Uvas Canyon Waterfall Loop
Morgan Hill, South Bay · near Morgan Hill · SF Bay Area
Hiking
At a glance
- Difficulty
- easy
- Route type
- loop
- Distance
- 2 miles
- Elevation gain
- 500 ft
- Time needed
- day
- Best season
- Winter–early spring (Dec–Apr) · Waterfalls flow only after rain; dry by summer
Permits and booking
- Permit required
- Yes
- How the permit works
- Weekend/peak-season parking reservation required (Santa Clara County Parks) + small day-use fee. Leashed dogs allowed (confirm trail rules at the gate).
- How hard the permit is to get
- 2 of 5
What is here
- Features
- Cluster of seasonal waterfalls (Black Rock, Basin, Upper, Uvas) · Fern-lined creek canyon · Redwood and bay forest · Family-friendly loop
Worth knowing
- Dogs
- Allowed
- Good for a first timer
- Yes
Hiking detail
- Intl tip
- Go within a few days of a good rain (Jan–Mar) for the falls at full flow, and reserve a parking slot in advance — the tiny lot fills.
The guide
The best short waterfall hike in the South Bay, packing a half-dozen cascades into a compact, creek-hugging loop. After winter …
In the Guidebook
Everything above is yours for free. The written guide to Uvas Canyon Waterfall Loop — what it is actually like, and what we would tell a friend before they went — comes with the Guidebook.
Getting there
- Coordinates
- 37.0838, -121.7976