Are there fees or permits required for Butano Falls?

No, there are no fees required to visit Butano Falls.

Is swimming allowed at Butano Falls?

No, swimming is not allowed at Butano Falls.

Live Conditions · 4 ft³/s · About average

Butano Falls

Q: Are dogs allowed at Butano Falls?

No, dogs are not allowed at Butano Falls.

California

By Armen Suny · Last verified Oct 2026

LiDAR & 3D terrain

Butano Falls CONE · PVT

No public access

Butano Falls isn't open to the public. There's no public trail or parking, so please don't trespass or park at neighboring properties. See public waterfalls nearby.

Butano Falls is on private land, not in Butano State Park, and no public trail reaches it. Do not trespass.

Photo Credits (5)

sethoscope CC BY-SA 2.0 · Flickr

divrdan2 CC BY 2.0 · Flickr

Images by John 'K' CC BY-NC-ND 2.0 · Flickr

dbaron CC BY-SA 2.0 · Flickr

About Butano Falls

Nearby Falls Worth Visiting

Berry Creek Falls (65 ft) lies 5.8 miles to the southeast. Also nearby: Silver Falls (60 ft, 5.2 mi).

Berry Creek Falls Silver Falls

Frequently Asked Questions

🐶 Are Dogs Allowed at Butano Falls?

❌ Dogs are not allowed

Are There Any Fees or Permits Required?

🆖 No fees required

🏊 Is There Swimming at Butano Falls?

❌ Swimming is not allowed

When to Visit

spring winter

Seasonal Access

The best time to visit is Spring and Winter.

Current Water Conditions

Updated 36 minutes ago Strong

4 ft³/s

Current discharge — how much water is flowing

About average for this time of year

Very Low Low Normal High Very High

2 2 14 137

Based on 14 years of record

4.08 ft

Water depth at gauge

7-Day Discharge Trend

What does this mean for your visit?

Flow is about average for this time of year.

About This Gauge

BUTANO C NR PESCADERO CA

USGS 11162540

2.8 miles from waterfall

Drainage: 18 sq mi

Altitude: 46 ft

7-Day Flow Outlook

Based on the USGS gauge BUTANO C NR PESCADERO CA (4 km away).

High confidence

Strong right now

4 cfs

↑ Rising

Today

Strong

4 cfs

10/10

Tomorrow

Roaring

5 cfs

6/10

Tue

Roaring

4 cfs

6/10

Wed

Roaring

3 cfs

9/10

Thu

Roaring

3 cfs

6/10

Fri

Roaring

3 cfs

6/10

Sat

Roaring

4 cfs

6/10

Best window: Today — strong flow, partly sunny (trip score 10/10).

Best time of year: this gauge typically runs highest from late January to early April, peaking in January.

How we calculate this

This is a transparent outlook, not a precise forecast. We take the waterfall's current flow strength (how it ranks against its historical normal for today, from the nearest USGS stream gauge), carry that ranking forward along the gauge's seasonal curve, and nudge it for forecast rain. Confidence is highest for the next day or two and falls further out. Always check official conditions and your own judgment before visiting — high flows can be dangerous.

Know when to go.

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

Is Butano Falls Frozen?

Updated about 17 hours ago

Not frozen highs above freezing lately

Butano Falls is not frozen right now; highs have been above freezing. Yesterday ran 62°F to 55°F.

Days below freezing: 0 of the last 14
Current cold streak: 0 days
Freezing days ahead: 0 of the next 7
Flow: 7 ft³/s

Winter safety. Frozen falls are the one waterfall trip with a documented injury pattern: falling ice, and ice-glazed rock and trail. Wear microspikes, keep well back from the base and from overhangs, and never walk out on ice over moving water.

Estimate from Open-Meteo daily temperatures at the falls, the LiDAR-measured facing direction, and the nearest stream gauge. It is a likelihood, not a report from the trail.

Weather Forecast

The Terrain, Seen by LiDAR

Aircraft-mounted lasers measured this ground to within inches. Trees and buildings are digitally stripped away, leaving the bare shape of the land the water has carved.

The ground through the falls loses about 308 feet in steep steps rather than one leap. The ground at the falls is roughly 393 feet above sea level.

Steep ground runs through the entire stretch: about 142 feet of descent in the 500 feet above the pin and 167 feet in the 500 feet below it. Facing southeast, the falls catch soft morning light.

Aerial photo of the same ground around Butano Falls near Loma Mar, California, for comparison with the lidar view

LiDAR bare-earth terrain around Butano Falls near Loma Mar, California, showing about 308 feet of drop, a steep tiered drop, facing southeast

Aerial LiDAR bare earth

Drag to compare. The dot marks the waterfall. The frame is about a mile across.

Ground elevation: 393 feet; Measured by 1-meter lidar
Drop at the falls: About 308 feet; Change in ground height within ~250 feet of the falls
Faces: Southeast; Catches soft morning light.