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Nice shaded and tree covered out and back hike next to and over a creek. We came in January after the big 2-week long rainstorm so there was some water flowing, though not too much in most areas. The waterfall towards the end of the hike had a nice steady flow. Tucked into a tree filled and windy neighborhood, parking is limited. It looked like there were about 5 spots at the entrance, though most of them seemed to be taken by the neighborhood cars. We ended up parking down the road and extending our hike by about .3 miles each way. A beautiful addition to the hike. The start of the trail was mostly flat with a few bridge crossings and very small incline and declines. As you progress the terrain gets a little rougher with tree roots and more narrow passages. Then at the very end it gets pretty steep with some switch backs and more narrow terrain. Nice hike/walk and I would definitely do it again if I lived closer!
What a beautiful hike in Marin County! It's not as popular as Muir Woods, but a great alternative for a moderately challenging hike with lots of shade from the forest canopy, a short steep incline to get you huffing and puffing, and a relaxing stroll downhill to loop you back to the start. If you make a left after the steep incline and follow it, you'll eventually get to the gorgeous views of verdant forestry, the bay and the surrounding cities from the top of the hill. Don't miss this! Highly recommend good hiking shoes with lots of traction, which will help you going down the jagged steep narrow declines of the trail. Parking is a bit challenging due to the 1 way residential street to get to the entrance. It's pretty narrow so watch out for others cars coming the other direction. It's been a pretty dry year and we didn't see any waterfalls but we did see some standing water under the bridge and other areas. Hope to come back when there are some falls we can admire!
Great short hike with beautiful redwoods and lush forest floor. The waterfall is not too impressive however you can hike to the top of Dawn falls and continue your trek onto other trails with offer great views of the bay! Parking is in a very swanky neighborhood in Larkspur.
Very nice hiking trail. Well maintained and easy hike. Parking can be a pain. Nice to go just after the rain. There's a steep incline before the falls. Just be careful it's a narrow trail with roots and rocks. But overall it's an easy three mile hike.
When you trek through this breathtaking Redwood forest, you can't help but feel like you're a Hobbit traversing Middle Earth. Or, at the very least, you feel like you're on your way to the Ewok Village. Situated deep in Larkspur's Madrone Canyon, Dawn Falls offers something for everyone (runner, walkers, dog-owners, etc.). Although steep in parts, this isn't the most challenging of trails. Everything is well paved. Even a hiking novice will feel comfortable here. If you come here in the morning, you'll be rewarded with fresh air, friendly wildlife (birds, squirrels, and more), flowing cascades, and and other hidden nature surprises. Word to the wise - parking is somewhat limited. It's best to park on the neighborhood streets a few blocks away. I always just park on Magnolia Street near Perry's Restaurant and Equator Coffee. From there, it's just a 15-minute stroll to the trailhead. After your hike, I'd recommend doing a picnic in Dolliver Park on Madrone Ave. They have plenty of tables, a playground for kids, and a public restroom. As much as I love Muir Woods, Dawn Falls is truly my go-to choice for a wonderful walk in the woods. I hope you have the chance to experience it for yourself.
Great hike for everyone in the family. There are accessible hiking for small children and there are also hikes that are also more challenging that head up the hill. I love that dogs are allowed, which is the best part! Parking is not great, get there early or park near that last turn before driving up to the trail.
Such a great hike! We decided to do the loop and the kids loved it. The out and back option is still great, especially for little ones. You're walking alongside a stream most of the time so there's a lot of opportunities to stop and enjoy the nature with the mini falls, streams, and the main falls at the end. Highly recommend!
Get a way from the hustle and bustle of the city in this fun, dog friendly hike. It's a short not very strenuous fun hike with lots of Red Woods. There was no waterfalls or river (stream) today, but enjoyed the beautiful scenery with fresh air. The tall redwoods provided plenty of shade on the hike.
