Tokopah Falls

The Tokopah Falls Trail is one of the most popular trails in Sequoia National Park. A quintessential Sierra canyon trail, it features a thundering river, immense granite canyon walls towering over you, alpine meadows and pine woods. Waterfalls are always a big draw, and on a summer holiday weekend there's a nearly-constant stream of people on the trail. This trail is a nice contrast to the sequoias and it's the easiest way to get a glimpse of the park's high country. The canyon is especially striking because from the nearby roads it doesn't feel like you're really in the mountains, and unless you're especially attentive there really aren't many clues that a glacially-carved granite canyon is just around the corner. Tokopah Falls looks a lot like Kings Canyon. Of course, Kings Canyon is a lot bigger, with a bigger river and more trails, and it isn't nearly as busy so it feels a lot more wild. But Tokopah Falls is more convenient: you can hike to the falls and then take a short shuttle ride and explore the Giant Forest in the same day. And, of course, it has the falls.