Dawn Falls Trailhead

Great trail but gets very busy on weekends. The trail is entirely in the woods, and a cool creek runs along the trail
Dogs are welcome on leash (off leash on fire roads only).
There is very limited parking, so plan to park down the street and walk to the trailhead.

I’ve hiked this trail 100+ times and have some great info if you’ve never been here before. First, know it’s possible to reach the summit of Mt. Tam from the bottom of where the trailhead starts. You should budget for 3-6 hours depending on pace. It’s 2500 ft and will require using 3 different fire roads. There are shortcuts, but it’s also very easy to get lost following the man made creeks. There are lots of stairs at the end of the hike when the terrain will be its steepest.

Cell phone service is hit or miss due to tree cover. If hiking with headphones on, be very careful because mountain biking is very popular on these roads and people are flying downhill. While running/ hiking I’ve seen multiple bikers get injured because of the intensity of the terrain.

Sunrises are incredible once you get to the first fire road and the views only get better the higher you go. Highly recommend the trail running here as well.

The ‘falls’ usually run bone dry by summer and if you want to see water flowing your best bet is to go during a wet winter or after storms in the spring. Roads are marked by obelisks and there’s a trail map at the very bottom as well as a relief map/ trail map at the top by the parking lot/ water fountain.

This place is awesome. It’s Muir Woods without the crowds and hassles. The climb can be daunting when you start heading uphill on the first switchback, but it’s a short one and take you to a fire road worth exploring in either direction. Cheers!

Even though it's very short. This is our favorite trail nearby. There are No big hills to traverse. Plus there's a beautiful stream all the way to the waterfall. There's always someone on the trail. Not a lot of someone's. Just a couple every now and then.

Beautiful, wooded, easy to moderate trail. Not paved. Definitely uneven ground. Some up and down. Dogs allowed. The drive up to the trailhead is very narrow with cars going both ways.

A beautiful trail. You can access the trailhead in a quiet residential area. The trail is clearly marked so it would be very difficult to get lost. We started very early in the morning so by the time we were done, crowds were just starting to come. So if you want to keep your social distance during this pandemic, start early because this seems to be a very popular trail.

Love this hike. Been doing this trail my whole life. Nice out now with so much water on the falls, just be careful, it can be slippery. Fun to take Dawn Falls up to Hoo Look E Koo all the way to Baltimore canyon.

Easy, enjoyable trail. Take a detour up Ladybug trail to see wild orchids in late April.

Such a beautiful trail , nature nature , you must visit this place , I recommend it .

Such a great trail. Absolutely beautiful, especially after a rain when the river is flowing alot. You can choose to just take an easy, flat trail, or you can go on a good climb up the ladybug trail, but they are all great trails

Even with all the people we saw on this trail, it is still quiet and serene. It is kid friendly with lots of opportunities to leave the trail and for them to splash in the stream. The falls were small this time of year, but that was to be expected. One thing you should know, though, is getting here requires driving on a one lane road through a residential area. There is very limited parking and it is a popular area.

One of the most serene places in the bay. Had a nice aura in the air

Easy to moderate trail with beautiful views.

Very cute trail tucked away in the Larkspur hills, gorgeous forest scenery tucked next to ridiculously expensive houses in the surrounding neighborhoods. The main trail isn’t particularly strenuous, definitely doable for children and family’s. Obviously there’s a waterfall at the ‘end’ of the hike, and I say end in quotes because I’ve definitely gone off the path and climbed up the dried up river bed of what would be the waterfall in a different season, but I digress.

For those staying on the trail it is pretty straightforward, especially from the parking area, however, for those seeking more of a challenge, there are several offshoot trails that will take you basically straight up the slope at a pretty steep incline (definitely less for families at this point), however, if you park near the trail head and go left on the main path as opposed to right (which would take you to the waterfall), by going left it will take you on a decent length, but not too steep hike, that will eventually lead you to the same points as if you would’ve cut up the hill, but at a much easier pace.

All in all, there’s pretty much something for everyone on this trail, it is dog friendly (on leash) and I believe horse friendly(?) as well, absolutely would recommend!

Absolutely gorgeous and somewhat frightening in the rain, with drops into a gorge.

I love this trail. It is a magical walk in the redwoods with a large waterfall at the end! So beautiful. And my little kids loved it too! ❤

Cant go wrong on any trail in marin county. Highly recommended for a family or solo.

Amazing hike. Waterfall.

Cute trail. Limited residential street parking. We foraged a few hazelnuts. The huckleberries will be in season in a month or so. Blackberries by the street before the trail. Thimbleberry plants with no berries yet. The falls were dry but I'm sure it's nice nearer to winter. A culture of putting your mask on when walking by people though no signs require it. Except the trail runners.

This is absolutely a gorgeous trail, it is flat and easy to walk, and very quiet (if you do not go during the rush hours). The parking is limited, but I was lucky to find parking during the weekday around 5:30 pm.

My favorite trail in Marin County