It’s no secret that I’m to Point Reyes National Seashore more (much more) than I let you guys know about it. But, oddly enough, I have not yet been to Alamere Falls (well, have been by now, obviously, otherwise I wouldn’t be able to write about it).

The trail to Alamere Falls was closed for quite a long time because of a storm damage. I don’t know when it opened again but it wasn’t updated on my hiking app and so I did not attempt to hike there in the Autumn of 2017. During what they call “winter” here, I kind of forgot about it and in April this year, I was determined to hike there no matter what. And, for the very first time ever, I thought to myself: “why not to hike with somebody this time, instead of going alone?” And so I asked a friend of mine (yes, even I managed to make friends here, after almost a year!) to join me.

We got up late that day (well, late for me, probably still early for most of the people here in the US as I learned) and didn’t start driving toward Polomarin Trailhead until much later. With the traffic – and the fact that it was Saturday, when we got  to the trailhead by the time which could only barely be called late morning, the parking lot was way beyond full and we got directed to park our car over half a mile away from the start of the trail. Doesn’t sound like much, does it? Well, it adds up in the end.

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My friend’s shoulders started to hurt already by the time we got to the beginning of the Sky Trail (I know it sounds confusing, but that’s the same place where Polomarin Trailhead is) from the heavy equipment he brought with him – he’s a photographer. By the time we passed the first mile (or so), I offered him to switch the backpacks for a while (mine was much lighter) but was refused (now, I know, you grown-up bad-ass men, why, don’t worry – but sometimes, accepting help isn’t that much of a bad idea).

But we made our way through the eucalyptus grove, past the cliffs and a lot of flowers, stopping at Bass Lake, the trail being easy and fun, and… missed the turn to the waterfalls.

You see, it’s really well masked! Luckily, it took me only about a hundred yards to realize the mistake when the path continued in a way I did not recall reading in the map. We walked back and found the turn, perfectly hidden in the bushes.

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Now was the time for the real fun to begin! I just LOVE that trail. You go under the bushes, through tunnels in trees, narrow paths with walls of more bushes, grass, flowers, and probably poison oak, too, towering above your hear on both sides. Most of the times, if there’s anyone coming from the other direction, one of you needs to find a good place to stop and half-disappear in the vegetation.

And in the end, to get down to the waterfalls and then to the beach, you need to scramble and climb down a rocky cliff. Be careful here, it gets really slippery even when dry.

As I said, the trail is FUN. One of the most fun trails in Point Reyes National Seashore, if I may say – and believe me, I hiked through most of them.

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But even if you’re not that “crazy” and the trail seems more like hell to you, I promise, the waterfalls are definitely worth it.

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The way back, however, seemed kind of longer than the way there and we were really happy when we thought we finally found our car after about half a mile on the rocky road – and then really, really disappointed when it turned out not being my car.

On our way home, we devoured a box of Pocky I left in the compartment – it was melted together but still delicious. I mean, what wouldn’t be, after around ten miles – with my friend breaking his shoulders under the heavy backpack and me still weak and nauseous from food poisoning I somewhat recovered from only two days before the trip?