Chase Waterfalls & Wildflowers at Table Mountain Ecological Reserve
Table Mountain Ecological Reserve is the place to go to see wildflowers bloom in the spring. It’s also home to over 17 waterfalls and a diverse array of plants, wildlife and geological features. Located in Butte County, near the town of Cherokee, CA, and only 15 minutes from the town of Oroville, Table Mountain is a must see in the spring!
GETTING THERE
From Hwy 70 in Oroville, exit at Grand Ave (Exit 48). Go East on Grand Ave for 1 mile until you reach the roundabout and then turn right on Cherokee Road and continue straight for 6.3 miles North. You will reach the parking lot on the left side of the road. Just a heads up that the road is very curvy and narrow, in some spots it’s barely passable for two large vehicles. Make sure you drive slow and safe and keep your eyes on the road. The parking lot is fairly large, is graveled and includes vault toilets. There is a gate for visitor entry that leads to to the start of the trails.
WHEN TO VISIT
When to visit is very important because the best time to visit is a short window. This location gets very hot and dry in the summer and fall seasons and the water dries up therefore there aren’t any waterfalls present and the wildflowers are long gone. Also for those of you who don’t like rattlesnakes, the hot season is when you want to avoid this area because there is a large population of rattlesnakes and you will most likely come across a few. I have two favorite times to visit: in the late winter and early spring. If you are chasing waterfalls you will want to go in late winter or early spring after a recent rain so the flows are larger. If it’s wildflowers you’re after then anytime in the spring season is good time to visit. Natural wildflowers bloom at different times so depending on when you go you will most likely see different plants and flower species blooming. As long as the weather is fair and not extremely hot the wildflower bloom should last about 5 weeks. In a normal year you could hike Table Mountain from January-May but the prime wildflower bloom usually occurs for a few short weeks typically taking place from late March to late April. Now referring to time of day, I always recommend going early in the morning. The parking lot gets filled up fast, especially on the weekends and you don’t want to be fighting to find a parking spot on the super narrow road. Also there is very sparse cover on most of Table Mountain and you will be exposed to the sun almost the entire time and when it gets hot its very hot. Beat the crowds and the heat and go early.
WHAT YOU NEED
This Reserve requires each individual have a Lands Pass to access the area and use the trails. The Pass is required for each visitor over 16 years old and costs $5.40 for a day use and $30.50 for the year. You can obtain this pass before your hike by purchasing it online by clicking here. However, if you have a California hunting or fishing license you don’t need to purchase the Lands Pass, just carry that. I personally have never seen anyone checking for passes but its always good to follow the rules and the money goes towards keeping the amenities maintained.
Other than the Lands Pass all you need is your day hiking supplies, water, a map and an adventurous spirit. If you’re totally new to hiking and not sure what you should bring with you on a day hike check out my other post What I Bring With Me On Day Hikes.
PICK YOUR ROUTE
Table Mountain is over 3,300 acres and many miles of trails. There are so many amazing things to see out here besides the waterfalls and wildflowers although they are the main attractions. The most popular trails are Hollow Falls, Phantom Falls and Beatson Falls. I like to do the Phantom-Beatson loop and see them all if you have enough time.
Hollow Falls
This waterfall is the closest to the parking lot and is good if you’re short on time or have dogs or small children who can’t make many miles. Along this trail you will see large patches of wildflowers and will end at a beautiful waterfall. Follow the trail from the parking lot west and stay to the left to follow the path alongside a small stream, around a wire fence, and past a group of large oak trees. You soon come to a ravine with a steep drop off. Hollow Falls is just over that edge. To get to the best viewpoint follow the trail to the left alongside the steep, rocky ravine and traverse the narrow trail down to the bottom of the ravine. When you reach the bottom you will cross over the water flowing from the falls and then walk back towards the way you came to see the waterfall from the bottom. Hollow Falls will be directly across from you, cascading 45 feet down the basalt rock. Poppies and other wildflowers will be blooming on the cliff faces surrounding you. When you’re ready to go just head back the same way you came in.
