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Best Waterfall Hikes in California

The directory currently contains 11 quality-checked routes matching this guide in California. Their average mapped distance is 3.1 km and average recorded ascent is 252 m (827 ft); the longest route in the set is 9.5 km.

This subset represents 1% of the 1,083 quality-checked routes in California. Its average distance is 3.1 km, compared with 13.8 km across the full local set. Average recorded ascent is 252 m (827 ft), versus 464 m (1,522 ft) for all quality-checked routes in the same area.

Every route in this set carries the directory’s waterfall tag. The tag identifies the recorded theme; it does not report current water flow or access. Within this set, 1 routes (9%) are rated easy, 0 (0%) are rated hard or expert, and 0 (0%) are recorded as loops. Ratings are computed from available distance and elevation data and do not establish current terrain or access.

Data refreshed September 2026

Choose by the details

How do these routes differ?

A closer look at the first 6 routes in this page’s default ordering. These comparisons describe this sample, not the entire destination or a field-tested recommendation.

Shortest mapped distance in this sample

0.6 km

Rainbow Falls-Reds Cutoff

Compare the climbing too; shortest does not necessarily mean easiest.

Lowest recorded ascent in this sample

36 m

Rainbow Falls-Reds Cutoff

6 of 6 have ascent data. Missing measurements are excluded.

Return logistics

0 recorded loops

Check start and finish for every option. An unknown shape does not mean a loop, and a loop does not establish access to its start.

Plan the return journey →

Distances follow stored route lines; ascent and time are estimates. Current access, surface and technical difficulty need separate checks. How to turn a comparison into a shortlist.

Trails

Moderate

Mill Creek Falls Trail

California · United States

Distance
2.5 km
/ 1.6 mi
Elevation gain
134 m
Typical duration
44 min
  • Waterfall
  • Lake
  • River
Moderate

Dawn Falls Trail

California · United States

Distance
2.2 km
/ 1.4 mi
Elevation gain
266 m
Typical duration
51 min
  • Waterfall
  • Lake
Moderate

Tokopah Falls Trail

California · United States

Distance
3.1 km
/ 1.9 mi
Elevation gain
188 m
Typical duration
55 min
  • Waterfall
  • Lake
Rainbow Falls in Mammoth Lakes
Moderate

Rainbow Falls Wagon Trail

California · United States

Distance
1.8 km
/ 1.1 mi
Elevation gain
90 m
Typical duration
31 min
  • Waterfall
  • Lake
Rainbow Falls in Mammoth Lakes
Easy

Rainbow Falls-Reds Cutoff

California · United States

Distance
0.6 km
/ 0.4 mi
Elevation gain
36 m
Typical duration
10 min
  • Waterfall
  • Lake
Berry creek
Moderate

Berry Creek Falls Trail

California · United States

Distance
1.6 km
/ 1.0 mi
Elevation gain
43 m
Typical duration
23 min
  • Waterfall
  • River
Rainbow Falls in Mammoth Lakes
Moderate

Rainbow Falls Trail

California · United States

Distance
2.9 km
/ 1.8 mi
Elevation gain
180 m
Typical duration
52 min
  • Waterfall
Moderate

Falls Trail Loop

California · United States

Distance
9.5 km
/ 5.9 mi
Elevation gain
580 m
Typical duration
2 hr 50 min
  • Waterfall
Moderate

Cascade Valley Cutoff

California · United States

Distance
1.9 km
/ 1.2 mi
Elevation gain
217 m
Typical duration
43 min
  • Waterfall
  • Mountain
Moderate

Chilnualna Falls Trail

California · United States

Distance
6.3 km
/ 3.9 mi
Elevation gain
834 m
Typical duration
2 hr 34 min
  • Waterfall
Moderate

Johnson Falls Trail

California · United States

Distance
1.5 km
/ 1.0 mi
Elevation gain
204 m
Typical duration
37 min
  • Waterfall

The shortlist, side by side

The ten highest scoring routes on this page, so you can compare effort before opening any of them.

Distance, ascent, walking time and difficulty for the top routes
RouteDistanceAscentTimeDifficultyBest season
Mill Creek Falls TrailCalifornia2.5 km134 m44 minModerateJune to October
Dawn Falls TrailCalifornia2.2 km266 m51 minModerateApril to October
Tokopah Falls TrailCalifornia3.1 km188 m55 minModerateJune to October
Rainbow Falls Wagon TrailCalifornia1.8 km90 m31 minModerateJuly to September
Rainbow Falls-Reds CutoffCalifornia0.6 km36 m10 minEasyJuly to September
Berry Creek Falls TrailCalifornia1.6 km43 m23 minModerateApril to October
Rainbow Falls TrailCalifornia2.9 km180 m52 minModerateJuly to September
Falls Trail LoopCalifornia9.5 km580 m2 hr 50 minModerateApril to October
Cascade Valley CutoffCalifornia1.9 km217 m43 minModerateJuly to September
Chilnualna Falls TrailCalifornia6.3 km834 m2 hr 34 minModerateJune to October

Mill Creek Falls Trail, Dawn Falls Trail, Tokopah Falls Trail currently rank highest in this filtered set according to the directory score. Open an individual route to inspect its mapped line, elevation profile, data source and planning caveats. Check live access, conditions and local rules with an official source before travelling.

Frequently asked questions

Plan with more confidence

All planning articles →

Choosing a route

How to choose a hike beyond the difficulty label

Compare distance, climbing, route shape and missing information to build a shortlist that fits your day.

Read article →

Understanding the map

Read an elevation profile without misreading the climb

Understand total ascent, net height change, profile scale and the section breakdown on each mapped route.

Read article →

Planning your day

Build a hiking time plan with room for your own pace

Separate moving time, climbing allowance and stops, then explore how changing your assumptions changes the plan.

Read article →

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