Waterfall Hikes Near Oakland, CA

437,825 residents
Los Angeles Time Zone
17 Waterfalls

within 50 miles

Located on the eastern shore of San Francisco Bay, Oakland sits between coastal bluffs, tidal estuaries and the steep East Bay hills, where oak woodlands, mixed evergreen ridgelines and riparian canyons shape the landscape. Within 50 miles there are 18 waterfalls accessible from nearby urban neighborhoods, with 13 moderate, three easy and two hard routes; hikes range from short roadside cascades and shaded old-growth forest walks to steeper canyon scrambles on seasonal streams.

Located at 37.7904°N, -122.2166°W

Map of Waterfalls Near Oakland

Today's Conditions

Live data from USGS gauges & National Weather Service

Water Flow

17 of 17 gauged

1 of 17 waterfalls near Oakland is flowing strongly today

Alamere Falls Moderate Berry Creek Falls Moderate Butano Falls Barely Flowing Golden Falls Barely Flowing Silver Falls Barely Flowing Castle Rock Falls Roaring Cataract Falls Barely Flowing Dawn Falls Barely Flowing Finnegan Falls Barely Flowing Green Valley Falls Barely Flowing Huntington Falls Barely Flowing Kent Falls Barely Flowing Rainbow Falls Barely Flowing Linda Falls Barely Flowing Tehan Falls Barely Flowing

Updated 30 minutes ago via USGS

Best Day to Hike

Today

Mostly Sunny · 70°F

Tod 70°F Mostly Sunny Best
Wed 72°F Mostly Sunny
Thu 74°F Mostly Sunny
Fri 71°F Mostly Sunny
Sat 69°F Mostly Sunny
Sun 77°F Sunny
Mon 77°F Sunny

Flowing best right now near Oakland

Updated about 3 hours ago

Ranked by live stream-gauge flow versus each waterfall's seasonal normal.

  1. 1 Castle Rock Falls Strong · 1 cfs 82nd percentile
  2. 2 Alamere Falls Moderate · 9 cfs 38th percentile
  3. 3 Berry Creek Falls Moderate · 5 cfs 32nd percentile
  4. 4 Linda Falls Barely Flowing · 5 cfs 6th percentile
  5. 5 Butano Falls Barely Flowing · 7 cfs 3rd percentile
  6. 6 Cataract Falls Barely Flowing · 1 cfs 3rd percentile

Know when to go.

Get a free email alert when waterfalls near Oakland hit peak flow. We only send when conditions are worth the trip — no weekly newsletters, no spam.

Find waterfalls to hike near Oakland

Have your own travel site? Embed these waterfalls for free.

🚗 Easy Waterfall Hikes Near Oakland (3 waterfalls)

Easy access waterfalls are drive-up or short-walk friendly. Perfect for families, casual visitors, or anyone who loves waterfalls but is "so-so" about hiking.

🐕 Dog-Friendly Waterfall Hikes Around Oakland (9 waterfalls)

Bring your four-legged friend along! These waterfalls welcome dogs on their trails.

Huntington Falls waterfall CC

Huntington Falls

13.5 miles away
California
Moderate
2.4 miles 350 ft
Rainbow Falls waterfall

Rainbow Falls

13.4 miles away
California
Moderate
2.4 miles 350 ft
Dawn Falls waterfall

Dawn Falls

24.3 miles away
California
Moderate
2.7 miles 400 ft
Cataract Falls waterfall

Cataract Falls

22.2 miles away
California
Moderate
2.6 miles 750 ft

All 17 Waterfalls Near Oakland

Huntington Falls waterfall CC

Huntington Falls

13.5 miles away
California
Moderate
2.4 miles 350 ft
Rainbow Falls waterfall

Rainbow Falls

13.4 miles away
California
Moderate
2.4 miles 350 ft

Tehan Falls

37.9 miles away
California
Moderate
2.4 miles 350 ft
Kent Falls waterfall

Kent Falls

26.3 miles away
California
Moderate
2.4 miles 350 ft
Dawn Falls waterfall

Dawn Falls

24.3 miles away
California
Moderate
2.7 miles 400 ft
Cataract Falls waterfall

Cataract Falls

22.2 miles away
California
Moderate
2.6 miles 750 ft
Green Valley Falls waterfall

