Stengel Beach Bliss

Seasonal Waterfall at Stengel Beach on the Sonoma Coast

03.15.2018

One of the coolest things about Stengel Beach Waterfall is that you’ll probably have it to yourself. Few people head to this beach because the waterfall is like a ghost, appearing in its best form after recent rains. So it’s not an obvious stop, unless it has rained! This now-you-see-it, now-you-don’t cascade is located up in The Sea Ranch on the Sonoma Coast.

And it’s easy to access: a 5-minute walk down a path lined by cypress trees gets you to the wooden stairs down to Stengel Beach. A short section on a large rock has a metal rail to help you get down to the sand. The falls jump off a 20-foot-tall bluff right onto the beach. Green moss sparkles on the rocks behind the cascading water. It’s easy to chill out in the small pocket cove with plenty of bobbing kelp and seals basking on the rocks just offshore.

The only sounds are those of the waterfall and the waves. Bring binoculars to spy migrating gray whales. Solo in Stengel is a good place to be!

Map and Directions. Dog-friendly!

Trending Stories NorCal

View all Stories

  1. Hidden Botanical Garden

    Forget a dozen roses. Give your love a botanical garden. Hidden on the western slope of Sonoma Valley’s Mayacamas Mountains, Sonoma Botanical Garden has one of the Bay Area’s best displays of Asian flora—and it’s a brilliant place for a quiet picnic and some calming contemplations.

    View

  2. Sunnyvale and Salty

    For up-close bird watching, it’s hard to beat a walk along the San Francisco Bay. This 5-mile loop on the Sunnyvale coast is a favorite of local wildlife photographers.

    View
  3. A man takes a break at a temple spot on a hike at Dragon Mountain in Milptas

    Dragon Quest

    The newly reopened, 4-mile out-and-back hike at Dragon Mountain in Milpitas mixes the physical with the spiritual for a serene hiking experience.

    View
  4. woman hiking Buck Gulch Falls Novato

    Buck Wild!

    Tucked back beyond the residential ranch-style homes and golf courses of Novato in the North Bay is a wild and wondrous 30-foot waterfall that springs to life in the rainy season. Buck Gulch Falls in Novato’s Ignacio Valley Preserve is in peak flow right now, and it’s a short and Middle-earthy hike to reach it.

    View

Trending Stories SoCal

View all Stories
  1. A woman stands at Dante's View in Death Valley, looking out to Telescope Peak and Manly Lake, Badwater Basin below.

    Sunset Hike at Dante's View

    It’s one of the world’s best places to watch a sunset. Dante’s View is a 5,476-foot vantage of the whole southern basin of Death Valley from the top of the Black Mountains. Right now there's a banner and bonus view of a rare lake formation that appears only after big rains.

    View
  2. Keough's Hot Springs

    Soaking Up History

    When you slide into the soothing water of Keough’s Hot Springs, you’re bathing in a piece of Owens Valley history.

    View

  3. It's a Waterfall Life

    Tahquitz Canyon’s crystalline stream and lush stands of desert lavender, honey mesquite, and leafy sycamores is home to an easy day hike with a big bonus: a 60-foot waterfall that runs with remarkable gusto after winter rains.

    View
  4. Grover Hot Springs

    State Park Soaker

    Set in an alpine meadow at 6,000 feet and surrounded by the 10,000-foot granite peaks of the Sierra, Grover Hot Springs State Park—just outside the town of Markleeville—has its very own hot springs.

    View