Beautiful short hike, clean, dog-friendly (most dogs were on leash, all were friendly), well-maintained trails with many trail options if you wish to extend your hike. Parking is nearly impossible because there are only a few no-tow spots near the trailhead so I recommend parking further down Madrone Ave (before you see the "no outlet" street Echo Place). It's only a short walk to the trailhead and you can avoid the hassle. There is plenty of parking up to this point on the left of the street, but once you go around the curve up to the park the street narrows to the point that you may have to back all the way down if another car comes-and you will most likely not get a spot. I was here before 9am and there was no parking near the trailhead. There are only 5 parking spots, which appear to be shared with residents. I say this because I only passed 2 people on the trails and most of the parked cars appeared to be still fogged up from the night before. The hike itself is nice, pretty flat with several beautiful man-made bridges. You follow the stream and hike through huge redwoods and vibrant green moss covered trees. You will pass a lower mini falls and right before the top of the falls you will climb some steep but short switchbacks. The falls itself is taller then expected and had a decent water flow but wasn't spectacular this time of year. If you headed back after reaching the falls it would be less than a 3 mi round trip hike. However, we continued our hike to the top of the Dawn Falls Trail, which had a lot of stairs and was a great workout. We then retraced our steps and hiked to the bottom of the Dawn Falls Trail, then to Piedmont Trail and found a staircase that took us down to Shady Lane and it was a short walk to our car at Madrone Ave. Overall, we made it into about a 5 mile hike.
Walking to the falls you feel as if you are in the Humboldt Redwood forest. This is more walk than hike and is perfect for a hot summer day where you worry you might get sunburnt. The falls are about 1 mile though you can walk a little farther up to the Southern Main Fire road and add on multiple trails or on the way back take the Lady Bug trail to add the Baltimore Canyon Loop if you want to make this walk more of a hike. The waterfall is present in the winter but dries out pretty quickly so if you want to see water head out here right after it rains. Parking is extremely limited so it's better to just park early on Madrone and walk farther, this is a nice walk as well because it's shaded by redwoods and you aren't causing gridlock at the end of the road.
Dawn Falls hike is one of many trails in Marin County. The trail is not that long, nor hard in terms of actually doing hard core hiking, but it is absolutely beautiful in its own way. What really gets me about Dawn Falls is how simple it is, no hustle. The road varies in width, sometimes you have tons of space and other times you have to step aside and let someone pass. Dawn Falls is dog friendly, which is always a plus for me. I love seeing all types of puppies running around with their owners, literally a dog's playground. The SMELL. I love Dawn Falls smell of red wood tress. I have been there during hard core rain/hail and dry hot summer. Both times the trail is different. When its dry hot summer day, you don't see any water running through the trees down the trail and there is no waterfall of course. The waterfall is not large even during rain season, which is the time i would recommend coming here. Waterfall is pretty, small and has a lovely sound. During rain season, I would wear actual hiking shoes, that are not slippery and support your ankles well. The road can be slippery during fall and winter. Dawn Falls is a special place, because its located in the heart of Larkspur and its not "obvious beauty" in terms of scenery and views. The light source is limiting but its incredibly rich in smells, colors and nature. Its a local spot, so many locals roll out of bed and go on a walk there, and maybe with a cup of coffee! I have done it and its nothing to be embarrassed about. We live in a beautiful and rich County that has tons of different types of hikes offered to us, I take advantage of being so spoiled and use the opportunity during all types of days.
This was a nice hike hidden behind a cute little neighborhood. It was not too strenuous and offered many beautiful photo opportunities. The trails are well kept and there are beautiful tall redwood trees. It is dog friendly so make sure to take your fur babies as long as they are kept on a leash. There is also a great park where the kids can play and picnic tables to have a picnic.
A beautiful little hike hidden in the heart of Larkspur. Right across the street from Equator coffee and Perry's restaurant if you wanted a reward afterwards. Highly recommend seeing the beautiful Redwoods!
