The Bay Area is quietly one of the best regions in California for waterfall hiking — and most of it flies under the radar. Within an hour or two of San Francisco you can be standing beneath a multi-tiered cascade in a redwood canyon, hiking a ridge above Marin with water rushing below, or following a creek trail through a mossy, fern-covered gorge that feels completely removed from the city. These are the waterfall hikes we keep coming back to with Ruby — spanning from Morgan Hill in the south to Mt. Tamalpais in the north. All are dog-friendly, all are personally tested, and all are best visited between November and April when the falls are running at full volume. We’ve ranked them roughly in order of how much we love them.

Exploring beyond the Bay Area? Our Dog-Friendly Northern California Waterfall Loop covers 8 waterfalls in one day trip up in the Shasta Cascade region — a completely different scale of experience worth planning for.

Cataract Falls | Mt. Tamalpais

Cataract Falls Trail is a 2.8-mile out-and-back trail near Stinson Beach, California. Considered a moderately challenging route, it takes an average of 2 hours to complete, and I can confirm this trail is a booty blaster with a constant incline on your way up with several steps along the way. This is a trendy area for hiking, so you’ll likely encounter other people while exploring. The trail is open year-round and is beautiful to visit anytime, particularly in the winter when heavy rainfall occurs. Dogs are welcome and should be leashed but we encountered some off-leash dogs.

Trail Details

• Length: 2.8mi
• Level: Moderate
• Elevation: 1,053 ft
• Route: Out & Back
• Parking: Free parking at the watershed, with minimal spots available along the trailhead. Come early. Recommend parking here so you do the elevation gain to start your hike.
• Trash/Restrooms: Trash reciprocal available at the trailhead. A picnic area and restrooms are available at the end of the trail.

For more Marin trails, see our Dog-Friendly Hikes in Northern California guide — Mt. Tamalpais watershed trails are listed there with full details

Uvas Canyon | Morgan Hill, CA

Uvas Canyon Park has a network of dog-friendly trails in Morgan Hill, California. The trail is open year-round and is beautiful to visit anytime, particularly in the winter when heavy rainfall occurs. We visited in February 2024 and could not get over all the mossy-covered trees and the constant flow of water along the trail. You must have a reservation to access the park 7 days a week. The day pass is $6 and can be reserved online with a designated entrance time.

We did the 1.5-mile out-and-back Waterfall Loop Trail which is considered a moderately challenging route, but I’d argue it’s easy in comparison to Cataract Falls. There is slight elevation gain, but it’s more gradual. This is a very popular area for birding and hiking, so you’ll likely encounter other people while exploring and dogs on and off-leash.

Trail Details

• Length: 1.5 mi
• Level: Moderate
• Elevation: 410 ft
• Route: Out & Back
• Parking: A $6 day pass reservation is required to enter. Plenty of parking is available.
• Trash/Restrooms: Restrooms and trashcans are available at the trailhead.

Cascade Falls | Fairfax, CA

We stumbled upon Cascade Falls when the road to Cataract Falls was closed in February 2024 and we were pleasantly surprised with it. At the time it was very muddy, but the waterfall at the end was worth the easy hike and there are several viewpoints.

You can do this hike in about 30 minutes and is easy for families as it’s fairly flat and short. The waterfall is best after rain during the winter and early spring, but can also be seen throughout the other seasons. Parking can be tricky though so try and get there early or go mid-week.

Trail Details

• Length: 1.5 mi
• Level: Moderate (according to AllTrails)
• Elevation: 154 ft
• Route: Out & Back
• Parking: Free, but in a residential area with minimal shoulders to park on.
• Trash/Restrooms: A trashcan is available at the trailhead.

Dawn Falls | Larkspur, CA

Dawn Falls is a 2.3-mile out-and-back trail near Larkspur, California. Considered a moderately challenging route, it takes an average of 1 hour to complete. I would argue it’s pretty easy until the incline at the end up to the waterfall. This is a very popular area for birding, hiking, and running, so you’ll likely encounter other people while exploring. The best times to visit this trail are January through November. We’d done this hike several times and if your goal is to see the waterfall make sure you go during winter/spring. If it’s been a light rain year there won’t be a waterfall in the fall months. Dogs are welcome but must be on a leash.

