Tiptoe Falls & Waterfalls

Tiptoe Falls is a waterfall on Fall Creek inside Portola Redwoods State Park, and the California State Parks trail map marks it with its own path, labeled the trail to Tiptoe Falls. It is one of several waterfalls on Fall Creek and Pescadero Creek, which State Parks describes tumbling down mossy banks over rocks and woody debris. They carry the most water in the rainy season.

Where Tiptoe Falls Is

The State Parks map shows Tiptoe Falls on Fall Creek, on the same sheet as the Iverson Trail and the site of Christian Iverson's 1860s cabin. State Parks does not publish a distance for the trail to the falls, so download the brochure map before you go and ask at the visitor center for the current route.

When to Go

The park gets 40 to 60 inches of rain a year, and the brochure describes winter rains strong enough to wash lily bulbs downstream. That is when the creeks, and the falls, carry the most water. In the wet months, remember that the map's seasonal bridges are open only from May 15 to October 15, which can change which routes connect.

Looking After the Creeks

Pescadero Creek holds protected coho salmon and steelhead trout. Fishing is not allowed anywhere in the park. Stay on the trail near the falls; the banks are mossy, and stinging nettles and poison oak grow in damp spots along the water.

Other Waterfalls Nearby

The creeks carry on beyond the park boundary. In Memorial County Park, San Mateo County says small waterfalls appear along the Creek Trail later in the year, west of the campground road.

Good For / Maybe Skip If

Good for: an add-on to a creekside walk in the rainy season.

Maybe skip if: you are visiting with a dog (no dogs on trails) or in winter without checking which seasonal bridges are open.