Swanson Creek Trail

Dogs Leashed

Features River/Creek · Waterfall

Swanson Creek Trail starts from Waterfall Loop Road which is really a trail. From the parking area, take the park road towards the campground. Watch carefully for a sign for Waterfall Loop Trail on the left, indicating the Waterfall Loop Road trailhead. If while you are on the park road, you go over Swanson Creek on a bridge, you went too far. Going left at the Waterfall Loop Trail sign from the park road, take Waterfall Loop Road for 0.1 miles, going past the Alec Canyon Trail junction to an unmarked trail junction on the right. This unmarked trail junction is the beginning of Swanson Creek Trail.

Turning right onto Swanson Creek Trail, the trail descends to Swanson Creek and crosses the creek on a sturdy bridge. The first waterfall, Granuja Falls is here at this creek crossing. After crossing Swanson Creek, the trail turns right and goes down a set of stairs, and then onto a wide dirt path that runs along Swanson Creek.

Very shortly after this, Swanson Creek Trail reaches the paved park road. Go right onto the park road to cross over Swanson Creek again. Immediately after crossing Swanson Creek on the paved road, turn left and go down another set of stairs. At the bottom of these stairs, turn right to continue on Swanson Creek Trail.

From here, Swanson Creek Trail runs along Swanson Creek, following it downstream as it cascades over moss covered boulders. This is a densely wooded trail with lush creekside vegetation. About a tenth of a mile past the last set of stairs, the trail starts to move slightly away from Swanson Creek. Then after about another tenth of a mile, the trail veers left, back towards Swanson Creek, descends a couple of switchbacks, and Uvas Creek is now right there to the right of the trail. Going around a bend to the left, Swanson Creek and Lower Falls come into view. Swanson Creek empties into Uvas Creek here, and the trail ends without crossing either creek.

Ferns, moss, and other dense creekside vegetation in this heavily wooded area.