I'm driving up California's Highway 101 on my way to Paso Robles to meet some friends for a craft beer festival, but that doesn't mean I can't stop and enjoy some sites along the way. Nojoqui Falls is an 80-foot waterfall just north of Santa Barbara and only a short detour off of the highway. A small county park protects the waterfall and a well-worn gravel trail leads from the parking area to the falls.
After parking my rental car, I headed up the path noting the swarms of yellow jacket-like insects swarming and the massive amounts of poison oak on either side of the trail. Luckily, neither posed a threat as long as one watches where they are going. The trail follows a small creek all the way to the base of the waterfall. Nojoqui Falls itself is only a trickle at the moment, as it is dependent on rain water. Unlike most waterfalls that erode the cliff at the top, this one actually deposits minerals and sediment to build out from the cliff. This is similar to the way stalactites form in caves. It's pretty interesting. The walk back to my car is less than a half-a-mile and with another hour of driving to go, I should probably get moving. It was nice to stretch my legs a bit though.
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