Santa Ynez Falls Hike
Waterfall · about 18 ft high | California
2.5 mi round trip
250 ft
Easy
Santa Ynez Falls Hike at a Glance
The Santa Ynez Falls hike via the Santa Ynez Canyon Trail is 2.5 mi round trip with 250 ft of elevation gain.
| Falls height | About 18 ft |
|---|---|
| Elevation at the falls | ≈ 970 ft |
| Trail | Santa Ynez Canyon Trail |
| Distance | 2.5 mi round trip |
| Elevation gain | 250 ft |
| Difficulty | Easy |
Your time: about 1 h of moving time at Naismith pace (3 mph plus 1 hour per 2,000 ft climbed); about 1 h 10 min at a relaxed pace. A 160 lb hiker with a daypack burns roughly 540 kcal.
Adjust for your pace and breaks →Route line not shown. The 2.5 mi distance and 250 ft of gain for this hike are 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 Santa Ynez Falls
Santa Ynez Falls is a waterfall in California, about 18 feet high, on land managed by Topanga State Park (California State Parks). Its height is from hikespeak.com.
The Hike
The hike to the falls follows the Santa Ynez Canyon Trail: 2.5 miles round trip with about 250 feet of elevation gain, from Vereda De La Montura trailhead. Distance from hikespeak.com. By the National Park Service difficulty formula (distance against climb) that puts it at Easy.
Before You Go
- No entrance fee, pass, or permit is required. (hikespeak.com)
- Dogs are not allowed on the park trails, fire roads, or in the back country. (parks.ca.gov)
- Due to the impacts of the Palisades Fire, some areas of Topanga State Park remain closed to the public. (parks.ca.gov)
- Rock around waterfalls is slick when wet; stay on the trail and back from the edge.
- Check Topanga State Park (California State Parks) for current conditions, closures and parking before you go.
Sources
Frequently Asked Questions
How long is the hike to Santa Ynez Falls?
The Santa Ynez Canyon Trail to Santa Ynez Falls is 2.5 miles round trip with about 250 feet of elevation gain.
Where does the Santa Ynez Falls hike start?
It starts from Vereda De La Montura trailhead.
How tall is Santa Ynez Falls?
Santa Ynez Falls is about 18 feet high.
Is there a fee to hike to Santa Ynez Falls?
No entrance fee, pass, or permit is required.
Are dogs allowed on the Santa Ynez Falls trail?
Dogs are not allowed on the park trails, fire roads, or in the back country.
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 Santa Ynez Falls Guide
Where the trail data, elevation and route line on this page come from.
- Verified against
- hikespeak.com
- Distance
- hikespeak.com
- Falls height
- hikespeak.com
- Falls location
- worldwaterfalldatabase.com
- Elevation
- ≈ Copernicus GLO-90 elevation model at the falls coordinates (via Open-Meteo)
Conditions change. Check the land manager for closures, fees and weather before you go.