Nojoqui Falls is a seasonal
waterfall in the
Santa Barbara County, California
Santa Barbara County, California, officially the County of Santa Barbara, is located in Southern California. As of the 2020 census, the population was 448,229. The county seat is Santa Barbara, and the largest city is Santa Maria.
Santa Barba ...
park of the same name.
Description
Nojoqui has been described as “one of the most graceful waterfalls in California” and “the highlight of the scenic drive along U.S. 101 between the coast and Solvang.”
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The falls drop nearly 100 feet over a sandstone wall of the
Jalama Formation.
From the sign posted near the falls: "Unlike most waterfalls, which gradually erode upstream, the Nojoqui Falls have built outward from the cliff over time.
Calcium and
magnesium carbonate
Magnesium carbonate, (archaic name magnesia alba), is an inorganic salt that is a colourless or white solid. Several hydrated and basic forms of magnesium carbonate also exist as minerals.
Forms
The most common magnesium carbonate forms are ...
from rocks above the falls continually dissolve in the stream water, then are deposited as this water evaporates from the rock around the falls.
Stalactites
A stalactite (, ; from the Greek 'stalaktos' ('dripping') via
''stalassein'' ('to drip') is a mineral formation that hangs from the ceiling of caves, hot springs, or man-made structures such as bridges and mines. Any material that is soluble an ...
in a cave grow in the same slow manner, and are made of the same type of rock, called
travertine. Grooves in the main travertine deposit and a gently curved notch at the base of the falls have formed where the rock has dissolved once again into the stream."
The waterfall is rainfall-dependent and “usually dries up in summer.”
Location
The falls are located one and a half miles east of
Highway 101
Highway 101 was an American country music band founded in 1986 in Los Angeles, California. The initial lineup consisted of Paulette Carlson (lead vocals), Jack Daniels (guitar), Curtis Stone (bass guitar, vocals), and Scott "Cactus" Moser (drums) ...
approximately five miles south of
Buellton
Buellton is a small city in Santa Barbara County, California, United States. It is located in the Santa Ynez Valley, west of Solvang. The population was 5,161 at the 2020 census, up from 4,828 at the 2010 census.
Located at the junction of U. ...
and about 7 miles southwest of the city of
Solvang via Alisal Road.
The falls are at the end of a short trail south of the parking lot. Access to the falls themselves has been blocked since 2014 due to landslides.
"Popular Central Coast Hiking Trail Closed By Landslide, But No One Hurt"
(December 3, 2014) KCLU
External links
Santa Barbara County Parks Department: Nojoqui Falls Park
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References
{{Santa Ynez River
Waterfalls of California
Horsetail waterfalls
Landforms of Santa Barbara County, California
Parks in Santa Barbara County, California
Santa Ynez Mountains