Dora Falls

Smithe Redwoods State Reserve / Legget / Piercy, California, USA

About Dora Falls

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Waterfall Safety and Common Sense

Dora Falls provided us with a chance to stop and break up the long drive up to Eureka from Santa Rosa, especially since it sat very close to the US101 right across from a popular redwood grove.

In our experiences, waterfalls so close to a highly-trafficked highway let alone a sightseeing attraction would typically be really crowded or wouldn’t be a great waterfalling attraction.

Dora_Falls_039_11202020 - Dora Falls with surprisingly decent Autumn flow
Dora Falls with surprisingly decent Autumn flow

I also had read from my Ann Marie Brown book that it had a very short season (i.e. December through May) so it was likely not going to flow this late into November.

However, my lowered expectations for this waterfall were far exceeded when I just decided to check it out (successful or not), and that was when I saw it with pretty good flow as you can see in the photo above.

Furthermore, I actually got to experience Dora Falls all by myself even though many people unknowingly drove by this hidden spot on the US101.

Even more amazing was that of those people that did stop in the parking area across the highway, they only did so to check out the redwood trees of the Frank and Bess Smithe Redwood Grove.

Dora_Falls_100_11202020 - Julie and Tahia checking out the impressive redwood trees at the Frank and Bess Smithe Redwood Grove
Julie and Tahia checking out the impressive redwood trees at the Frank and Bess Smithe Redwood Grove

None of them bothered with Dora Falls during our visit, and thus I had a surprisingly restorative and peaceful experience at this seemingly obscure waterfall.

Finding Dora Falls

From the parking spaces at the Frank and Bess Smithe Redwood Grove on the west side of the US101 (see directions below), I then crossed the highway when it was safe.

Once I made it to the road shoulder on the east side of the highway, I then hopped the bridge railing on the south side of Dora Creek (which appeared to be flowing due to water coming out of a tubular tunnel).

I then followed a faint and overgrown use-trail for around five minutes or so (roughly a quarter-mile round-trip) before the use-trail led me to the secluded cove containing Dora Falls.

Dora_Falls_020_11202020 - Following the overgrown use-trail upstream towards the hidden Dora Falls
Following the overgrown use-trail upstream towards the hidden Dora Falls

At that point, I was able to scramble a little further to descend right to the waterfall’s base where I managed to stand right in front of the 30ft waterfall.

Apparently, this was once a 60ft waterfall when a landslide filled in this cove back in 1978.

I definitely saw evidence of some sort of landslide or disturbance as I stood in front of Dora Falls.

In fact, I suspected that maybe the tube that took the outflow of Dora Creek had been put there to allow its waters to channel underneath the debris from that landslide in the first place.

As far as the waterfall’s flow, I was aware that two days prior to our visit, the area had gotten some rain so perhaps that had something to do with its surprisingly vigorous performance.

The Frank and Bess Smithe Grove

Dora_Falls_002_11202020 - This stump with a walkthrough tunnel used to be the entrance to the restaurant at Lane's Redwood Flat before it was destroyed by fire in the 1930s
This stump with a walkthrough tunnel used to be the entrance to the restaurant at Lane’s Redwood Flat before it was destroyed by fire in the 1930s

According to our Ann Marie Brown book, the grove that we had parked at was once Lane’s Redwood Flat, which was a 1920s resort containing a museum, restaurant, and some cabins.

I had noticed that there was a large redwood tree stump with a tunnel that you can walk through, and apparently that used to be the restaurant’s entrance.

A fire in the 1930s destroyed the establishment, and eventually the state bought out the land then incorporated it into the Smithe Redwoods State Reserve.

During our visit, this reserve featured giant redwoods with made for a nice opportunity for a photo op, which most visitors we saw that stopped here (us included) took advantage of.

Dora_Falls_010_11202020 - Looking towards the South Fork Eel River flowing calmly besides the US101 and the Frank and Bess Smithe Grove during our November 2020 visit
Looking towards the South Fork Eel River flowing calmly besides the US101 and the Frank and Bess Smithe Grove during our November 2020 visit

Some use-trails descended from the attractive redwood grove towards the South Fork Eel River, which was flowing quietly while yielding hints of some Autumn colors during our visit.

Authorities

Dora Falls resides in the Smithe Redwoods State Reserve near Leggett in Mendocino County, California. It is administered by the California Department of Parks and Recreation. For information or inquiries about the area as well as current conditions, visit their website.

Maps and Routing Content are for annual subscribers. See Membership Options.
Content is for subscribers. See Membership Options.
Tagged with: legget, piercy, mendocino, us101, frank and bess smithe grove, smithe redwoods state reserve, california, waterfall



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Johnny Cheng is the founder of the World of Waterfalls and author of the award-winning A Guide to New Zealand Waterfalls. Over the last 2 decades, he has visited thousands of waterfalls in over 40 countries around the world and nearly 40 states in the USA.
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