Alamere Falls is a tidefall that drops over a cliff roughly 40 feet onto the south end of Wildcat Beach, within the Phillip Burton Wilderness in southern Point Reyes. Reaching it requires a round trip of at least 13 miles, and the area is the site of frequent search-and-rescue calls.
Details
- Type
- Waterfall
- Accessibility
- Limited accessibility
Overview
Water falls over a cliff about 40 feet tall onto the south end of Wildcat Beach, an uncommon arrangement where a stream reaches the ocean directly over a sea cliff. The falls lie in the Phillip Burton Wilderness on the southern coast of the seashore.
Getting There
There is no park-sanctioned Alamere Falls Trail. The National Park Service directs visitors to reach the falls through Wildcat Campground using designated routes from the Palomarin, Bear Valley, or Five Brooks trailheads. The minimum round trip is about 13 miles; from the Five Brooks Trailhead it is roughly 15.6 miles round trip. The walk along Wildcat Beach from Wildcat Campground to the falls can be impassable at high tide or during high surf.
Know Before You Go
The distance and the unofficial scramble routes near the falls contribute to frequent search-and-rescue incidents here. Plan for a long day, check tide conditions before walking the beach section, and use the established trailheads rather than unmaintained cliff routes.