The trail is relatively easy even for beginners, though be prepared for a consistent incline as you head towards the falls. There is plenty of shade along the way to stop for breaks, which is great because while the majority of the trail is well-shaded, you will encounter some strong, direct sunlight once you get closer to the destination. A few tips for your visit: Timing: If you're hiking in the spring or summer, do yourself a favor and arrive early. You'll get much easier parking closer to the trailhead near the bridge, plus you get to enjoy the cooler morning weather before it heats up. What to expect: It's a beautiful, rugged environment with a well maintained trail, with Yellow-Bellied Marmots out loafing in the sun. Even if you visit in late spring or early summer, don't be surprised to see patches of snow lingering in the shaded sections. Family note: The trail is definitely kid-friendly, though you'll want to keep a close eye on the little ones toward the end of the trail, as there are some ledges to navigate. The whole experience gives off major Skyrim vibes. It feels like you're walking toward Riverwood, just with a bit more uphill climbing. It's an absolute gem of a trail and well worth the effort. read more

Tokopah Falls - Near the end of the trail towards Tokopah Falls - Hiking Near Me - Three Rivers, California

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Tokopah Falls Trail was pretty easy, about 2 hours roundtrip. A huge majority of the walk is along the water, and the views are amazing every step of the way. I had to keep stopping to take photos and enjoy the view. There's an area with a bunch of rocks that might be difficult for some. The waterfall was beautiful and there is plenty of photo opportunities. It's a great place to just sit on a rock and relax after you finish your hike, enjoying the breeze from the waterfall. You walk back the same way you came. On our way back, we came across a marmot, which is basically a giant squirrel. It was my first time seeing one. So adorable. read more

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This was a great trail to hike. Easy to follow. The end was a bit treacherous. Unfortunately, due to the season, there was not much water on the falls. read more

Tokopah Falls - Hiking Near Me - Three Rivers, California

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Tokopah Falls was a ~3.8 mile round trip that took ~2 hours to complete. Beautiful trail from beginning to end; river, trees, rocky mountains and a waterfall! Parking is located before the bridge with a restroom nearby. Short video of the hike for those interested: https://youtu.be/dIuFnFm0hNU read more

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I LOVED this hike. It was about 4 miles to the waterfall and back. You should start by 1 or 2 pm, at the latest, I recommend. The earlier, the better...that way, you can walk slow and really enjoy it without worrying you will run out of sunlight. You walk along the river and can see the beautiful, rushing water. BE CAREFUL to not fall into the water. You also walk through the woods and you might see a bear, deer, marmot, squirrels, birds, and more! I saw deer on my hike here. I 100% recommend this trail. It is NOT WHEELCHAIR ACCESSIBLE, though. Absolutely beautiful trail, one of my favorites. read more

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What an amazing hiking trail! I am so obsessed with the breathtaking views. You get to see a rushing river throughout the entire hike, surrounded by towering green trees in the forest, majestic mountains to conquer, rocky terrain to climb, and experience the changing seasons with snow and big water fall at the end. The trail also offers encounters with various wild animals. The hike was quite challenging, so make sure to bring hiking sticks. I would definitely love to come here again, and hopefully, I'll get to spot a bear next time. read more

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Get there as early as possible to avoid traffics on the road and the trails. Park at the LodgePole campground parking lot (free, no permits required). Trailhead is just after a bridge over Marble Fork Kaweah River. There is a sign there. It says it's 1.7 mile to the fall but it's more like 2.3 mile one way. Waterproof boots recommend cuz some area you have to do creek hoppings It's a easy peasy hard to get lost straightforward trail to the falls. Humans : too many Wildlife: 2 marmots 2 deer Level: easy , kids friendly (not stroller friendly) Distance : about 5 miles Elevation: not much Marmots like to chew on things. Keep your backpacks close by. read more

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Very scenic walk beware it is a little bit of a workout towards the waterfall it was very minimal water bc of the shift in seasons and it being fall time when we hiked this trail. I recommend hiking this in the morning or early evening it took around and 1 hour and 40. We saw bear activity around this area so be cautious you might see bear tracks along your hike after 2-3pm read more