*****pay attention ***** Word, to the ignorant drivers who have never been on switchbacks DO NOT come here. As you blast down the very single car lane, not paying attention and laughing away isn't cute. Be mindful of cars and pediatricians. Believe it or not its not all about you! The road to the trail is all kinds of messed up. It's a single lane through a neighborhood with very little turnouts. Believe it or not, there are huge redwoods along this road. If you have never been on a road like this, please park at the bottom of the road!!! PLEASE! Even the folks who were walking up the road to the trail aren't alert. It's sooo fun to be surrounded by people who believe it's all about them yes, im being harsh, but it was that bad! read more
2 years ago
Dawn Falls Trail is a 2.3-mile out-and-back trail near Larkspur, California. It's considered to be a moderately challenging route. It will take about an hour to walk through this beautiful redwoods round trip to the Dawn Falls. This is a very popular area for birding, hiking, and running. The best part of the Dawn Falls trail is that it's not crowded but you may still see a few other people while exploring. This trail is open year round but the best time is from January through November. Dogs are welcome, but must be on a leash. However, I do see local dogs roaming without their leashes. Only a few parking spots deter many visitors. However, if you will be willing to be patience, there will on a parkingspot for you. This trail is maintained so clean here, so please no littering! Enjoy! read more
Nice shaded and tree covered out and back hike next to and over a creek. We came in January after the big 2-week long rainstorm so there was some water flowing, though not too much in most areas. The waterfall towards the end of the hike had a nice steady flow. Tucked into a tree filled and windy neighborhood, parking is limited. It looked like there were about 5 spots at the entrance, though most of them seemed to be taken by the neighborhood cars. We ended up parking down the road and extending our hike by about .3 miles each way. A beautiful addition to the hike. The start of the trail was mostly flat with a few bridge crossings and very small incline and declines. As you progress the terrain gets a little rougher with tree roots and more narrow passages. Then at the very end it gets pretty steep with some switch backs and more narrow terrain. Nice hike/walk and I would definitely do it again if I lived closer! read more
What a beautiful hike in Marin County! It's not as popular as Muir Woods, but a great alternative for a moderately challenging hike with lots of shade from the forest canopy, a short steep incline to get you huffing and puffing, and a relaxing stroll downhill to loop you back to the start. If you make a left after the steep incline and follow it, you'll eventually get to the gorgeous views of verdant forestry, the bay and the surrounding cities from the top of the hill. Don't miss this! Highly recommend good hiking shoes with lots of traction, which will help you going down the jagged steep narrow declines of the trail. Parking is a bit challenging due to the 1 way residential street to get to the entrance. It's pretty narrow so watch out for others cars coming the other direction. It's been a pretty dry year and we didn't see any waterfalls but we did see some standing water under the bridge and other areas. Hope to come back when there are some falls we can admire! read more
2 years ago
3 years ago
Great short hike with beautiful redwoods and lush forest floor. The waterfall is not too impressive however you can hike to the top of Dawn falls and continue your trek onto other trails with offer great views of the bay! Parking is in a very swanky neighborhood in Larkspur. read more
Very nice hiking trail. Well maintained and easy hike. Parking can be a pain. Nice to go just after the rain. There's a steep incline before the falls. Just be careful it's a narrow trail with roots and rocks. But overall it's an easy three mile hike. read more
When you trek through this breathtaking Redwood forest, you can't help but feel like you're a Hobbit traversing Middle Earth. Or, at the very least, you feel like you're on your way to the Ewok Village. Situated deep in Larkspur's Madrone Canyon, Dawn Falls offers something for everyone (runner, walkers, dog-owners, etc.). Although steep in parts, this isn't the most challenging of trails. Everything is well paved. Even a hiking novice will feel comfortable here. If you come here in the morning, you'll be rewarded with fresh air, friendly wildlife (birds, squirrels, and more), flowing cascades, and and other hidden nature surprises. Word to the wise - parking is somewhat limited. It's best to park on the neighborhood streets a few blocks away. I always just park on Magnolia Street near Perry's Restaurant and Equator Coffee. From there, it's just a 15-minute stroll to the trailhead. After your hike, I'd recommend doing a picnic in Dolliver Park on Madrone Ave. They have plenty of tables, a playground for kids, and a public restroom. As much as I love Muir Woods, Dawn Falls is truly my go-to choice for a wonderful walk in the woods. I hope you have the chance to experience it for yourself. read more
