- Parking: Palomarin parking lot. Last 1.2 miles is an unpaved road.
- Bathrooms: Bathrooms Available at parking lot and Wildcat Beach campground
- Water: Water available at Wildcat campground, 11 miles from trailhead
- Food: Food available in town
- Fees: No parking fees. There are camping fees
- Gear: Food, water, and weather appropriate clothing
This is a stunning hike that will take you to an extremely rare "Tidefall", a waterfall that leads directly to the ocean. With only 35 tidefalls in the world, this a great opportunity to visit one in Point Reyes National Seashore. It's a 13 mile round trip hike that'll take along the coast, through the forest, and past beautiful lakes.
Located at the South end of Wildcat Beach, this waterfall is one of only 35 in the world that flows directly into the ocean making it a bucket list hike for anyone here in the Bay Area. The water still flows during the summer, as seen in the photos, which were taken August 3rd. You are able to see a heavier flow during the winter and spring months during the rainy season season. You can only reach the Alamere Falls by hiking, with the shortest way being a 6.5 mile hike from the Palomarin trailhead.
The Palomarin trailhead is a popular way to reach Alamere Falls as it is the shortest compared to Fivebrooks or Bear Valley trailheads. Once parked at the Palomarin parking lot, you'll continue to Alamere Falls via the Coastal Trail. It's a beautiful hike with views of the Pacific ocean, and where you'll hit some shaded areas as you cut through the forest. The summer months in the Bay Area are some of the foggiest, which we encountered during our hike, which was refreshing and kept us cool.
When taking the Coastal Trail you'll hike past Bass Lake, Pelican Lake, Crystal Lake, and Ocean Lake. This was a pleasant surprise. The lakes were stunning, especially with the fog flowing across them. They also made for an excellent marker for a rest stop to drink water, grab a quick bite to eat, and take some photos.