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We visited in June 2020 and I highly recommend you add this hike into your Sequoia/King's Canyon National Park itinerary! It's a longer hike, but so worth it! The falls are a dramatic 1200 foot cascade over dark gray boulders...it looks like something out of Lord of the Rings! So pack a little lunch and make an afternoon of it! It's a breathtaking hike that follows along the Middle Fork of the Kaweah River. Along the way you pass by lush, peaceful meadows, carpets of tiny, vivid pink flowers, and even some alien-looking flowers and fauna such as the Snowflower Plant that'll have you debating whether it's a flower or a mushroom! You'll also pass by huge fallen trees and hop on rocks to cross shallow little bits of creeks...all while gazing up at Watchtower peak looming 1600 feet above! Drive past the Lodgepole visitor center into Lodgepole campgrounds and park in the campground's huge, paved parking lot. The entrance to the hike isn't terribly obvious though...we were kinda wondering if we were in the right place. You walk through the campground gate and can see a bridge crossing the river. The entrance to the trail is just across the bridge to the right and has ample signage. The hike itself is 1.7 miles from the entrance to the falls (so 3.4 miles total) and I'd call it a moderate hike. It took us just over 2 hours to complete it round trip. And that includes stopping for a quick little picnic lunch at the falls. Also, there are no confusing forks or turns...pretty much a straight shot to the falls. To get back out, you simply go back the way you came. Overall it gains just over 600ft in elevation. It's relatively flat for the first part with most of the elevation gain in the last 1/2 mile, where the trail becomes very rocky and narrow...but don't let that scare you off! I'm moderately in shape and was able to handle it...and we even did two other hikes that morning...so if I can do it, you can do it! read more

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Fun and moderate hike that is suitable for all levels, it is a 4 mile round trip hike that took us about 2 hours to complete. The Tokopah Falls hike is located right by the Lodgepole campgrounds, just walk pass the bridge and there will be a sign that indicates the trailhead. You can find parking at the campgrounds lot and also remember to store any food you have in the car into the brown storages so the bears can't get into it. The scenery of the hike is enjoyable and has plenty of terrain changes to keep it entertaining. For the most part, you'll hike along the Kaweah river, into the forest, and cross a few small streams. Near the end of the hike, the terrain gets more rocky and there is a bit of incline as well. The end of the hike is the waterfall, which was a spectacular view for pictures. If there's one hike to do in Sequoia National Park, this is definitely the one! It's not too easy or too difficult. read more

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Great easy hike with a nice waterfall at the end. Go early because it gets crowded later in the day. read more

Tokopah Falls - Takopah falls - Hiking Near Me - Three Rivers, California

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Parking: Lodgepole Visitor Center off of General's Highway. Trailhead: Head west into the Lodgepole campground and cross the bridge that goes over the Kaweah River. Short and sweet at 4.4mi and very easy, but a tad annoyed seeing people walk in with coffees in tow. We did avoid a crowd though since we were smart and arrived before 8am, so we were pretty content having the falls to ourselves for a good 15-20 mins. The view was absolutely stunning as we came upon this cascading waterfall. Breath-taking and highly recommended for everyone! Also lots of great sceneries along the river as you descend into the woods alongside it. We saw some wildlife but mostly just chipmunks and marmots. Bring bug spray in the spring and summer time as the mosquitoes are pretty relentless in these areas! Overall, a grand early morning hike with entrancing views. Many hikers were coming in as we were coming out. At some point, we were asked by a couple if the trek is worth it. Without hesitation, the 4 of us replied in unison with an ecstatic "YES!". So, without a question, the falls are a must visit! read more

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This beautiful hike along the Kaweah river will reward you with a lovely waterfall. Spring is a great time to visit this trail as there are lots of beautiful flowers and the temperature is perfect. Wildlife was in abundance: deer, marmots and blue jays to name a few. All in all, a perfect day hike. My friend and I found parts of this hike to be a bit rocky and a little steep. One hour in and one hour out. Wear appropriate footwear and don't forget your water bottle. Or your camera. read more