Total Miles: 1.6 roundtrip
Beatson Falls
This waterfall is one of the largest and easily viewed falls that drops 104 feet into the steep canyon below carrying the waters of Campbell Creek with it. From the viewpoint of this gorgeous waterfall you will also be surrounded by wildflowers of every color. Continue on the trail past Hollow Falls by sliding under a barbed wire fence and hiking west on the trail into an open valley. You will go through sections of large oak trees and get some shade for the first half, crossing small streams and passing by cows munching on grass. After about 2 miles the trail meets Campbell Creek and then turns upwards and takes you on top of the mesa. This rocky section is absolutely covered in wildflowers of every color, including lupines, poppies, monkey flower, purple owl’s clover, and more. After following along the top of the ravines edge you start hearing the sounds of the rushing waterfall and after a few more curves in the trail you look back and are treated with a viewpoint of the gorgeous Beatson Falls. After taking in the scenery and sounds of the waterfall you can turn around and head back to the parking lot the way you came, continue North to Phantom Falls to make the loop or continue to the West to the lesser known Ladder Falls.
Total Miles: 5.5 roundtrip
Phantom Falls & Ravine Falls
This is by far the most popular trail at Table Mountain, taking you to see two amazing waterfalls and lots of gorgeous wildflowers along the way. To hike this route, follow the trail to the right and head North from the parking lot across the flat mesa and along the barbed wire fence. The first section of this hike is exposed and you will cross a handful of small streams until you reach the ravine. The trail traverses the side of the ravine and leads you down to the bottom where you will come face to face with the first waterfall, Ravine Falls. This waterfall drops 76′ overhead and crashes into Ravine Creek. Walking up to the base of this waterfall, you will feel the mist from the falling water and feel as though you’ve been transported to a lush, mossy, magical forest. If you cross the creek in front of the base of the falls and head to the back left side of the waterfall there is a small trail leading you back to another hidden, less known waterfall. Head back to the trail which continues along the creek and then takes you on a rocky switchback trail up the other side of the ravine. Along this steep section you will see clusters of bright orange poppies and about halfway up if you turn around you can see Ravine Falls from another angle. Once out of the ravine, follow the trail back onto the flat mesa towards Phantom Falls. Arrive at Phantom Falls and if after a recent rain, Little Phantom Falls will appear to the right. Phantom Falls drops 164 feet over a sheer cliff edge into Coal Canyon below. There are many different places to see the falls from including standing across from the fall, near the edge of the fall, and you can even hike to the bottom. Wherever you decide to view the spectacular Phantom Falls from, just make sure you do it safely. When you’re ready to go, head back the way you came and end back at the parking lot, or continue on to Beatson Falls to do the loop.
Total Miles: 4.2 roundtrip
Hollow Falls-Beatson Falls-Ravine Falls,-Phantom Falls Loop
If you cant decide which route to take or you want to see as much as you can then do the Phantom-Beatson Loop which will take you past all of the 4 main waterfalls, plus a couple more! If you started by going to Phantom first then you want to head west from the waterfall viewpoint and follow the trail towards Lower Ravine Falls. The trail takes you down and then back up a small ravine and once at the top you will see a stream cascading over a 40 foot cliff to form Lower Ravine Falls. Cross over the stream to the other side and follow the trail through some oak trees and foliage to the top of another mesa. Then you start a long trek south across the open flat mesa, towards Beatson Falls. You will see cows grazing and will pass by Western Pond with views of the valley and coastal range on the other side. You then run into a fence and follow it around until you reach another ravine and you will see the sign for Beatson Falls. From Beatson Falls, follow the trail East back towards Hollow Falls and the parking lot. Alternatively you could go the other direction if you started out at Beatson, head North to reach Phantom Falls and Ravine Falls, then head back to the parking lot to complete the loop.
Total Miles: 7.3 roundtrip
TIPS
- For navigation I use the All Trails app and I download the trail map on my phone ahead of time so I can use it even when my phone doesn’t have service. It allows me to see an overview of the trail and terrain and track my route.
- The terrain on Table Mountain is rocky and uneven and very muddy in the early season. I recommend wearing waterproof boots, and bringing trekking poles to help with stability.
- Make sure you pack lots of water. I usually pack 2 liters of water and bring my Sawyer Water Filter as a backup.
I hope this helps you get out to Table Mountain and chase those waterfalls and wildflowers!
