Now is the perfect time to hike Cataract Falls on Mount Tamalpais

As Bill Hader’s Stephon says, “This place has it all.”

The hottest club in Marin County has a rapids waterfall, green moss and lots of steep stairs. I did this trail with his wife a few years ago during the coronavirus pandemic. Safe to say the trip was muddy, slippery and crowded.

Despite the unusual rains that have just hit California, this recent trip was only slightly muddy, and the fact that I visited on a weekday morning helped the competing hikers. It does get crowded, so plan accordingly.

This level of water level has not been seen in the basin since February 2019. “The storms in early January certainly made the Mount Tam watershed a hot topic[in the media],” Adriane Mertens of the Marin City Water Authority told his SFGATE. “The waterfalls are very active, the streams are replenishing and all the reservoirs are now full and overflowing.”

Getting there can be a little tricky. Bolinas-Fairfax Road, one of the main thoroughfares to the popular northern end of the trailhead, remains closed for evaluation after recent heavy rains. to the field, then up Pantor Road to Rock Spring. If you’re looking for a longer hike, park at the Pantor Campground, walk across the Panoramic Highway, and follow the Old Mine Trail to Rock Spring.

It’s also dog friendly if your furry friend is on a leash.

If you, like me, choose to start at Rock Spring, you’ll start with a 5.6-mile round trip hike along open meadows and lazy Cataract Creek, followed by about 2 miles. ) downhill in front of a gorgeous waterfall. Turnaround at Alpine Lake.

“You are standing on the spine of the Tamu Mountain Basin. The rain that falls on the rock springs flows into the Pacific Ocean or drinking water reservoirs and finally into Tomales Bay,” he added.

“I thought I was going to have a heart attack,” said a weary hiker as we passed the Laurel Dell Picnic Area just before we descended into the canyon. She was part of a larger group she met on her way down her trail to Cataract Her Falls. When I next saw them, about 90 minutes later she had a group of 10 still resting on the steep trail. Alone or with a group looking for a sensible lunch spot, this is a good resting place before or after the body-crushing portion of the trail. It went on to describe the road ahead as “very rough and demanding”.

they are not kidding. Do not do this hike if you are not prepared.

Stairs — and some very challenging ones — dot the trail. It’s a round trip, so you do each stair twice. Be prepared to sweat. Even halfway through, I certainly did. Bring me some water Take plenty of breaks. Honestly, as you enter the canyon, you’ll see one waterfall after another, each one more impressive than the last.

The toughest part about dressing for this hike is the weather. It’s usually cool in mountains like this. I also started around 10am and I can’t say enough about the importance of having the right layers for your trek. My fleece, as well as my quarter zip, lasted about an hour.

When asked about the physical fitness required to complete this hike, Mertens said: my body agrees.

There were also several fallen trees during the hike and even some large branches blocking the trail itself.

Given the weather these days, it’s no surprise that the waterfall was flowing like this hike. The rain provided an added bonus as the falls were always moving at a pace this time of year. Moss, ferns and hillside greenery light up the hike. My trip was no exception. We spotted woodpeckers, deer and even bobcats foraging and hunting in the area, but we only saw woodpeckers in the early forested portion of the trail.

An unexpected highlight of this hike was the relative silence awaiting me at Alpine Lake (compared to the large waterfalls in the canyon). One of Marine Water’s seven reservoirs, and one of five on Mount Tamu alone, Alpine Lake provides the bulk of the central and southern Marin water resources.

After enjoying a moment of zen, I turned around and tackled the grueling climb.

If you’re ready for a challenging hike with great rewards, this is for you.