Salmon Creek Falls

Salmon Creek Falls is just a short little hike to the falls, from Hwy 1 and well worth the walk. You can follow the Salmon Creek trail up further, for a good butt burning elevation hike and can go up to Upper Falls. The views are spectacular and trail is well worn. Gets a bit soggy and slippery, during rainy season, but such a great hike!

Easy to find parking. The trail is super short but you have to climb some boulders. Lots of friendly people all around. There’s a little cave and two separate sides to access the water. Getting up to the big waterfall, you have to cross over first and climb a big boulder. If you’re short like me you might need help. That water was cool, perfect for a hot summer day.

Short easy hike but you do have to climb some boulders to get to the waterfall. You can swim in front of the waterfall. The water is clear and not too deep. There are fish in water. There was a dog while we were there but I think this would be tough for a dog because of the boulders.

Bring your water proof go pro to get some cool pictures and videos. It’s a short hike so even your kids will enjoy it. There’s cool caves and the water is freezing. Definitely one of the nicest waterfalls I’ve seen all year. I’ll be back!

One of our favorite waterfalls, about 15 min easy hike to falls, you can hear the falls from parking area. Wear long sleeve and pants there’s lots of poison oak but the trail to the bottom is pretty wide so no worries, lots of fun rocks to climb and explore caves and the hike to the top of the falls is pretty short but that is where you will find most of the poison oak. Well worth it

Its an amazing place to go or visit. Plus the hike its very short, its about 10min away. So if ur planning to take ur kids its perfect for them they will have fun. We when the beginnings of August was a perfect weather.

The hike was about 20 minutes from parking. It’s relatively easy however there are slots of rocks so I would recommend wearing a pair of shoes that have good grip. The waterfall flows into a huge pool of water that you can swim in. Make sure you bring a swim suit you won’t want to miss out on getting in. It’s beautiful and well worth the trip.

Nice little hike but need to get wet to see the waterfall. Bring a swimsuit & towel then it would have been a great time. Not super easy access to swim the falls, but worth a try!

June 2025 As a city person, this is not a "normal easy trail" Fair warning, the trail is everywhere, no signs or one real pathway to the fall I'm not a hiker and end up turning back because I didn't think I can hope over wet boulders and climb pass a ledge to reach the waterfalls I'm sure it was worth it, I hear others swimming and having fun but I'm too old for that trail I hope you guys give this a try but be careful

This is a nice quick walk off of Hwy 1 with a lot of roadside parking available. It's a nice quiet walk since the highway has very few cars and there's thick vegetation around. My complaint with this waterfall is that we couldn't figure out how to get to it! The signage is bad and they need to point you in the right direction more. We were prepared to climb some rocks, as we'd heard that you have to to get to the falls, but when we couldn't figure out which rocks to climb, we just turned around. We were able to see the waterfall from a distance and heard people splashing around. Definitely not a trail to walk when muddy and definitely be prepared to climb a lot of boulders to get to the waterfall.

An observation that has proven itself very relevant lately is that when one feels overwhelmed and becomes compelled to completely disappear, to run for the hills, to hide and cry, or to just fade away from existence...is to ALLOW that feeling and do exactly so in the SAFEST possible way. Instead of creating a massive internal strife and struggle, channel that "negative" energy into the most positive setting you can find or have access to. I found a magical place that ports me back to a gentler period in my life. The sound of running and splashing water, clean air perfumed by the abundant lemon mint plants, smooth jade-like rocks, and despite the chill, a "tropical" feel. The easy hike to the waterfall and adjacent rock formations/cave is definitely worth the visit if you're traveling along HWY 1...or if ever compelled to completely disappear, to run for the hills, to hide and cry, or to just fade away from existence.

So hard not to love this gem. If you are driving from the south, you might be tempted to stop at a smaller parking area a few miles back...don't. This area is not really marked well, but, just keep your eyes peeled--if you hit Monterey, you've gone too far. The falls, the trails, the forest, the views of the ocean from the hike above--STUNNING! Watch out for poison oak, and wear shoes that will not slip on the rocks. There were two local kids with wetsuits, jumping in and having a glorious time! Idyllic, heavenly place!

Nice hike but it is a mission to get to the waterfall. A lot of rocks to climb over. Other than that it's a nice stroll.

North bound Hwy 1, about 4 miles past Ragged Point. You come across a horseshoe bend. At the bend, park at the pullout. You'll see the trail sign behind the guardrail. We visited in mid July and brought our dog and the trail starts narrow with lots of poison oak. On the trail a lady warned us about ticks too. She found one in her hair. Couldn't make it all the way to the base of the waterfall with the dog but one of us stayed back and was able to see partially the lower part of the falls. (Required climbing some boulders and walking across fallen branch or getting in the water to access). The falls were very beautiful and pool cool and clear. Beautiful boulders and caves around. We'll worth such a short hike.

Such a beautiful spot! It's pretty hard 2 get 2 the big waterfall tho. You have to bear crawl over some wood sticks in order 2 get 2 the other side where the big waterfall is at. You can also go inside a cave where there is a small hole, but it does have spiders. The actual hike to the spot isn't to bad just a few rocks you have to climb over but definitely worth it! Great spot 2 swim!

I went here for over a decade and it was always so great to return. It was a beautiful escape. Now, thanks to Yelp, geotagging, and mostly people who don't respect the outdoors and nature, this once amazing place just off the highway has been overrun with people who leave trash and dirty the water. It was truly heartbreaking to behold. The forest service should start to limit access because this little ecosystem has been destroyed. The first is for everyone but not everyone respects and leave is nice for others to enjoy.

We really enjoyed this hike to the falls. Highlight of our day! Definitely 5 stars, even in the rain!

Short, fun hike to one of the most serene spots in California. Anytime I'm back in this area I'll be sure to visit again. Make a little snack to enjoy at the falls, wear a swimsuit, make time to meditate.. such a lovely spot.

It's not an easy spot to find but try looking for cars parked off to the sides. Once you park, you'll see a sign for the trail on your right, but if you're looking for the falls, go left. It's a little tricky to get there. You'll need to swing off these metal poles and crawl on these big rocks to get to the swimming hole. The water is freezing cold but the place is beautiful.

Great swimming hole and falls just off of Highway 1. Take the Salmon Creek trail up to the river. For additional information please see: http://swimmingholesofcalifornia.blogspot.com

Such a nice drive up to the falls! It had just rained the day we went, and it was a bit muddy. So, wear hiking boots, or shoes with a good tread. The short hike is beautiful, but you have to navigate over and around tree roots and a few small boulders! Awesome view. We will be going back.

Look for cars parked along a bend. Sorry it's not super well labelled. There's a waterfall and pond - go directly past the trail sign to get there faster. Watch out for poison oak.