Dawn Falls
Marin County, California
Your visit at a glance
- Waterfall height
- Not recorded
- Location
- Marin County, California
- Access status
- Published hiking route and street parking documented
- The walk
- Approximately 2.4 miles return
- Ground & access
- Mostly flat trail with gentle ups and downs, then a short steep section that is slick when wet.
From the trailhead at the end of Madrone Avenue in Larkspur, follow the Dawn Falls Trail upstream beside Larkspur Creek through Baltimore Canyon Open Space Preserve, crossing footbridges. Near the end, at a large rock, the trail turns left and climbs a short, steep section to the falls. Return the same way.
Plan your visit
Madrone Avenue to Dawn Falls on the Dawn Falls Trail
Weekend Sherpa (2019) gives 2.4 miles round trip. Its 2016 article gives 2.2 miles out and back. Parking farther down Madrone Avenue adds road walking.
Mostly flat trail with gentle ups and downs, then a short steep section that is slick when wet.
Where to start
Very few spaces at the end of Madrone Avenue. Weekend Sherpa describes free designated roadside spaces on a narrow residential street and suggests parking on Madrone Avenue before Echo Place.
Timing & water
Best in winter after strong rain; flow drops by spring. The 2019 article advised checking for trail updates after storms.
Before you go
No fee is mentioned in the reviewed sources. Current rules unknown.
Visitor informationVisit sources
More waterfalls nearby
Within 40 straight-line miles. Road and trail distances will differ.
Laurel Dell FallsPartial guide: route to Laurel Dell documented; exact drop not named in sourcesMarin County, CA3.8 miW- Kent FallsMarin County, CA3.8 miS
- Midway FallsPublished trail route and roadside trailhead documented; steep stairsMarin County, CA4.0 miW
- Helen Markt FallsPublished trail route and roadside trailhead documented; steep stairsMarin County, CA4.0 miW
Cataract FallsPublished trail route; roadside parking at the hairpinMarin County, CA4.0 miW- Cascade FallsPublished trail log and parking documented; limited residential parkingMarin County, CA4.6 miNW
- Little Carson FallsSigned water district trailMarin County, CA5.0 miNW
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- Buck Gulch FallsPartial guide: path crosses an easement onto ranch land; parking not confirmedMarin County, CA8.7 miN