Ted's Hiking World Alamere Falls
Point Reyes National Seashore

May 13, 2012

Finding this trailhead is tricky if one lacks the necessary directions.  The first obstacle is the fact that the pertinent road sign pointing to Bolinas always disappears as fast as the county can replace it.  The town's pretentious residents don't want us environmentally unconscious tourists to desecrate their precious community, yet in fact we do not actually have to go into town at all in order to access the trail.

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Getting started

The fog hasn't lifted yet; I sure hope that it does.  The filtered sunlight does make for good flower photography, though.

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Sticky Monkeyflower *
Coastal Morning Glory

The trail winds around for a while, then heads up a hill for a few hundred feet.  My companion David is breathing a bit heavily, because he has been on just two shorter walks since our tour of Patagonia two months ago.

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The coolest spot on the trail?

On the other side of the hill, we encounter a number of little ponds as well as two serene-looking lakes.

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Bass Lake

I had better grab as many flower photos as I can before the sun comes out.

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Water Parsley *
Oregon Gumweed

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Families are returning from Wildcat Camp

At just under the 4-mile mark, a shortcut detours from the main trail.

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This route will save four miles

I have read that poison oak can be a problem on this unmaintained section, although I also have read that the offending plant does not grow this close to the coast.  In any case, I hope that David does not have cause to regret his lack of arm covering.

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Trying to avoid the poison oak

Suddenly, we have arrived.  It is a hands-on scramble from here, down to a pair of beautiful little waterfalls.

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Alamere Creek comes into view for the first time

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Upper Falls *
Middle Falls

And there is the main attraction.  As advertised, it cascades directly onto the beach.  At high tide, it plunges right into the ocean!

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This is as close as I can get

There is activity on the beach below, but no humans are down there.  For a few minutes at least, we have the place to ourselves.

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Life cycle

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Alamere Falls

This is just one of two waterfalls in the continental United States that plunge directly onto an ocean beach; the other is down in Big Sur.  Unlike McWay Falls, however, the base of this one is accessible — or so we had thought.  It appears that the usage trail down the cliff has become impassable, at least for normal humans.  A risky jump doesn't look too bad; but because climbing back up later looks well nigh impossible, we abandon the idea.

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End of the line

Another couple checks out the problem spot, then also opts for discretion.  I understand that a helpful rope was in place here just a couple of months ago, but there is no evidence of it today.  What a shame.

There is an option, however — return to the main trail, head south to Wildcat Camp, then scurry up the beach for a mile or so to the falls, adding a total of four miles to the walk.  Even that solution is problematical, however, because there is a potential problem with the imminent tide.  According to my advance reading, sea level here will rise several feet within a couple of hours.  We could become trapped down there; and not only do I not like swimming in salt water, I hate the taste of it as well.

In any case, the photos from up here are pretty nice, and this is a great spot for a lunch break.

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Within five minutes, other hikers have arrived

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Seaside Daisy *
Iceplant

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A closer look    ⇔

It's time to head back.  I am pleased to have taken this route, because otherwise we would have missed this upper tier of waterfalls.

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Under the tree and through the wormhole

While overlooking the trailside ponds, two women are nursing babies.  In fact, we have seen quite a few infants in tow today.

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One of several lily ponds

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Ruby Chalice Clarkia -aka- Farewell to Spring *
California Poppy

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Bolinas is hiding over there

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There always is time to visit with flowers.

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Chinese St. John's Wort *
Foxglove

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Looking back

More than a hundred hikers pass us going other way.  I guess they all had waited for the fog to lift.  And I hope that nobody steps on this guy:

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Hoary Comma

David and I complete our tour in just four hours, making it home before dinner-time.

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Last view of the beach


§: We came over to the coast for a relatively cool and pleasant walk, and that is what we got.  Should I return, I will coordinate my day with the tides, and make the big loop down Wildcat Beach to the base of the falls.

Scenery *
Difficulty *
Personality *
Flowers *
Solitude *

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