Hike to Saint Francis Dam Disaster National Monument

The Saint Francis Dam Disaster National Monument, established in 2019, memorializes the site where the Saint Francis Dam, built by famed engineer William Mulholland, collapsed in 1929, tragically killing more than 400 people in the middle of the night as a 150+ foot wave of water crashed through the valley below.

The site is not well marked, yet, can be accessed easily via the north end of the Old San Francisquito Canyon Road.  The old road was closed in the mid-2000's due to storm damage that swept parts of the roadway away and caused land to collapse into the streambed.  Today, although blocked to vehicle traffic, the road is accessible to pedestrians and bicyclists.  Many people have used the old road as a place for street art / graffiti, depending on your own view.  However, the pieces of concrete that remain from the collapsed dam have stood untouched, respected for what they memorialize.

The entire old San Francisquito Canyon Road, from its northern intersection with the new road to its southern intersection near the Power Plant #2 and the memorial information boards, measures approximately 1.6 miles and is mostly completely paved, although caution should be used due to areas where the road has fallen off due to storm damage.  The road is most commonly used as an out and back, but could be combined with the new road as a loop trail for bicyclists (it's not advised that pedestrians walk on the new road).  There are additional trails off of the paved portion, so exploring is possible as long as it doesn't disrupt the environment.  Consult with the U.S. Forest Service if there are questions.