The hike to Alamere Falls via Coast Trail from Palomarin Trailhead is 8.4 miles out and back trail. The trail is located near Bolinas, California and offers stunning coastal views of Point Reyes National Seashore. The trail has an elevation gain of 1,335 feet and is popular for its wonderful unique waterfall. It is not very difficult but still, it’s not an easy trail, it will offer different challenges and you need to be completely prepared for that. To get the best experience of the hike you must visit it in summer.
Due to the beauty of this trail, it’s quite popular among hikers and it’s often overcrowded. It’s a bit dangerous as well, every year many people suffer from injuries there and several search and rescue operations are carried out each year. Most of these accidents occur because hikers get close to cliff edges, so you have to be careful of that.
Getting to the waterfall
The trail begins from Palomarin trailhead which is located in the parking lot near the restrooms. Walk for a while and after about two minutes you will see a map on your right side that lays out the path to the falls as the campgrounds like Sky, Wildcat, etc.
If you don’t think you can remember the exact path for the rest of the trail, you should better take the picture of the map in your Smartphone. It’s better than getting lost. Then, the trail will connect you to the Coast Trail and from there it is pretty straight forward as you move towards the falls. If you go in summer it might get quite hot especially for the first couple of miles where it is fairly exposed. But, after that you will find shades as that part is covered and wooded. You can rest there, get your strength back, and eat snacks as well.
The path becomes quite steep and narrow as you reach the coast, it’s a bit difficult to determine how to navigate from there and it may cause a traffic jam. Keep going down and you will reach the beach where the waterfall is located.