Skip to content

Preston Falls

Preston Falls, seen from above at true elevation

Preston Falls is a waterfall in California, at a recorded elevation of 844 m. Richardson Peak stands 3,002 m to the northeast, 17 miles off. The nearest named place is Sunrise Peak, a peak 1.4 miles away. Tioga Road/Big Oak Flat Road passes 5.2 miles off.

What the record says

Elevation
844 m

How to reach it

Coordinates37.88468, -119.88124

Overlooks nearby

Named places within 25 miles

Peaks
Waterfalls: 40
Springs: 25
Museums: 13
Parks: 13
  • Greeley Hill County Park: 15.2 mi
  • El Portal Park: 15.4 mi
  • Red Cloud: 16.4 mi
  • Groveland Sports Complex: 19.0 mi
  • Mary Laveroni Park: 19.1 mi
Cliffs: 10
Picnic sites: 8
  • Carlon Day Use Area: 5.0 mi
  • Remote Camp: 13.6 mi
  • Red Bud Picnic Area: 15.2 mi
  • Indian Flat Day Use: 15.5 mi
  • El Capitan Picnic Area: 17.9 mi
Attractions: 8
Historic sites: 7
Beaches: 7
  • Lake Lodge Beach: 17.0 mi
  • Dunn Court Beach: 17.6 mi
  • Pine Mountain Lake Marina Beach: 17.6 mi
  • Benson Lake Beach: 21.6 mi
  • Beach 2: 22.0 mi
Ghost towns: 2
Gardens: 1
Nature reserves: 1
Rest areas: 1
  • Scoutmaster Grotto: 20.5 mi

Summits around it

The highest named summits within 17.2 miles of Preston Falls. Elevation from each summit’s own record; bearing measured between the two coordinates.

SummitBearingElevationDistance
Richardson PeakNE 37°3,002 m17.2 mi
Double RockE 86°2,982 m16.9 mi
Wheeler PeakNNE 29°2,736 m17.0 mi
Mahan PeakNE 42°2,735 m15.7 mi
Tiltill MountainNE 50°2,733 m15.3 mi
Rancheria MountainENE 71°2,732 m15.8 mi
Andrews PeakNE 46°2,611 m15.3 mi
Nance PeakNNE 28°2,578 m14.5 mi

When to go

Light through the year

DateSunriseGolden hourSunset
March equinox07:0418:3719:12
June solstice05:3819:4720:26
September equinox06:4818:2318:58
December solstice07:1216:0316:44

Local time (America/Los_Angeles).

Climate normals

Months averaging 50–80 °F: May–Oct.

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Avg °F404144495766747367574740
Precip in9.68.37.43.92.60.80.30.10.42.74.68.3

1991–2020 U.S. Climate Normals, NOAA NCEI — Cherry Valley DAM, 7 mi away.

Months at or above the year’s average flow: May–Jul — fullest in Jun, leanest in Oct.

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Mean cfs1881802193601,3471,75976916187.556.570.9107

USGS monthly mean discharge at gauge Tuolumne R AB Early Intake NR Mather CA, 4 mi away — the nearest gauge, which can sit on a different stream.

Where this comes from

Location and category confirmed against OpenStreetMap.

OpenStreetMap

OpenStreetMap element node/469068170

More waterfalls in California

Day trips start here

Drive to it

Byway plans a real route around stops like this one.

Private beta · Free to join

Take the scenic way to Preston Falls.

Byway plans around your taste, verified places, real weather and opening hours — then opens every leg in Google Maps with one tap.

Private beta · Free to join · No card · Invite when a spot opens