Waterfall Hikes in California (CA)

5 National Parks
1546 Major Cities
181 Waterfalls

to explore

California’s waterfalls occur across varied terrain—from the high Sierra Nevada with granite cliffs, glacial valleys and alpine streams to the Coast Ranges and redwood coast, volcanic Cascades and Lassen area, and the dry desert canyons and coastal bluffs of the south. Trails range from short family-friendly paths near cities to moderate gorge hikes and strenuous remote canyon scrambles; the state’s extreme elevation and climate contrasts produce both snowmelt-fed towering plunges and ephemeral coastal and desert falls. See waterfalls near major California cities .

Popular Difficulties

Moderate: 131 trails
Easy: 35 trails
Hard: 15 trails

Trail Types

Loop: 4 trails
Out And Back: 177 trails

Featured Parks

Channel Islands
Joshua Tree
Lassen Volcanic

National Parks in California

Steep, rugged ocean cliffs extending in an island chain.

California

0 Waterfalls

0.0 Total Trail Miles

Waterfalls Hikes in Channel Islands
The sky turns hues of pink and purple over a field of Joshua trees.

California

0 Waterfalls

0.0 Total Trail Miles

Waterfalls Hikes in Joshua Tree
A frozen lake below snow-covered trees and peak

California

3 Waterfalls

7.6 Total Trail Miles

Waterfalls Hikes in Lassen Volcanic
Boulders in the Balconies Cave.

California

0 Waterfalls

0.0 Total Trail Miles

Waterfalls Hikes in Pinnacles
A mountain reflecting in a lake.

California

33 Waterfalls

152.3 Total Trail Miles

Waterfalls Hikes in Yosemite

Best Waterfall Hikes in California

Our top picks based on trail quality and scenic value.

Chagoopa Falls waterfall

Chagoopa Falls

46.5 miles away
California
Hard
30.0 miles 6 ft
Waterwheel Falls waterfall

Waterwheel Falls

16.8 miles away
In Yosemite National Park
California
Hard
18.0 miles 2 ft
Canyon Creek Falls waterfall

Canyon Creek Falls

45.5 miles away
California
Hard
16.0 miles 2 ft
California Falls waterfall

California Falls

33.2 miles away
In Yosemite National Park
California
Hard
15.0 miles 2 ft
Alamere Falls waterfall

Alamere Falls

49 miles away
California
Hard
13.0 miles 1,600 ft
White Cascade waterfall

White Cascade

2.6 miles away
In Yosemite National Park
California
Moderate
11.0 miles 800 ft

All Waterfall Hikes in California

Middle Falls waterfall

Middle Falls

43.6 miles away
California
Easy
1.5 miles 200 ft
Middleman Falls waterfall

Middleman Falls

39.4 miles away
California
Moderate
2.4 miles 350 ft
Mildred Falls waterfall

Mildred Falls

35.9 miles away
California
Moderate
1.5 miles 300 ft
Mill Creek Falls waterfall

Mill Creek Falls

44.3 miles away
California
Moderate
2.4 miles 350 ft
Mill Creek Falls waterfall

Mill Creek Falls

25.6 miles away
In Lassen Volcanic National Park
California
Moderate
3.8 miles 600 ft
Mill Creek Falls waterfall

Mill Creek Falls

36.1 miles away
California
Moderate
3.8 miles 600 ft
Minaret Falls waterfall

Minaret Falls

16.5 miles away
California
Easy
1.5 miles 200 ft
Mist Falls waterfall

Mist Falls

32.9 miles away
California
Moderate
8.0 miles 800 ft
Monkeyface Falls waterfall

Monkeyface Falls

28.7 miles away
California
Moderate
2.0 miles 300 ft
Montgomery Creek Falls waterfall

Montgomery Creek Falls

20.3 miles away
California
Moderate
2.4 miles 350 ft
Mossbrae Falls waterfall

Mossbrae Falls

13.2 miles away
California
Moderate
2.4 miles 350 ft
Nevada Fall waterfall

Nevada Fall

0.4 miles away
In Yosemite National Park
California
Hard
7.0 miles 2 ft
Nojoqui Falls waterfall

Nojoqui Falls

24 miles away
California
Easy
0.7 miles 100 ft
Pepperwood Falls waterfall

Pepperwood Falls

36.8 miles away
California
Moderate
2.4 miles 350 ft
Pfeiffer Falls waterfall

Pfeiffer Falls

32.9 miles away
California
Easy
1.5 miles 200 ft
Pine Falls waterfall

Pine Falls

35.6 miles away
California
Moderate
3.0 miles 500 ft
Pit River Falls waterfall

Pit River Falls

9 miles away
California
Moderate
2.4 miles 350 ft
Ponytail Falls waterfall

Ponytail Falls

31.4 miles away
California
Easy
0.8 miles 200 ft
Potem Falls waterfall

Potem Falls

24.6 miles away
California
Moderate
2.4 miles 350 ft
Preston Falls waterfall

Preston Falls

19.1 miles away
In Yosemite National Park
California
Moderate
8.0 miles 800 ft

Major Cities in California

Waterfall Hikes Near Los Angeles

11.9 M residents

Waterfall Hikes Near San Francisco

3.4 M residents

Waterfall Hikes Near San Diego

3 M residents

Waterfall Hikes Near Riverside

2.3 M residents

Waterfall Hikes Near Sacramento

2 M residents

Waterfall Hikes Near San Jose

1.8 M residents

Waterfall Hikes Near Fresno

725.3 K residents

Waterfall Hikes Near Mission Viejo

642.2 K residents

Waterfall Hikes Near Bakersfield

572 K residents

Waterfall Hikes Near Concord

531.2 K residents

Waterfall Hikes Near Long Beach

462.3 K residents

Waterfall Hikes Near Oakland

437.8 K residents