San Mateo County, California
Waterfalls Near Portola Valley, CA
9 named waterfalls lie within 30 miles of Portola Valley. Butano Falls is the closest at 11 miles to the southwest. Silver Falls earns the best visitor rating nearby (4.9 stars from 10 Google reviews).
Distances are straight-line from the town center. Driving routes are longer.
Best Waterfalls Near Portola Valley at a Glance
9 Waterfalls Near Portola Valley, Ranked by Distance
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Butano Falls
Butano Falls is the closest named waterfall to Portola Valley, 11 miles to the southwest in San Mateo County. It ranks 8th for review count among waterfalls near Portola Valley.
- Rating
- 3.7 (3 Google reviews)
- Address
- San Mateo County, CA 94060 (GPS 37.2422, -122.3180)
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Castle Rock Falls
Castle Rock Falls lies 13 miles southeast of Portola Valley in Santa Cruz County, number 2 of 9 by distance. It ranks 6th for review count among waterfalls near Portola Valley. Castle Rock State Park attraction with a viewing platform & nearby unusual rock formations.
- Rating
- 4.7 (25 Google reviews)
- Address
- Santa Cruz County, CA 95033 (GPS 37.2263, -122.1059)
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Golden Falls
Golden Falls lies 14 miles south of Portola Valley in Santa Cruz County, number 3 of 9 by distance. It ranks 9th for review count among waterfalls near Portola Valley. Its own nearest town is Boulder Creek.
- Rating
- 4.7 (3 Google reviews)
- Address
- Santa Cruz County, CA 95017 (GPS 37.1791, -122.2722)
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Silver Falls
Silver Falls lies 14 miles south of Portola Valley in Santa Cruz County, number 4 of 9 by distance. It ranks 7th for review count among waterfalls near Portola Valley. Its own nearest town is Boulder Creek.
- Rating
- 4.9 (10 Google reviews)
- Address
- Santa Cruz County, CA 95017 (GPS 37.1777, -122.2705)
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Berry Creek Falls
Berry Creek Falls lies 15 miles south of Portola Valley in Santa Cruz County, number 5 of 9 by distance. It draws more Google reviews than any other waterfall near Portola Valley. Its own nearest town is Boulder Creek.
- Rating
- 4.6 (53 Google reviews)
- Address
- Santa Cruz County, CA 95017 (GPS 37.1697, -122.2647)
- Known for
- loop hike, redwoods, elevation gain, ferns, ancient redwoods
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Tehan Falls
Tehan Falls lies 26 miles northeast of Portola Valley in Alameda County, number 6 of 9 by distance. It ranks 5th for review count among waterfalls near Portola Valley. Its own nearest town is Dublin.
- Rating
- 3.4 (32 Google reviews)
- Address
- Alameda County, CA 94588 (GPS 37.6733, -121.9400)
- Known for
- pretty view, trees, security cameras, hiking, private property
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Huntington Falls
Huntington Falls lies 30 miles northwest of Portola Valley in San Francisco County, number 7 of 9 by distance. It ranks 2nd for review count among waterfalls near Portola Valley. Its own nearest town is San Francisco.
- Rating
- 4.7 (52 Google reviews)
- Address
- San Francisco, CA 94118
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Maple Falls
Maple Falls lies 30 miles southeast of Portola Valley in Santa Cruz County, number 8 of 9 by distance. It ranks 4th for review count among waterfalls near Portola Valley. A lengthy hike accesses this scenic waterfall cascading in a densely wooded area.
- Rating
- 4.8 (33 Google reviews)
- Address
- Santa Cruz County, CA 95003 (GPS 37.0511, -121.8908)
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Rainbow Falls
Rainbow Falls lies 30 miles northwest of Portola Valley in San Francisco County, number 9 of 9 by distance. It ranks 3rd for review count among waterfalls near Portola Valley. Its own nearest town is San Francisco.
- Rating
- 4.6 (52 Google reviews)
- Address
- San Francisco, CA 94118
Where the Waterfalls Are
Portola Valley sits in or near the Coast Ranges and Southern California Mountains area of California. Along the coast and in the southern mountains, falls are smaller and highly seasonal. McWay Falls in Big Sur drops onto a cove beach and is viewed from an overlook, while Alamere Falls in Point Reyes spills off a coastal bluff onto the sand. The Santa Cruz Mountains around Boulder Creek hold redwood-shaded cascades. In Southern California, Sturtevant Falls in the San Gabriel Mountains and Bonita Falls in Lytle Creek are local favorites, and Tahquitz Falls lies in a canyon above Palm Springs. Most of these creeks depend on winter storms, and many dwindle to a trickle by early summer. Read the California waterfall guide.
By direction from Portola Valley: 3 to the south, 2 to the southeast, 2 to the northwest, 1 to the northeast, and 1 to the southwest. They are spread across Santa Cruz County (5), San Francisco County (2), San Mateo County (1), and Alameda County (1). The average distance is 20.3 miles.
By Distance
10 to 20 miles of Portola Valley
Butano Falls (11 mi), Castle Rock Falls (13 mi), Golden Falls (14 mi), Silver Falls (14 mi), Berry Creek Falls (15 mi)
20 to 30 miles of Portola Valley
Tehan Falls (26 mi), Huntington Falls (30 mi), Maple Falls (30 mi), Rainbow Falls (30 mi)
Nearby Towns With Waterfalls
Waterfalls Near Portola Valley: FAQs
How many waterfalls are near Portola Valley, CA?
9 named waterfalls lie within 30 miles of Portola Valley: 0 within 10 miles, 5 10 to 20 miles, 4 20 to 30 miles. Distances are straight-line from the town center.
What is the closest waterfall to Portola Valley?
Butano Falls in San Mateo County is the closest, about 11 miles southwest of Portola Valley.
What is the best-rated waterfall near Portola Valley?
Silver Falls has the highest Google rating among nearby falls with at least 10 reviews: 4.9 stars from 10 Google reviews. The most reviewed is Berry Creek Falls.
Which counties are the waterfalls near Portola Valley in?
Santa Cruz County (5), San Francisco County (2), San Mateo County (1), and Alameda County (1).
How does Portola Valley compare with other California towns?
Portola Valley ranks 16th of the 86 California towns in our directory for the number of waterfalls within 30 miles.