A gorgeous but steep hike next to a creek that is full of water after rains.

Location: Mount Tamalpais Watershed

» Official Trail Map: Good color map showing various trails.

» Official Trail Map: Good B&W map showing various trails.

» Tom Harrison Map: Great map showing not only Mount Tamalpais Watershed but many other parks in its vicinity. One may form long loops by combining trails from multiple parks.

Follow Cataract Falls Trail all the way to Laurel Dell which has a shaded picnic area for a relaxed meal.

Location: (Cataract Falls Trailhead) along Bolinas Fairfax Road in Fairfax, CA 94930 . No street address. Parking area is not visible in Google Maps.

Directions: In Fairfax, go along Bolinas Road going west and drive 2.5 miles. Continue along Bolinas Fairfax Road and drive 5.7 miles to reach a pullout along the road. This pullout is at a hairpin bend in Bolinas Fairfax Road, very close to Alpine Lake. There is a sign for Cataract Falls near the trailhead.

Google Maps:

Parking Fees: None (last visited: March 2012)

Capacity: About five to seven cars may be parked here.

Latitude: 37.936561     Longitude: -122.638021