4 years ago
Great hike for everyone in the family. There are accessible hiking for small children and there are also hikes that are also more challenging that head up the hill. I love that dogs are allowed, which is the best part! Parking is not great, get there early or park near that last turn before driving up to the trail. read more
3 years ago
Such a great hike! We decided to do the loop and the kids loved it. The out and back option is still great, especially for little ones. You're walking alongside a stream most of the time so there's a lot of opportunities to stop and enjoy the nature with the mini falls, streams, and the main falls at the end. Highly recommend! read more
3 years ago
7 years ago
Get a way from the hustle and bustle of the city in this fun, dog friendly hike. It's a short not very strenuous fun hike with lots of Red Woods. There was no waterfalls or river (stream) today, but enjoyed the beautiful scenery with fresh air. The tall redwoods provided plenty of shade on the hike. read more
12 years ago
Beautiful short hike, clean, dog-friendly (most dogs were on leash, all were friendly), well-maintained trails with many trail options if you wish to extend your hike. Parking is nearly impossible because there are only a few no-tow spots near the trailhead so I recommend parking further down Madrone Ave (before you see the "no outlet" street Echo Place). It's only a short walk to the trailhead and you can avoid the hassle. There is plenty of parking up to this point on the left of the street, but once you go around the curve up to the park the street narrows to the point that you may have to back all the way down if another car comes-and you will most likely not get a spot. I was here before 9am and there was no parking near the trailhead. There are only 5 parking spots, which appear to be shared with residents. I say this because I only passed 2 people on the trails and most of the parked cars appeared to be still fogged up from the night before. The hike itself is nice, pretty flat with several beautiful man-made bridges. You follow the stream and hike through huge redwoods and vibrant green moss covered trees. You will pass a lower mini falls and right before the top of the falls you will climb some steep but short switchbacks. The falls itself is taller then expected and had a decent water flow but wasn't spectacular this time of year. If you headed back after reaching the falls it would be less than a 3 mi round trip hike. However, we continued our hike to the top of the Dawn Falls Trail, which had a lot of stairs and was a great workout. We then retraced our steps and hiked to the bottom of the Dawn Falls Trail, then to Piedmont Trail and found a staircase that took us down to Shady Lane and it was a short walk to our car at Madrone Ave. Overall, we made it into about a 5 mile hike. read more
Walking to the falls you feel as if you are in the Humboldt Redwood forest. This is more walk than hike and is perfect for a hot summer day where you worry you might get sunburnt. The falls are about 1 mile though you can walk a little farther up to the Southern Main Fire road and add on multiple trails or on the way back take the Lady Bug trail to add the Baltimore Canyon Loop if you want to make this walk more of a hike. The waterfall is present in the winter but dries out pretty quickly so if you want to see water head out here right after it rains. Parking is extremely limited so it's better to just park early on Madrone and walk farther, this is a nice walk as well because it's shaded by redwoods and you aren't causing gridlock at the end of the road. read more
Dawn Falls hike is one of many trails in Marin County. The trail is not that long, nor hard in terms of actually doing hard core hiking, but it is absolutely beautiful in its own way. What really gets me about Dawn Falls is how simple it is, no hustle. The road varies in width, sometimes you have tons of space and other times you have to step aside and let someone pass. Dawn Falls is dog friendly, which is always a plus for me. I love seeing all types of puppies running around with their owners, literally a dog's playground. The SMELL. I love Dawn Falls smell of red wood tress. I have been there during hard core rain/hail and dry hot summer. Both times the trail is different. When its dry hot summer day, you don't see any water running through the trees down the trail and there is no waterfall of course. The waterfall is not large even during rain season, which is the time i would recommend coming here. Waterfall is pretty, small and has a lovely sound. During rain season, I would wear actual hiking shoes, that are not slippery and support your ankles well. The road can be slippery during fall and winter. Dawn Falls is a special place, because its located in the heart of Larkspur and its not "obvious beauty" in terms of scenery and views. The light source is limiting but its incredibly rich in smells, colors and nature. Its a local spot, so many locals roll out of bed and go on a walk there, and maybe with a cup of coffee! I have done it and its nothing to be embarrassed about. We live in a beautiful and rich County that has tons of different types of hikes offered to us, I take advantage of being so spoiled and use the opportunity during all types of days. read more