Green Valley Falls

45.8 miles away
California
Easy
1.5 miles 100 ft
Butano Falls waterfall

Butano Falls

21.3 miles away
California
Moderate
4.5 miles 500 ft
Alamere Falls waterfall

Alamere Falls

36 miles away
California
Hard
13.0 miles 1,600 ft
Silver Falls waterfall

Silver Falls

41.3 miles away
California
Easy
1.5 miles 200 ft
Golden Falls waterfall

Golden Falls

41.3 miles away
California
Moderate
2.5 miles 400 ft
Castle Rock Falls waterfall

Castle Rock Falls

33.1 miles away
California
Easy
1.2 miles 200 ft
Berry Creek Falls waterfall

Berry Creek Falls

44.5 miles away
California
Hard
10.5 miles 2 ft
Haraszthy Falls waterfall CC

Haraszthy Falls

13.1 miles away
California
Moderate
2.4 miles 350 ft
Linda Falls waterfall

Linda Falls

25.2 miles away
California
Moderate
2.4 miles 350 ft

Finnegan Falls

37.6 miles away
California
Moderate
3.0 miles 500 ft
Maple Falls waterfall

Maple Falls

48.8 miles away
California
Moderate
7.5 miles 800 ft

Frequently Asked Questions About Waterfalls Near Oakland

Are there free waterfalls near Oakland?

There are 8 free waterfalls near Oakland, including Alamere Falls.

Are there easy waterfall hikes near Oakland?

There are 3 easy waterfall hikes near Oakland, including Castle Rock Falls.

Are there dog friendly waterfalls in Oakland?

There are 9 dog-friendly waterfalls near Oakland, including Cataract Falls.

Are there kid-friendly waterfalls near Oakland?

There are 12 kid-friendly waterfalls near Oakland, including Berry Creek Falls.

Can you swim in any waterfalls near Oakland?

There is 1 waterfall that allows swimming near Oakland, including Green Valley Falls.

What is the shortest waterfall hike near Oakland?

The shortest waterfall hike near Oakland is Alamere Falls at 1.2 miles round trip.

How tall are the waterfalls near Oakland?

The tallest waterfall near Oakland is Castle Rock Falls at 80 feet.

Do any waterfalls near Oakland require permits?

Yes, 1 waterfall near Oakland requires a permit. Check individual trail pages for current permit details.

Can I camp near the waterfalls around Oakland?

Yes, 9 waterfalls near Oakland have nearby campgrounds.

What is the closest waterfall to Oakland?

The closest waterfall to Oakland is Huntington Falls, approximately 12 miles away.

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Nearby Hot Springs

Hot springs near Oakland, California

Sulphur Spring

Sulphur Spring

13.7 mi 75°F

Sulphur Spring emerges at 75°F near San Francisco Bay, reaching temperatures 14.4 degrees warmer than the mild East Bay climate...

Unnamed Spring Solano County

17.2 mi 73°F

Near Benicia in Solano County, this 73-degree spring flows at 218 feet, 14 degrees warmer than ambient, just 68.5 meters from L...

Springs

17.4 mi

These warm springs emerge in Contra Costa County's Mount Diablo foothills near Clayton at just 649 feet elevation, sitting bare...

Vallejo White Sulphur Springs

17.6 mi 68°F

Vallejo White Sulphur Springs flows at 68 degrees just 104 feet from the nearest road in the San Francisco Bay Area, making it ...

Unnamed Spring Contra Costa County

19.6 mi 70°F

Mount Diablo State Park shelters this 70-degree thermal spring in warm, dry foothills just 17 meters from a paved road. The 10....
Rocky Point Springs

Rocky Point Springs

21.7 mi 90°F

Rocky Point Springs emerges at 90°F along the Marin County coastline near Bolinas at the unusual elevation of negative 5 feet, ...

Looking for a soak after your hike? Explore more hot springs near Oakland, California on SoakingSprings.

Explore California springs

Where to Stay

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