Alpine Dam and Cataract Falls by Mt Tamalpais.

Nov 30, 2024 This is a day road biking trip.

Hiking/Walking to the Cataract Falls.

This is a really fun one — the combination of climbing deep in the forest, Mt. Tam ridge meandering, descents on well-paved roads, and hiking alongside waterfalls gives you a full day of an assortment of Marin beauty. The elevation gain is around 4000 ft, but it’s spread out. Not too difficult.

Strava link is here

General logistical items and notes:

1. This will be a full day trip. Highly likely you will need to take the ferry back because of the cold weather at sunset or you’re simply too tired. We left the GGBridge at 9am and took the 5pm ferry back from Sausalito.
2. Due to the long duration of the trip spanning morning and evening, diverse terrain and activities the trip contains, bringing layers is a must.
3. Because the climbs are spread out, it is important to take breaks to prevent cramps.
4. Despite it is not too difficult, your body will be sore the next day. Consider doing the ride on a Saturday instead of Sunday.

What to bring:

1. A lightweight lock. You will need this when you hike in the Cataract Falls.
2. MTB shoes or any shoes that allow you to walk comfortably in. No road bike shoes unless you want to skip the short hike to the fall.
3. 1-2 more layers. One could be a windbreaker and one could be a thin sweater.
4. Tons of snack. Total calories should be a minimum of 1000 Cal. (More on this later)
5. 500ml - 1L water (more on this later)
6. Sunscreen applied beforehand or brought on the trip.
7. Repair tool kit.
8. (Optional) latex gloves to fix loose chain.
9. (Optional) phone power bank.

Stops and Itinerary:

A. Going to Fairfax

1. GGBridge coffee. Add layer for the bridge.
2. Public bathroom: the one by Sausalito pier. Remove the bridge layer.
3. Dolliver Park bathroom public bathroom.
4. Fairfax - the coffee Roastery. This will be the last food intake options. Buy snacks here! Fill up your water bottle here too.

B. Fairfax to Alpine Dam. It will be some climbs kicking in quickly. All do-able as it’s not too steep but you won’t be able to get food or water along the way. Again, pack enough snacks and water in Fairfax. This stretch starts right behind the coffee roastery onto the Bolinas Road. You will go through a golf club in the middle of nowhere after some moderate climb.

C. Alpine Dam and Cataract Fall hike. You can lock the bike closer to the dam area and walk over to the trail. The trail is 0.5 mile long to see some significant falls. Can be made longer into 1 mile longer though. Take ample rest here before going back to biking. It is all uphill until the top.

D. Mt Tam ridge. Rest at the top. After the break, you will turn left. The road on the right leads you to Bolinas. You should see a sign going into the Mt Tam Park very quickly. It gets warmer in this stretch. You will soon be fully exposed under the sun, which is nice if it is cold. Endless lines of mountain contours on your left side and the ocean on your right side. You may be able to see Farallon Island on a nice day.

E. Mountain Home Inn This is the rest before the last bit of descents. Nice spot to have a meal. The deck overlooks the mountains and is warm.

F. Bottom of the hill - Joe’s Taco Lounge Joe’s Taco Lounge. Big serving. I recommend the Mexican style burgers and their Chicken Tortilla Soup. Can be cold to be here for a long time unless sun is available.

G. Sausalito Ferry Terminal Try timing your trip to enjoy a perfect sunset here or on the ferry.