We like to make a day of our visit and hit Perry’s across the street for lunch after our hike.

Trail Details

• Length: 2.3 mi
• Level: Moderate (according to AllTrails)
• Elevation: 374 ft
• Route: Out & Back
• Parking: Free, but in a residential area with minimal shoulders to park on.
• Trash/Restrooms: A trashcan is available at the trailhead.

Cascade Falls Trail | Mill Valley, CA

Cascade Falls Trail in Mill Valley, CA is the easiest waterfall hike of them all and can be paired with Dawn Falls as they’re within 20 minutes of one another. The trail is open year-round and is beautiful to visit anytime, particularly after rainfall when there are several little waterfalls along the trail. We visited in March 2024. The main waterfall attraction is actually in the middle of the trail and surrounded by towering redwoods, so if you want to make this a really quick walk you can.

Parking is tricky, so come early or mid-week as there are only. a few designated spots at the trailhead.

Trail Details

• Length: .5 mi
• Level: Moderate (according to AllTrails)
• Elevation: 134 ft
• Route: Out & Back
• Parking: Free, but in a residential area with minimal places to park.
• Trash/Restrooms: No trashcans or restrooms.

 

Carson Falls | Fairfax, CA

Carson Falls is a 3.9-mile out-and-back trail near Fairfax, California. Generally considered a moderately challenging route, it takes an average of 2 hrs to complete and has an elevation gain of over 1,000 ft. This is a very popular area for hiking and running, so you’ll likely encounter other people while exploring. The trail is open year-round and is particularly beautiful to visit in the winter after a good rain. Dogs are welcome on leash and their are no waste stations on the trail.

This trail is mostly on fire roads. Go from the parking area on the Pine Mountain Trail. Then take a left on the Oat Hill Trail. After about 150 yards, there will be a small single-track trail on the right. Take this trail, and you’ll dip down into a shady set of switchbacks. After about a quarter of a mile, you will arrive at the falls. Then return the way you came.

Parking can be tricky later in the day, so come early or plan on parking on the side of the road versus in the designated lot across from the trailhead.

Trail Details

• Length: 3.9 mi
• Level: Moderate (according to AllTrails and I would agree)
• Elevation: 1,013 ft
• Route: Out & Back
• Parking: Free, but can be limited in the afternoon
• Trash/Restrooms: No trashcans or restrooms.

Ken Harth Waterfall | Novato, CA

Ken Harth Waterfall is located along a 2.2-mile loop trail near Novato, California. Generally considered a moderately challenging route, it takes an average of 1 hr to complete. This is a popular trail for hiking and running with your dog, but you can still enjoy some solitude during quieter times of day. We saw so many dogs out enjoying the trail during morning hours. The trail is open year-round and is beautiful to visit particuarly after it rains in the winter.

A large parking lot is available at the trailhead and you’ll need to get a $4 daily pass at the pay station as you enter the lot. There are trashcans, recycling bins, and restrooms at the start of the trail.

Trail Details

• Length: 2.2 mi
• Level: Moderate (according to AllTrails, but I would consider easy)
• Elevation: 357 ft
• Route: Loop
• Parking: $4
• Trash/Restrooms: Yes, both are available at the trailhead.

Shop Our Favorite Hiking Gear

When it comes to hiking in rainy season, we like to be prepared with layers and the proper shoes so we’re ready for any trail conditions. You can shop our LTK to outfit yourself and your furry hiking companion with the best gear.

Planning a bigger waterfall adventure? Our Dog-Friendly Northern California Waterfall Loop covers 8 falls in the Shasta Cascade region in a single day trip — an epic extension of this list.

For more Bay Area dog-friendly adventures, see our Dog-Friendly Weekend Getaways from the Bay Area for destinations to pair a waterfall hike with an overnight stay.