Cataract Falls

Featured hike
Mile:
0.0: Begin at the roadside parking area along Fairfax-Bolinas Road, on Cataract Trail. After about 300 feet, bear right at a fork.
0.5: Bridge and junction with Helen Markt Trail. Continue uphill to the right, on Cataract Trail.
1.3: Junction with High Marsh Trail. Retrace your steps back downhill to the trailhead.
2.6: Back at Fairfax-Bolinas Road.

Getting there:
• From Highway 101 in Marin County, exit San Anselmo/Sir Francis Drake. Drive about 5 miles west on Sir Francis Drake to the town of Fairfax. Turn left on Pastori, right on Broadway, and left onto Fairfax-Bolinas Road. Drive about 8 miles on Fairfax-Bolinas Road, to a roadside parking area immediately before a sharp hairpin curve to the right (a short distance past Alpine Dam). The nearest mileage marker is 8.13.
• From Highway 101 in Marin County, exit Mill Valley/Stinson Beach. Drive on Shoreline Highway to the junction with Almonte, about 1 mile (a bit less if you've exited southbound). Turn left and drive about 2.5 miles to the junction with Panoramic Highway. Turn right onto Panoramic and drive about 1 mile to the junction with Muir Woods Road; continue straight (right lane) to stay on Panoramic. Drive about 4 miles to the junction with Pantoll Road, then turn right onto Pantoll and drive 1.5 miles to the junction of East and West Ridgecrest. Turn left and continue about 3.7 miles on West Ridgecrest to the junction with Fairfax-Bolinas Road. Turn right and drive downhill on Fairfaix-Bolinas Road about 2.2 miles, to a roadside parking area immediately after a sharp hairpin curve to the left. The nearest mileage marker is 8.13.

Read about this hike in more detail and view photos at http://www.bahiker.com/northbayhikes/cataractfalls.html


© 2002 Jane Huber/Bay Area Hiker