Tokopah Falls - Lupine. - Hiking Near Me - Three Rivers, California

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Honestly probably the most beautiful hike in Sequoia if you are into quiet forests, amazing views 360, and a rushing crystal clear waterfall. As an okay hiker (did this during 4th of July weekend), this hike is 1.7 miles long one way; took almost a little over 2 hours to hike RT (a little over an hour going up, 30 minutes chilling, and 45 minutes going down). It is not steep so you won't be huffing and puffing going up but there is an elevation gain. Start early if possible to avoid crowds! STARTING: There are plenty of parking spots and if you have any trash, please be sure to place them in the brown trash bins (no food trash in the bathrooms) because there are apparently bears around the area. Unfortunately, we didn't see any on our hike. You follow the path past the bulletin board & bathrooms. You will cross a bridge and that is where the trail begins (see pictures). The path is pretty simple to follow from there. MIDDLE: There's a lot of shade since you're walking a flat path in the forest, and some sun here and there as you're going up the rocks. Plenty of amazing views to your right & left...more on your right side on the huge rock mountain. As you get towards the end, there will be a lot of rocks to go through - there is little to no shade so hopefully you applied on enough sun screen. END: we climbed a bunch of boulder-ish rocks to get closer to the waterfall. We felt the water and it's COLD and felt so clean and refreshing. There's a big circle puddle of water where a bunch of people were swimming & jumping off the rock into. Probably felt refreshing since it was getting hot. A lot of people brought snacks and just picnic around the waterfall safe area (didn't climb through the boulders). Pictures are amazing and it was a great view. Totally worth the amount of time to hike and rewarding sights at all sides. Bring snacks, water and wear plenty of sun screen. Highly recommend! read more

This is a good short hike course. Only 1.9 miles one way. 700 feet gain. Trailhead is walkable from Lodgeple campground. You can enjoy lush forest part (fir, cedar, pine, aspen etc), I saw deer, and then open space, and finally the waterfall. Near the waterfall is very rocky impressive scenery, especially the might wall of rock 2000 feet above: Watchtower. read more

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Breathtaking and highly recommend. A good distance hike within the forest and by the river. Came in April 2019 and most of it was still covered by snow. read more

Outstanding! Short and sweet. Walking along the river with a slight incline well worth it for the stupendous view at the end. Great for a first timer visiting Sequoia. read more

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The Tokopah Falls trail was a very scenic and easy going hike. It is about a 4 mile round trip and takes you through the woods along the Kaweah river until you eventually reach the falls. I came right at the beginning of January, after we had a week long of much needed rain. The entire area was basically covered in about 2-3 feet of snow, some places even deeper. The trail was nicely packed so it's pretty hard to get lost if you are ever deciding to come in the winter time. Slush and ice made some parts of it tricky to get across, so do use caution, but otherwise nothing to worry about. Overall the trail itself was extremely gorgeous, there were some bits where you could look back and see the valley behind you. Also, as you near the end of the trail, there are a lot of neat rock features you must cross and some pretty cool groves of trees as well. I'd definitely recommend this hike whether you're visiting the park or camping at Lodgepole. It's very easy and can be done within a couple of hours at a leisurely pace. If you come in the winter make sure to keep warm! The temp can change pretty rapidly if you are hiking in the afternoon hours like we did. We started off around the high 30s and when we reached the falls it was dipping into the 20s. read more

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Did this hike in mid December and let me tell you it was an amazing view. I highly recommend wearing the right footwear for this hike it definitely made a difference. My husband and I wore waterproof hiking boots and they came in handy. Bring lots of water and maybe some sandwiches to eat while you're climbing. No bears which kind of sucked but the view at the very top was breathtaking. This hike was easy but definitely not one to take kids to. read more

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Thus hike is up hill and sooooo long!!! The falls was basically non existent. Very hot but the view of the river was nice

My friends and I really enjoyed this hike, but we did it in July and it was pretty hot. We went down to the stream a couple times to cool off. The last part of the hike involves a lot of rocks and was in direct sunlight so be careful and wear a lot of sunscreen. When we went, we had to climb down the rocky terrain to get to the bottom of the falls where people were swimming. I'd definitely recommend hiking boots for this hike as opposed to running or tennis shoes. The scenery was beautiful in all directions, and we even saw a bear on the way back! read more

