Lizard
Marmot
Captured this at the end of the trail in the back of the waterfalls a little after 4pm
captured this around 3pm
Meadows
Gigi H.
Nov 19, 2024
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
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Ed T.
Jul 27, 2023
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
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Alex D.
Aug 8, 2023
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.
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Korina Y.
Aug 6, 2023
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.
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Juanwen C.
Jul 5, 2023
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.
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Hannah S.
Jul 18, 2020
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!
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Vincent P.
Aug 19, 2019
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.
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Jeanette Y.
Jul 11, 2020
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!
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Jessica S.
Oct 30, 2016
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!
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Darren H.
Jul 6, 2024
Great easy hike with a nice waterfall at the end. Go early because it gets crowded later in the day.
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