Laurel Dell Falls

Marin County, California

Your visit at a glance

Waterfall height: Not recorded
Location: Marin County, California
Access status: Partial guide: route to Laurel Dell documented; exact drop not named in sources
The walk: About 1.8 miles return (source figure)
Ground & access: Fire road descent, then rocky steps and roots on the Cataract Trail. About 300 feet of climbing on the way back.

San Francisco Chronicle: Sunday Drive, Laurel Dell and Cataract Falls

Laurel Dell Falls, CA
Photo credit
Photo: Richard Wood, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Park at the Laurel Dell Trailhead at the gate on Laurel Dell Fire Road. Walk down the fire road 0.8 mile to Laurel Dell Picnic Area, then take the Cataract Trail on the left to the first cascades of Cataract Creek. The sources do not name a separate Laurel Dell Falls, so the exact drop for this listing is not confirmed.

Plan your visit

Laurel Dell Trailhead on West Ridgecrest Boulevard down Laurel Dell Fire Road to Laurel Dell Picnic Area and the first cascades on the Cataract Trail

The San Francisco Chronicle gives 0.8 mile from the Laurel Dell Fire Road gate to the picnic area and 1.8 miles round trip including the first cascades. From Rock Spring it is about one mile to Laurel Dell plus a quarter mile to the first falls.

Fire road descent, then rocky steps and roots on the Cataract Trail. About 300 feet of climbing on the way back.

Where to start

Small free parking area at the Laurel Dell Fire Road gate on West Ridgecrest Boulevard. Rock Spring parking is also free; Pantoll, Bootjack and East Peak charge $8 per the article.

Timing & water

Best in winter and spring after rain.

Before you go

No reservation. Parking fees as above may have changed since the article.

Visitor information

Visit sources

More waterfalls nearby

Within 40 straight-line miles. Road and trail distances will differ.

Explore California

Waterfall location

Marin County, California.

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