Tag Archives: Waterfall

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The Salal Trail is rather hard to find. The trailhead is in Gualala Point Regional Park. After you pass the pay station, turn into the parking area on the left and park in the right side. To your left you will see the beginning of the trail.

Beginning of Salal Trail by Jeanne Jackson (Medium)

You amble down a path between Highway One and the golf course. The trail then heads west. Rick and I, along with friends C'Anna and David Bergman-Hill and our new rescue golden retriever, Sunny, recently enjoyed the trail.

We found summer wildflowers in bloom. Here David has photographed C'Anna and me finding Wight's Paintbrush.

C'Anna Bergman-Hill and Jeanne Jackson find Wight's Paintbrush by David Bergman-Hill

Here's a close-up of this native wildflower, photo by Craig Tooley.

Wight's Paintbrush by Craig Tooley

We came to the waterfall and even in the drought there is a slight trickle. When the winter rains come, the waterfall is glorious. Here's are two photos I took a few years ago. It's really a magical place.

View of waterfall on Salal Trail by Jeanne Jackson (Medium) Waterfall on the Salal Trail by Jeanne Jackson (Medium)

Finally, at the end of the trail, you come to a small beach, which is where Rick and Sunny are. This photo was taken by C'Anna.

Rick and Sunny at the end of the Salal Trail by C'Anna Bergman-Hill

We feel very fortunate Salal Trail is a public access trail. There is no other quite like it!
Thanks to C'Anna, David, and Craig for allowing me to share their photos with you here. To see much more of Craig's nature photography, here is his website: www.ruffimage.com.

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All the rain we've had has brought seasonal waterfalls to life. Allen Vinson recently photographed the waterfall at Stengel Beach.

Beautiful waterfall at Stengel Beach by Allen Vinson

Isn't it beautiful?  Stengel Beach is a public access point on The Sea Ranch. There is a very short trail out to the bluffs to see this waterfall.

Thanks to Allen for allowing me to share his photo with you here.

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There is a beautiful waterfall on the Point Arena-Stornetta Lands. However several years ago the waterfall "broke." The water no longer cascaded off the high bluff but it found a way down inside the rock. I'm happy to report that the waterfall is once again flowing over the bluff. In fact it is spilling off the bluff in two waterfalls. Margaret Lindgren recently photographed them.

To see this waterfall, which has been refreshed by the wonderful rains we are having this week, go down Lighthouse Road. Before you reach the pay station of the Point Arena Lighthouse, you will see a parking area to the left with a porta potty. Enter there and hike south along the bluffs. The scenery is magnificent there, with a sinkhole.

As you can see by the photo, with our golden retriever, Huckleberry, the sinkhole is huge!

Continue heading south - it might take fifteen minutes or so - and you will come to a seasonal creek. You need to hike down, cross the creek, and then climb back up. Go a little further south and look back. Here's a photo I took some time ago, before the waterfall disappeared for several years. You might be able to see the Lighthouse in the distance.

And below is a look at the waterfall when it fractured and the water went inside the rock face.

I am so glad the waterfall is flowing where we can see it. And because these lands are protected as the first land based part of the California Coastal National Monument, they are preserved for all of us to enjoy.

Thanks to Margaret for allowing me to share her photo with you here. Margaret leads hiking tours here on the Mendonoma Coast. Her website is: www.unbeatenpath.weebly.com

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The Salal Trail is a public access trail that starts at Gualala Point Regional Park. Once you pass the pay station, park at the first parking area on the left. The trail head is to the left. The trail goes between Highway One and The Sea Ranch Golf Links. It then turns west, meandering through some lovely trees and bushes. The trail eventually brings you to a very special waterfall. Robert Scarola hiked the trail just after one of the big February rain storms. This is what he found.

It's a magical place to visit when the creek is full. The trail eventually ends at a small beach, a perfect end to a wonderful trail.

Thanks to Robert for allowing me to share his photo with you here.

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C'Anna Bergman-Hill recently visited the Stornetta Lands with her camera in tow. There is much to explore on this 1132 acre paradise, with 2 miles of oceanfront. I've previously posted a photo of the lovely waterfall that can be found there. C'Anna's photos will show you more of this beautiful spot on the Mendocino Coast.

                                              Here is an offshore rock with a tunnel.

A sink hole along the trail.
Gulls taking a bath at the top of the waterfall.
Thank to C'Anna for allowing me to share her photos!