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Hiked: Thursday, July 26, 2013 We had done most of the must-do's in the area of Dorst Creek campground, so for our final day in Sequoia Natl. Park, we decided to hike to Tokopah Falls. In our party were two adults and four children aged 7, 10, 12, and 13 years of age. The hike is an easy 1.7 mile (one-way) jaunt into an easy-to-miss, but oh-so-gorgeous valley behind Lodgepole visitor center. The trail parallels the Kaweah River back up into the valley. For approximately half a mile or so,there are campgrounds on the opposite side of the river. The tents and bear boxes in view eventually give away to the wilderness and forests. The trail itself is a typical dirt trail, but has some sections where granite has been set and stacked for directional purposes. The river level was very low and we knew when we reached our destination, we would not see much of a waterfall. This anticlimactic resolution was far from disappointing. As we hiked deeper into the valley the opposite wall of the valley grows in beauty and magnificence. The wall could easily be placed in Yosemite valley and would fit in perfect with that park's grandeur and awe. The last quarter mile of the trail ascends among the granite wall. There are boulders strewn about and they actually give the trail its definition of arches and semi-tunnels. The trail ends at the falls and there is a sign about staying safe in an among the water. I hiked up to a section of the falls and took a shower. I also took our four children for a shower. They loved getting a cold dowsing as relief from the mild heat and sweat of the hike. I wouldn't advise doing what we did as I was constantly worried a flash flood could sneak up on us as we frolicked in the water. (my wife and I experienced a flash flood as we hiked and then swam in the river above Yosemite Falls. That close call has always sobered up any Sierra swimming thoughts I ever entertain.) On the way up the trail, we saw a mother bear and her two cubs. On our return trip, our progress was halted as a single bear tore up the fallen logs along the trail to forage for ants and grubs. As a birdwatcher, I was able to observe a group of Sage Grouse cross the trail. I believe it was two adult females and two young Grouse chicks. At the end of the hike, the family and I enjoyed dipping in the low-level, but frigid water below the bridge at the campground. If you're looking for a nice hike to tackle with young children, Tokopah Falls is an excellent expedition in Sequoia National Park. There are plenty of beautiful views, an easy trail, lots of wildlife, and a cool water pay-off at the end of the hike, but be careful if the water level is high and flowing swiftly. read more

This was a nice place to go to. The hike was great, pretty level. It's not to difficult. Part way there you can see the falls from the trail and there is a "picture spot" you can get people in to take pictures. It's 1.7 miles out of the Lodgepole Campground. It's right across the creek on the other side the the car bridge to get to the higher numbered campsites. There are some animals. I saw some little guys. Not sure what they are called. The other people who were ahead of my on the way back saw some bears; a momma and two cubs. It's worth hiking to it. Give it a try. The hike is good for kids but you need to be able to get them under control. At the end are rocks and a drop that they could get hurt on and there are times when you walk on rocks and there is a steep decline on the side. Don't worry though if your kids will obey you. read more

Did this hike the last weekend of September, and it was amazing. It was a bit chilly as the sun was beginning to set, but overall the weather was perfect. This was such a beautiful hike! You start out by parking past the amphitheatre before you hit the campgrounds, and then you start hiking, it pretty much follows a small running river. I loved this hike because not only was it in the forest but when you get closer to the waterfall, the scenery changes a little bit rockier terrain. I personally love climbing rocks so I really appreciated this part of the hike. At the end there's a running water fall. I really want to come back here during the summer and highly recommend this hike for hikers of all levels and ages! read more

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A very nice, easy hike up to Tokopa falls. We encountered tons of marmots on the way up, and one even tried to sneak into my backpack while I was watching! read more

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This is a great hike with spectacular views, certainly one of the highlights of my overnight trip to Sequoia. The trailhead is at Lodgepole Campground, right after the bridge across the river. The trail follows the north side of the river. I saw a deer near the campground, and plenty of marmots along the trail, but no bears during the hike. After 1.7 miles you are rewarded with the lovely Tokopah Falls. But when you get there, turn around and be even more rewarded by the incredible view of Tokopah Valley. It's probably the most picturesque view I've seen in a trip full of spectacular sights. This is the thing Facebook cover photos are made of. I've seen other reviews describe this hike as "easy", but that's all relative. The trail is not paved and it is absolutely not stroller-accessible. At a brisk pace it's an hour of walking to get to the falls, and an hour to get back. If you have children that you need to carry when they get tired, you'd best not bring them along. read more

