiker gave us a trail map, and we were able to find the unmarked road.
The hike itself is an easy 8-mile R/T trek with sweeping views of the ocean on one side and verdant eucalyptus groves on the other. We encountered a lot of salamanders and banana slugs on the wet trail. By the time we reached the falls, we got a brief reprieve from the rain and fog, and we timed it just right to be on the beach at low tide.
How to get there:
(From SF) Take the 101 to Hwy-1 North toward Stinson Beach. Continue on Hwy 1, and make a left on Olema-Bolinas Rd. If you miss this unmarked street, the next available left is Horseshoe Hill Rd. Both streets meet up, so you can take either road. Turn right on Mesa Rd. past the Point Reyes Bird Observatory. The road turns into a dirt road that leads to a small parking lot, and the beginning of the Palomarin trailhead. (No Adventure Pass or parking permit is needed)
Trail:
Stay on the main path that follows the coast. Where the trail forks, follow the sign toward Wildcat Camp. There will be a sign for a detour to the Alamere Falls Trail on the left. The sign cautions hikers that the trail is dangerous and unmaintained, but it's actually fairly well-traveled and even the rocky scramble down to the falls didn't seem too treacherous.
