I read somewhere, I think it was at the State Parks website, that the Limekiln Creek Trail to reach the waterfall is easy. And it was! I even double-checked the AllTrails app to make sure and AllTrails confirmed it.
What was never mentioned anywhere is that the trail will cross the aforementioned creek several times and you will have to wade through it. Several times.
So be prepared to get your shoes wet. Or wear older and/or dirtier shoes that you won't mind getting completely soaked.
The waterfall is AH-MAY-ZING and was worth way more than the effort it took to do that relatively-super-easy hike. We visited in the middle of April after a non-drought California winter so the flow is solid. In fact, the flow was so solid, there were TWO waterfalls at the end of this trail! Whoa!
It was not a warm California day and the water was straight up icy so no one even thought of taking off any clothing item and dip any body part in the pools below the waterfalls. It was fun looking around and playing with the water with our hands though.
There is no place to "lounge" around. The larger rocks are closer to the waterfall and you'll be blocking people's photo shot of the waterfall if you hang out there. There is a small clearing at the "lower level" where you could take a break, eat some snacks and dry those feet, but it's not that large.
I can imagine in the summer, some young-ish instagrammer would come prepared in a stylish bathing suit and pose beneath the cascades. Even if I had the guts to do it, there is no way I would do it during this trip - I would likely get rushed to the ER for hypothermia. Ok, ok. Maybe not as bad as hypothermia, but I would be shivering up an earthquake for the rest of the day at least.
The trailhead isn't hard to find. Even though there was no sign pointing to the trailhead at the park entrance or anywhere near the day-use parking lot, we didn't have any trouble finding it at all. At the entrance, one path leads to the ocean and the other to the mountain; so we took the path that leads to the mountain (because the trail is supposed to be a mile or so long and I deduced it would be in that direction) which led us to the day-use parking lot.
We parked in the day-use parking lot next to the restroom facilities and followed the trail/sign that leads up to a large campground uphill and upwind from the bathrooms and next to the babbling creek.
Oh man! Next time we go camping as a large group, I would TOTALLY RECOMMEND this campground. Here's a short list of whys:
- There is a trail that leads you to the ocean.
- There is a trail that leads you to a waterfall.
- There are other trails in the forest that lead you to other places I don't know about but are listed in the website (see below).
- The bathroom is downhill and downwind from the campsites. (I know I mentioned that before, but I believe it is worth mentioning again.) Or at least, the campsites on the "mountain" side of the park.
- The bathroom has coin-operated showers! The sign says for campers only.
- The mountain-side camp "sites" are all under the trees!
You can drive your car all the way up to your campsite. All the campsites are placed on either side of the "driveway" and everything is under a shade because they're all under the trees!!!!
The driveway ends on a wooden bridge that also marks the beginning of Limekiln Creek Falls Trail (trailhead!!!). As I mentioned above, there are a few trails in this park which means there are things to do at this campsite already and you won't need to drive out.
There are no trashcans or bathroom facilities on the trail so make sure you pick up after yourself. And if you see some trash, go ahead and be a good citizen of the world and pick it up too.
Tips:
- Stick to the trail. If it ends on the creek, cross it!
- Cash only for park entrance.
- If the park ranger is not there when you arrive, there are envelopes you can put your $ into and a box to drop your envelopes in.
Limekiln State Park
Limekiln Creek & Falls Trail
https://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=577
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