7 years ago
This was a nice hike hidden behind a cute little neighborhood. It was not too strenuous and offered many beautiful photo opportunities. The trails are well kept and there are beautiful tall redwood trees. It is dog friendly so make sure to take your fur babies as long as they are kept on a leash. There is also a great park where the kids can play and picnic tables to have a picnic. read more
5 years ago
I had absolutely no expectations when I woke up one Saturday afternoon and wanted to get a quick, short hike in that morning. After some research, the shortest, closest trail with a waterfall was the one leading to Dawn Falls in Larkspur. From a waterfall perspective, this is one of the weakest ones in Marin - not sure why as it was raining just as hard here in this area as any others I visited within the same time frame, but for whatever reason, the water just does not flow as well as the other waterfalls in Marin. The only thing going for it is that it's about 10 minutes from the 101 (all other waterfalls are a good 20-45 minutes from the 101). From the trailhead, the waterfall is just over 1 mile to get to. As for the hike / scenery, well it's beautiful. It's a really simple trail to walk or even run; covered trail for about 90-95% of the time. It's a dog-friendly trail and it's pretty wide for the most part (narrows as you get closer to the waterfall at the end of the trail). In fact, this trail is so easy, I wouldn't be surprised to see Mill Valley soccer moms with their Starbucks in hand on a regular basis when on this trail chatting away on their cel phones. Parking is a pain (trail starts at the very end of Madrone Ave. which is a narrow residential street). There is limited parking in the area and it's clearly marked. Chances are some of the neighbors might flag this review as they dislike drawing any more traffic to their streets. =============== For more hiking recommendations: http://www.yelp.com/list_details?list_id=kc_cpimm3r3OA07lrBGKBA read more
11 years ago
I found the following link to be helpful as far as finding the trail. However, the parking after Olive was very helpful. Be awake when driving over here. Trees are smack dab in the road My friends and I ventured out here before dawn to wake up with the woods. The most majestic part of the canyon is Dawn Falls, but I encourage you to keep wandering. I'd like to visit during a heavy downpour, but it rained earlier this week and that was enough to hear the stream as we approached the falls http://bahiker.com/northbayhikes/baltcanyon.html read more
My first trek in California, US, and I couldn't have been more thrilled. Mind you, it was a rainy weekend in California. And Dawn Falls topped the charts for hike/trek. It was all green in the forest, and you can see the fall colors once you reach little bit top. I could see many people trekking, walking, playing. Its a good place for kids, pets. People are very friendly. Though it can be tricky to find parking but wherever you park, its gorgeous all the way upto the top of the park read more
10 years ago
Such a peaceful place! Beautiful scenery, tons of trees, well-defined trails, and not much poison oak along the trails. Very limited parking-about 12 spaces. I got there around 11:30 AM on a Tuesday and there were 2 spots left. read more
7 years ago
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10 years ago
This hike was absolutely gorgeous!! I am giving it 5 stars because it made all three of us (myself and my two children) happy. My complainer (12 year old daughter) didn't whine the entire time! This is shocking. She usually is a pretty unhappy camper about a mile in but she did the whole trek with no whining! I was impressed. She had so much fun running in and out of all the trees and finding lizards. She was content to be outside for once and that is a huge plus in my book! My teenage son liked this hike the most out of all the ones we have done before. We packed a picnic lunch and made a day out of it. This is a relatively easy hike to do. We took it slow and took breaks and made into an all day adventure. I will for sure be back to visit. read more
12 years ago
11 years ago
Absolutely gorgeous. You're hiking alongside a creek surrounded by giant redwoods and there are a lot of trails off the beaten path if you like a little adventure. Overall it was an easy and scenic hike up to the waterfall, but if you like a challenge, continue to follow the zig zag trail up to hookooekoo trail and it will take you up to East Peak. Highly recommended for all nature lovers! read more
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More info about Dawn Falls
Madrone Ave At Redwood Ave
Larkspur, CA 94939
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