At about 6/10 mile, the Cataract Trail traverses a long, wooden bridge over the creek, with more cascades visible upstream to the right. The stair-master continues as the path switchbacks briefly away from the creek, then rising back to a spot parallel to the falls. The views of the highest drop are distant but unobscured, making this drop arguably the most impressive on the whole hike. Here the creek tumbles down a narrow chute into a wider, fern-laden passage. View of obscured waterfallĪnother winding stair leads to a fenced viewpoint of what is listed on some maps as the proper Cataract Falls. A wooden fence prevents hikers from approaching the creek’s banks, which are notoriously slippery. The stone and wooden steps continue thereafter, and the trail rises to a taller, 20-foot cascade that is partly obscured by the overhanging bay laurel. Redwoods along the trail Entering Cataract Creek drainage Skirting the first significant cascades Tumbling cascades Here a tributary also converges with the main drainage and is crossed partway up a steep, stone staircase. Stay on the narrower path as it begins to climb more steadily, coming to the first set of significant cascades on the left at about 3/10 mile. From here the path follows Cataract Creek, which boasts an initial set of small cascades down to the right that is popular with photographers. Setting off down the trail Alpine Lake views Skirting an inlet along Alpine LakeĮnjoy the thicker second-growth redwoods as the trail continues southward along the reservoir, and ascend another staircase with a wooden railing, soon coming to the southern end of Alpine Lake. After 1/10 mile, the Cataract Trail skirts a small cove, traverses a short bridge over a tumbling tributary stream, and ascends a short staircase before levelling again. The waters in the southern inlet here tend to be murky but gleam turquoise-green in the partial sun. The reservoir was dammed in 1917 to provide drinking water for Marin residents and today doubles as a recreation area. Sporting our new shoesĪ trail post and sign mark the start of the trail, initially wide and mild as it flanks a moss-laden wall on the right and drops to the shores of Alpine Lake on the left. We used the opportunity to try out our new Terrex Trail Riders and Ultraboost 1.0 running shoes, which were provided as gifts as part of the collaboration. Note: This hike was facilitated in part by a collaboration with adidas. The parking area is nestled in a lush gully just above the lakeshore, and there are a pair of portable toilets parking-on the road shoulder-can be tight and fills up quite quickly on weekends, so arriving early in the morning (or perhaps late in the afternoon) is a must. However, the preferred option for access to the most impressive stretches of Cataract Creek is to park at the Cataract Trailhead (see map), a sort of makeshift but popular access point along the Bolinas-Fairfax Road, just south of Alpine Dam. There are multiple access points for the Cataract Trail, including the Laurel Dell and Rock Spring parking areas in Mount Tamalpais State Park. Map of Cataract Falls Trail, Marin Municipal Water District, Mount Tamalpais Watershed created using The description below covers a trek from Alpine Lake to the meadows at Laurel Dell, with a short loop portion-combining a portion of Laurel Dell Road and the High Marsh Trail-that features ridgetop views across the watershed. The Cataract Trail (or Cataract Falls Trail) extends nearly three miles from Alpine Lake to the Rock Spring parking area on Bolinas Ridge however, the bottom half is most interesting, and thus the focus of this hike. Along the way-at least in the wet season of winter and spring-travelers are greeted by majestic waterfalls, one after another, and a lush forest of ferns, coast redwoods, tanoak, bay laurel, and Douglas fir. The well-trodden path follows the rumbling waters of Cataract Creek, which originates on the slopes of Mount Tamalpais and terminates at Alpine Lake, a man-made reservoir in the Marin Municipal Water District’s Mount Tamalpais Watershed. Cataract Falls Trail, Marin Municipal Water District, Mount Tamalpais Watershed, April 2023ĭescribed as “very rugged and demanding,” the stair-master challenge that is the Cataract Trail is nonetheless one of the most popular and rewarding hikes in the Bay Area’s Marin County.
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