It's so beautifullllll!!! (Insert heart eyed emoji x3) Do not dismiss this hike if you're visiting Sequoia National Park. It's nothing too strenuous (1.7 miles one way) but still makes you break a sweat. So don't forget your water. The trail takes you along a paved road alongside the river through lush forest and rocky paths, and then you'll reach your destination to find the grand Topokah Fall. It's a scenic hike and you might meet some deer or chipmunks along the way. And the fall itself is truly breathtaking and indescribably amazing. You just have to see it for yourself. The start of the trail is right next to the Lodgepole campground and visitor center, which makes it convenient to visit if you're camping there. read more

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Everyone talks about how easy this is, but I would not say this is as easy as say the tall trees trail. It was a very pretty hike. We did run into a bear right on the trail, but there were quiet a few people on the trail, so we all just hung out together and waited until the bear moved on. There were groups on both sides of the trail waiting. Only added about another 10 minutes to our hike. It was a little scary being that close to a bear. He didn't seem to care though as he was busy eating bugs out of a tree stump. The end of the hike once you hit the rocks was a little difficult for me and I got my foot stuck in between a couple rocks and there was no shade at the end so it was pretty hot. I did fall once when I slipped on a rock, but maybe I need new hiking shoes. I would say it's on the easier side of a moderate hike or the higher end of an easy hike. read more

The guy to my left leans forward, bending his right leg as if doing a lunge and bringing his arms up in a mock shooting pose. Twenty-five meters in front of us, off the dirt trail and in a wide green meadow flanked by tall sugar pines, a deer stands alone picking at the tall grass. It has to notice us being so close, but is ignoring the small crowd of humans gathered. I can't imagine what it must feel like to have people be so intensely interested in my foraging rituals. "One shot," the shooter with the invisible rifle says simply. A lady holding binocs further down the line replies disgustedly, "That's not funny." I giggle a little on the inside: Troll - 1, Target - 0. The roughly 1.7 mile trail from Lodgepole Campground to the Falls is sort of an expanded version of that early interaction -- pretty scenery with a smattering of animals, jerks and people with no sense of humor. It's also a very easy hike (barring some rock climbing at the very end if you feel the viewpoint just doesn't get you the face-to-face intimacy you desire from cascading water). The dirt path is very well maintained with moderate tree cover and shade until you get towards the waterfall where the trail is mostly stone. The end of the hike makes for a nice spot to sit for a spell in the sun with a sandwich before making the return trip. What's not as fun: the poor toddler we see being pushed in a *stroller* along the dusty hiking trial. A haze of airborne dirt hovers roughly two feet off the ground as a procession of hikers walk past, kicking up a minor smokescreen. The sad kid is caked in yellow dust looking like a casualty from a uranium mining accident. I make a kind of "yikes" face as I walk past, tapping my friend on the back and discreetly thumbing in the family's direction. I decide that the layer of choking dust on the kid's face and arms may actually be a good thing -- since the stroller lacked a sun shade and he is being blasted in the face with harsh noon-time sun, the dirt might confer some amount of UV protection. I mention this to my friend once we're out of earshot. Her response is a wide-eyed slow shake of her head. read more

FAVORITE HIKE BY FAR! I'm a water girl and this hike followed the KAWEAH RIVER which is beautiful. Our group stopped at a few spots along the hike to play in the water. Plenty of room to sit, lay out, eat and take a rest. Water is ice cold (went in June) but so refreshing. I highly recommend hiking all the way to the Tokopah Falls because the view is magnificent. As you get to the top it gets rocky but not for very long. The start of the hike is by Lodgepole Visitor Center. Park there and walk maybe half a mile to the bridge which starts the Tokopah hike. We noticed campsites along the water which make for the perfect getaway. DEFINITELY GO! read more

This was a great, beautiful little hike. I was looking for a hike that my 3- and 6-year-olds could handle and this one definitely fit the bill. It was 1.7 miles each way with a 500 ft elevation change. The walk is gorgeous, along the Kaweah River. The trail is very well-maintained and easy to follow. If you climb through the rocks at the end (technically at-your-own-risk, per the sign at the end of the trail) you can basically sit underneath the waterfall. The only reason I'm not giving it a 5-star is because, due to it's proximity to Lodgepole, there are definitely quite a few hikers. If you're looking for a secluded spot where you won't see anyone else, this is not it. But if you don't mind walking past other hikers and want a way to spend an afternoon, this is a great bet! read more

