Updated July 2026
Salmon Creek Falls
Salmon Creek Falls is a roughly 120-foot waterfall in the southern Big Sur region of Monterey County, within the Silver Peak Wilderness of Los Padres National Forest. A short, unpaved trail from Highway 1 reaches a viewpoint among large boulders, with the base requiring a scramble.
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 Los Padres National Forest / Silver Peak Wilderness (USFS) for closures and current conditions, and confirm land status before setting out.
Frequently Asked Questions
Salmon Creek Falls drops about 120 feet. That makes it the 163rd-tallest documented waterfall in this inventory, taller than roughly 77% of the falls listed here. Height comes from published land-manager and survey records, not from our own measurement.
The Salmon Creek Trail reaches it about 0.25 miles (out-and-back) with roughly 60 feet of elevation gain, rated easy. The nearest town is Big Sur. That describes the route as documented, not conditions on the day — check with Los Padres National Forest / Silver Peak Wilderness (USFS) for closures and current conditions.
Winter to spring (after rain). 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
- Alamere Falls · 40 ft
- Bassi Falls · 109 ft
- Berry Creek Falls · 70 ft
- Big Falls · 500 ft
- Bridalveil Fall · 617 ft
- Burney Falls · 129 ft
- Carlon Falls · 35 ft
- Cascade Falls · 200 ft
Sources
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