McWay Falls Hike
Waterfall · about 80 ft high | California
0.6 mi round trip
McWay Falls Hike at a Glance
The McWay Falls hike via the Overlook Trail is 0.6 mi round trip.
| Falls height | About 80 ft |
|---|---|
| Elevation at the falls | ≈ 80 ft |
| Trail | Overlook Trail |
| Distance | 0.6 mi round trip |
Your time: about 10 min of moving time at Naismith pace (3 mph plus 1 hour per 2,000 ft climbed); about 15 min at a relaxed pace. A 160 lb hiker with a daypack burns roughly 110 kcal. No elevation gain is published for this route, so climbing time isn’t included.
Adjust for your pace and breaks →Route line not shown. The 0.6 mi distance for this hike is verified (hikespeak.com), but we don't yet have a trail track we trust, so the map shows only the destination. Carry an official map.
About McWay Falls
McWay Falls is a waterfall in California, about 80 feet high, on land managed by Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park (California State Parks). Its height is from parks.ca.gov.
The Hike
The hike to the falls follows the Overlook Trail: 0.6 miles round trip, from Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park, Highway 1. Distance from hikespeak.com.
Before You Go
- Vehicle day use costs $10.00. (parks.ca.gov)
- There is no beach or ocean access at McWay Falls. (parks.ca.gov)
- As of October 2026 the Timber and Plaskett fires were still active nearby; the park's day-use areas were open. (parks.ca.gov)
- As of October 2026 all backcountry trails east of Highway 1 were closed indefinitely. (parks.ca.gov)
- Rock around waterfalls is slick when wet; stay on the trail and back from the edge.
- Check Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park (California State Parks) for current conditions, closures and parking before you go.
Sources
Frequently Asked Questions
How long is the hike to McWay Falls?
The Overlook Trail to McWay Falls is 0.6 miles round trip.
Where does the McWay Falls hike start?
It starts from Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park, Highway 1.
How tall is McWay Falls?
McWay Falls is about 80 feet high.
Is there a fee to hike to McWay Falls?
Vehicle day use costs $10.00.
Safety Information
Current Hazards
- Slippery wet rock near the falls
- Fast, high water after rain or snowmelt
- Check weather before departure
Turn-Around Time
3:00 PM
Plan to reach the falls by this time so you are back before dark.
Essential Gear Checklist
* Critical items - do not hike without these
Emergency Contacts
Emergency / Search & Rescue
911Point Forecast
NWS Point Forecast →In most of the US, backcountry search and rescue is dispatched through 911 — tell the operator you have a hiker emergency and your GPS coordinates.
Downloads
Sources for The McWay Falls Guide
Where the trail data, elevation and route line on this page come from.
- Verified against
- hikespeak.com
- Distance
- hikespeak.com
- Falls height
- parks.ca.gov
- Falls location
- en.wikipedia.org
- Elevation
- ≈ the falls drop to a sea-level beach, so the top sits at about its published height
Conditions change. Check the land manager for closures, fees and weather before you go.