Tenaja Falls Trail Guide

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On the scenic route, you’ll head down into the canyon from the trailhead. When you reach Fisherman’s Camp, you’ll make the turn and head up the canyon to the falls.

From Fisherman’s Camp, you head downhill and then gradually up along San Mateo Canyon. If you’re doing the short hike, you’ll start around 3.5 miles on this graph and just head uphill to the falls.

The Fisherman’s Camp trailhead parking area is small. If it’s full, drive a minute past the trailhead to a bigger parking area, which I’ve marked on the map below.

When you start the hike, make sure you sign in at the trail box, which is a minute down from the parking area. You don’t need a permit for a day hike; this lets the rangers know how many people are using the trail. Theoretically, the more people that come

The Tenaja Falls Trail parking lot is big, but it is a popular route, and fills up at popular times.

The road is paved, but narrow. Go slow, especially around blind corners.

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Keep your eyes open for poison oak, which grows along moist areas like San Mateo Creek. The leaves can vary in shape and size, but generally if you see a shiny, oily surface on the leaves like these, it’s poison something or other.

The Fisherman’s Camp trailhead parking area is small. If it’s full, drive a minute past the trailhead to a bigger parking area, which I’ve marked on the map below.

When you start the hike, make sure you sign in at the trail box, which is a minute down from the parking area. You don’t need a permit for a day hike; this lets the rangers know how many people are using the trail. Theoretically, the more people that come

The Tenaja Falls Trail parking lot is big, but it is a popular route, and fills up at popular times.

The road is paved, but narrow. Go slow, especially around blind corners.

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