Palomarin Trailhead

17 Wonders of America's National Parks

"Alamere Falls is a rare and wonderful example of a “tidefall,” a coastal waterfall that plunges directly from a cliff down onto the beach to join up with the sea. Viewed from the top or the bottom, it’s spectacular. The drop down onto Wildcat Beach is about 40 feet. The unusual sight of the water as it falls over the shale cliffs and into the Pacific Ocean is worth making the trek out to this wilderness cascade. Getting to Alamere Falls is straightforward, but not effortless. The hike to the falls is a minimum 13 miles (20 km) round-trip hike.  To reach the most popular trailhead, you’ll drive through Bolinas, which can be a challenge—at least without a GPS—since the town tends to resist any attempts to betray its location to “outsiders.” (Every time CalTrans puts up signs on Highway 1, locals remove them.) From there, it’s a significant hike into the Phillip Burton Wilderness, part of the Point Reyes National Seashore in Marin County. Despite the effort required to reach it, the unique site is a popular spot with visitors. Alamere Falls is one of just two tidefalls on the California coast; the other is McWay Falls in Big Sur." - ATLAS_OBSCURA