We had a great hike in July of this year. I had my one year old in a carrier, and our three year old did the vast majority of the hike on her own steam. We headed out during her naptime, so it could have gone very badly, lol. Gorgeous views all the way up. The rocky part near the top is something that would have probably made me veto the trip if I'd known about it in advance, but it went fine. The animals that a previous poster commented on are marmots. They were as interested in us as we were in them. I saw a bear coming down and heard that a mama bear and her cubs had been at the base of the trail about half an hour before I came out. We saw them (or their buddies) in camp later that night, but had no problems. read more

The trail was quite easy with a slight incline (1.7 miles each way). We hiked with our 6 year old twins and they had no difficulty. On the hike we saw a few animals A bear mamma with cubs (on a meadow) and some yellow bellied marmots by the falls. The trail has some shade, but it is quite exposed on the last 1/3 of a mile closest to the falls. The last bit of the trail closest to the fall was also the most dangerous with loose rock all over. The trail also goes over several small creeks and ahs easy access to the river. When we were there in mid June, the river had lots of water and was quite dangerous for swimming or wading, but we heard that in late summer it is not so dangerous. We did find some small creeks that feed the larger river that were quite safe for touching the water or putting your feet in. Since the trail starts next to the campground, there is quite a bit of people. Overall the hike was good, specially for young children. read more

It was nice but the trail said moderate and it is not moderate at all. It would be nice if there were trail markers. You think that you're almost there but then it's 45 minutes and another 45 minutes and you don't really know when you're there. The views are nice but It's a really long and difficult hike so bring a lot of nice cold water and definitely consider bringing a walking stick because you'll need it. I personally think that the river on the way up is prettier than the actual falls because the river is gorgeous and clear and at the end of the falls trail you can't really actually touch the falls. You can definitely sit by the river and enjoy it. But overall it just depends on the person. If you want to spend 2-3 hours on that trail and just enjoy the sights and all, then it's a perfect hike for you. But this hike isn't for you if you're looking for a nice enjoyable hike that doesn't include breaking a sweat. read more

Love love love !! Hike is bad right now with all the snow but will go back later on in the season. read more

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Very popular, pretty easy hike and nice waterfall at the end. Best time to go is spring to see the most water.

One of the most beautiful hikes I've ever done. Picturesque the entire way. The falls were only trickle in mid October. The rocks at the very end are hard to manage, but maybe its because the trickle was so small we had to climb higher on the rocks to get the water. read more

Not too difficult of a hike given few elevation changes, but the last few hundred feet are very rocky and a loose rock may send you to the ground. However, the hike is definitely worth it. Great close views of the fall and enough small[er] rocks are there if you are willing to risk climbing down to the main pool. Just wish there was more shade at the destination. My brother and I went for a swim at the base and it was very very cold. I wouldn't recommend staying in the water for long (I swam back out immediately after getting in...maybe 5 seconds in the water). Leaving my feet in was enough and even then it was ice cold, but refreshing enough after the hike. It was kinda tricky getting down to main pool, but just take your time finding firm rocks and be somewhat in shape. Some good photos can be taken from there. As far as wildlife, we saw two yellow-bellied marmots next to the path and got to within 10 feet of each. On the way down we crossed paths with a deer that started off being in a meadow, but decided to cross the trail 15 feet from us. Very cool that the animals were okay coming up close to us (we didn't approach them) and am glad I did not see any bears or mountain lions on our trip let alone that particular trail. Our hike was on May 31st and the waterfall was putting out a decent amount of water and looked great. Not sure how it looks other times of the year. read more

This was a really cool hike. You start off along a stream, then end up walking through a beautiful meadow, and finally the mountains come into view with the waterfall at the end! I do suggest going on a the hike to heather lake right next to it. It will bring you above Tokopah Falls on a cliff. Very beautiful and worth the harder hike. This trail is classified as easy but it can be tiring for some it was about 4 hours out and back. Start early in the morning to avoid foot traffic. If there's too much foot traffic the rattlesnakes will start rattling so always stay on the trail!!!!! read more

It's a great hike, amazing scenery and beautiful waterfall.