Rock Spring Trailhead

The drive to this trailhead is stunning.
The road is narrow and lots of bikers, so you have to be careful.

We parked here, there is enough parking snd some bathrooms (with sanitizer and paper towel) which is nice.

Started the Cataract trail and walked towards Laurell Dell Pic nic zone. This segment of trail is pretty flat and easy.
The second segment is continuing on catarct trail going down the slope towards cataract falls (magnificent and beautiful) and finally to the alpine lake and towards cataract fall trailhead where one could have alternatively parked and started the journey. This segment of the trail is also not that hard as you are going "downwards". It is however not ideal for those with joint/knee pain or mobility issues.
The biggest challenge is coming back up from alpine lake towards Laurell Dell Pic nice zone as the entire path is uphill and includes lots of stairs and rocks along the way.

Overall the out and back from Rock Spring Trailhead to Cataract falls trailhead took us under 3 hours and that includes stopping to take pictures and I would consider the trail of moderate difficulty for avid hikers.

Once you are at the Rock Spring Trailhead, there is also a viewpoint: Vista of San Francisco. Check it out, it give a nice pano view of SF.

I wish people with dogs were more respectful of rules and other hikers, and would keep their dogs on a lead (leash) as the trail is narrow and some folks are not comfortable with dogs coming so close to them.

Absolutely gorgeous trails with a map at the trailhead letting you know the difficulty level of each. At the trailhead, there are portable restrooms. Dogs are welcome on the trails, but of course, make sure to pick up after them and bring food and water for them. There is a serene little picnic area about 1.4 miles from the trailhead. If you take the Cataract Trail, make sure to wear shoes with good grip since there are little streams running through the trail that make the walkway slippery. Hiking back to the trailhead requires going up a lot of stairs (my fitness tracker counted about 125 at the end).

Medium size parking area with trails leading to cataract falls and more.
There are picnic tables in the shade and clean porta potties. I didn't see drinking water at the trailhead.

Beautiful hike! You will be hiking down first and then up. Strenuous but fairly heavily trafficked. Beautiful views. No swimming in the waterfalls or reservoirs as these are drinking water and cannot get polluted. Ranger patrols regularly and hands out citations.

Wonderful trail that goes through the forest, a bit of the meadow/open space, and different habitats. In April there’s still a little bit of water running alongside portions of the trail.

Great spot to begin a hike on Mt. Tamalpais. From the parking lot, I took the rocky Simmons Trail to the Mickey O'Brien Trail, which connects to the Cataract trail. The Cataract trail is beautiful, but winds way down the mountain along side the creek, which is still running in August. Not many people on a Saturday until reaching Cataract Trail.

Absolutely stunning. Would highly recommend. Wear good hiking shoes with good traction. Muddy and slippery out right now but worth it

My favorite place so far to start a hike/run as you can go in any direction from here, and those paths branch off further. Lots of possible hiking experiences available with rocky paths, waterfalls, forest glades, streams, abandoned military areas, etc.

There are a couple porta-potties at this parking lot which are never pleasant but better than nothing when you’re halfway up a mountain!

A fun activity I did from this lot once was an REI compass navigation class. Would recommend that as a gift for anyone you know who loves the outdoors if it is still available!

Whether you’re into forest or coastal hikes, this is an excellent base from which to start your hikes. Trails are beginner to difficult (mostly due to change in elevation). Amazing drive cos Shoreline HWY/Ridgecrest and Shoreline/Panoramic HWY.

Note: You may have to park here or slight up or down the road

Beautiful trail all the way down to Cataract Falls, perfect after the rains! Feels like you're in the Pacific Northwest like Olympic National Park! So much water!

The Benstein trail is one of the most beautiful I’ve ever hiked. The Simmons trail is very rocky but also very scenic.

Easy parking, though it can fill up fast. Porta potties on site. The best part...awesome DOG FRIENDLY trails. About 5.5 miles round trip to the falls. Remember to leave no trace.
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Scenery was absolutely gorgeous! Plenty of water to be found near the trail in the form of waterfalls, creeks, and rivers.

Altitude gains were quite drastic on the way up and down, you’ll be sure to climb plenty of stairs.

We enjoyed the hike. But it was a bit hard because of the elevation

Mossy trees, amazing waterfalls, nice hike to get the heartrate up, and an overall beautiful setting...... What more could you want.

Amazing place to hike! Cataract trail starts here which has tons of waterfalls. Note this part you start at the top and hike your way down.

Plenty of parking but I don't think there are any lines. So it's a little unclear where you can finish a row and such.

You can also get a great view of SF and the bay bridge!

Great start for hiking the east Summit of Mt Tam.

One of the best hiking areas in the Bay area.. from here you can see both the ocean and the Bay... Lots of great trails

Plenty of free parking near the entrance. There is 3 portable potties to the left of the entrance. Make sure you bring wipes because they don't provide any hand wash. There is a map at the entrance.

Lot of hiking trails from this trail head. Best sunset view of the ocean.