Alamere Falls
The ocean backdrop adds to the drama of these falls located in the southwestern area of Point Reyes National Seashore. Access to the falls requires a hike of a little over seven miles round-trip, but it's a beautiful hike that goes by a series of freshwater lakes, each of which is a worthy destination in its own right.

Directions from San Francisco:
Go north on Highway 101 3.5 miles from the Golden Gate Bridge to the Stinson Beach/Mill Valley exit. Exit and drive 1.1 miles, then turn left at the light onto Highway 1 toward Stinson Beach/Mount Tamalpais. After exactly 2.5 miles, stay left at the y-junction, heading for Muir and Stinson Beaches. Approximately 17 miles past the y-junction, turn left on Olema-Bolinas Road. Continue around Bolinas Lagoon and turn left at the next t-intersection. Continue to the next intersection and turn right on Mesa Road. Follow Mesa Road about five miles to the very end. That's the Palo Marin trailhead. From the trailhead, take the coastal trail past Bass Lake and Pelican Lake. Approximately 400 yards north of Pelican Lake is Alamere Creek, which forms Alamere Falls at Wildcat Beach. Follow the small trail that parallels the creek west toward the ocean. Park rangers will tell you there is no beach access from Alamere Creek to the falls, but there is a trail that snakes down the cliffs on the north side of the creek. It's steep, so you have to watch your footing, but with a little prudence it's navigable. Information: Point Reyes National Seashore, (415) 663-1092.

Carson Falls
These falls are probably the most remote in Marin County, which adds to their appeal. On any given day, you're likely to have Carson Falls entirely to yourself. And despite their remote location, they're easy to get to. Approximately a mile-and-a-half off the lightly traveled Bolinas-Fairfax Road, the falls are accessed by a tiny, unsigned but easy-to-follow trail, which makes for a beautiful hike. In addition to being remote, the falls are also among the most spectacular in the Bay Area, with upper and lower cascades that drop well over 100 feet.

Directions from San Francisco:
Take Highway 101 north to the Mill Valley/Stinson Beach exit. At the second stoplight, turn left and follow Highway 1 north approximately five miles until it forks with Panoramic Highway. Go right on Panoramic Highway and follow approximately six miles. At the Pantoll ranger station go right on Pantoll Road. After one mile, go left on West Ridge Crest Road. After approximately two miles, you will come to the Fairfax-Bolinas Road. Go right. After about a mile you will come to Alpine Lake. Continue across the Alpine Lake dam and then go approximately five miles to the trailhead. The trailhead is unsigned, so you will probably need a map to find it. If you come to a large dirt parking lot on the right-hand side of the road, you have gone exactly one mile too far. That's the Pine Mountain trailhead. The trail for Carson Falls is one mile west of the Pine Mountain trailhead at the apex of the second full hairpin turn. Follow the trail approximately 1.5 miles to the falls. Information: Marin Water District, (415) 924-4600.

Cascade Falls
These falls are probably the most easily accessible in the Bay Area. Located just a little over a mile from downtown Mill Valley and just a few hundred feet off Cascade Drive, they still get relatively few visitors. The falls are small, only about 15-20 feet high, but also very beautiful with a classic punchbowl shape and surrounded by ferns and redwoods.

Directions from San Francisco:
Go north on Highway 101 3.5 miles from the Golden Gate Bridge to the Stinson Beach/Mill Valley exit. Exit and drive 1.1 miles, then turn right at the light onto Almonte Boulevard. After a half-mile, Almonte will turn into Miller Avenue. Follow Miller Avenue into downtown Mill Valley. Turn left on Throckmorton Avenue and follow for approximately one mile. The trailhead is on the right side of the road, just after Throckmorton intersects with and becomes Cascade Drive. The falls are approximately 400 feet up the trail. Information: Mount Tamalpais State Park, (415) 388-2070.

Cataract Falls
Easily the most spectacular falls in the Bay Area, Cataract Falls are located on the northwestern flank of Mount Tamalpais. Only a quarter-mile off Fairfax-Bolinas Road, the series of cataracts that make up the falls run for almost half a mile, falling several hundred vertical feet. The Cataract Trail, which winds alongside the falls, offers a seemingly endless series of vistas. If you only manage to visit one waterfall in the Bay Area, this is the one it should be.

Directions from San Francisco:
Take Highway 101 north to the Mill Valley/Stinson Beach exit. At the second stoplight, turn left and follow Highway 1 north approximately five miles until it forks with Panoramic Highway. Go right on Panoramic Highway and follow approximately six miles. At the Pantoll ranger station go right on Pantoll Road. After one mile, go left on West Ridge Crest Road. After approximately two miles, you will come to the Fairfax-Bolinas Road. Go right. After about a mile you will come to Alpine Lake. Just as you reach the lake, the road will take a sharp hairpin turn to the left. That's where the trail starts. The falls are approximately a half-mile from the trailhead. Information: Marin Water District, (415) 924-4600.

Morse's Gulch Falls
During the rainy season you'll probably have to get your feet wet to visit these falls. Morse's Gulch is a rarely visited canyon just north of Stinson Beach. The falls are about a mile up the canyon from the trailhead on Highway 1, and the trail that leads to them is not officially maintained. The last quarter mile or so before the falls is pretty much of a scramble, and when the creek that runs through the canyon is full, it becomes necessary to do some rock hopping. Wet shoes are a small price to pay, however, for the beauty and solitude these falls offer.

Directions from San Francisco:
Cross the Golden Gate Bridge and go north on Highway 101 to the Mill Valley/Stinson Beach Exit. Exit and drive 1.1 miles before turning left onto Highway 1 at Tam Junction. Follow Highway 1 approximately 10 miles to Stinson Beach. Continue two miles past Stinson; keep an eye out for Morse's Gulch turnout on the right. Information: Golden Gate National Recreation Area, (415) 331-1540.

Steep Ravine
This canyon on the western side of Mount Tamalpais is one of the most beautiful places in California. The trail that winds through the bottom of the canyon parallels a year-round creek with small cascades along its entire three-mile length. Although none of the falls are especially big or spectacular in their own right, the sum total of creek, old-growth redwoods, and meandering trail makes for a hiking experience that will stay with you throughout your life.

Directions from San Francisco:
Take Highway 101 North to the Mill Valley/Stinson Beach exit. At the second stoplight, turn left and follow Highway 1 north approximately five miles until it forks with Panoramic Highway Go right on Panoramic Highway and follow approximately six miles to the Pantoll ranger station. The trail starts on the west side of the parking lot. Information: Mount Tamalpais State Park, (415) 388-2070.