Hiking Into the New Year

The first day of the new year, and we checked off another California adventure. The hike to Alamere Falls has been on our list for a while, as hiking 14-miles roundtrip to a waterfall through hills of redwood trees needs some mental preparation (I speak for myself, of course).

Yet we were given a few breaks in our itinerary. First of all, our initial trailhead was closed due to landslides. We were directed to another trailhead that was flat and along the coast, and so our 7-mile hike to the falls was quite enjoyable and for the most part, easy. We passed many people, young and old, on the trail. It was a beautiful hike. The hills opened up to the water, and the views along the coast caught the air in our lungs. We passed hillsides of ferns, and meadows where the mountains dipped.

Once we got onto the beach, it was another mile to find the falls. We were caught off guard by seeing a lot of the people we passed had already made it there. And that was when we learned of a short cut that trimmed the hike by a whopping 3 miles. Hence, our second break: the hike back would be much shorter.

Alamere Falls was picturesque, and once we climbed up the cliffside, we were afforded views of its entirety. It was a waterfall of multiple levels, and had beautiful little pools lined by lillies. It was a beautiful day to begin the new year, and to connect with a state that is feeling more and more like home.