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Berry Creek Falls is a roughly 70-foot cascade in a redwood-filled gorge in Big Basin Redwoods State Park, the most famous of a chain of falls that includes Silver Falls and Golden Cascade. The classic loop using the Skyline-to-the-Sea and Sunset Trails runs roughly 10 to 11 miles with about 2,300 feet of elevation gain; trails have been affected by the 2020 CZU Lightning Complex fire.

Height
70 ft
Type
Cascade
Access
Backcountry
Trail
10.5 mi loop
Elevation gain
2,300 ft
Best season
Winter to spring (December-May, after rains)
Land manager
California State Parks (Big Basin Redwoods State Park)
Watercourse
Berry Creek

Before you go

Waterfalls are hazardous by nature — wet rock, cold water, and unstable edges — and flow varies enormously with season and recent rain. Trail figures here describe the route as documented, not conditions today. Check California State Parks (Big Basin Redwoods State Park) for closures and current conditions, and confirm land status before setting out.

Frequently Asked Questions

Berry Creek Falls drops about 70 feet. That makes it the 323rd-tallest documented waterfall in this inventory, taller than roughly 53% of the falls listed here. Height comes from published land-manager and survey records, not from our own measurement.

The Berry Creek Falls Loop (Skyline-to-the-Sea / Sunset Trail) reaches it about 10.5 miles (loop) with roughly 2,300 feet of elevation gain, rated strenuous. The nearest town is Boulder Creek. That describes the route as documented, not conditions on the day — check with California State Parks (Big Basin Redwoods State Park) for closures and current conditions.

Winter to spring (December-May, after rains). Waterfall flow swings enormously with snowmelt and recent rain, so a fall that roars in spring can be a trickle by late summer.

More California waterfalls

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