Best Day Hike in Lower Sequoia NP: Marble Falls Trail

Sequoia National Park is more than just big, fat trees. For certain, those fatties are worth seeing, touching and loving anytime and often, but winter visits are sometimes made a bit more difficult with closed highways and neck deep snow covered trails. Fortunately, Sequoia offers diverse environments allowing treks year round.

Approaching the park from the south via Hwy 198 through Visalia and Three Rivers, the “Ash Mountain and Foothills” portion of Sequoia is often well below the snow line while still providing inspiring waterfalls, roaring rivers, oak and laurel shaded paths and encounters with wildlife regardless of the season.

One of the more popular trails there is the 8 mile round trip hike to Marble Falls.  The trail is a moderately difficult hike with a 2,000 foot elevation change.  To access the trailhead, enter the park from the southern gate, (Ash Mountain) driving north-easterly on the park’s Generals Highway to the Potwisha campground, elevation 2,100 feet.

Entering the campground, continue along its roadway to the upper, northern end (near campgrounds 14 and 16) where a narrow access road leads to a small parking area.  Since bears frequent the area, a metal “bear box” is available at the trailhead to safely store any coolers, food and toiletries carried in your car. 

Though you may not actually see a bear, it is highly likely you’ll see evidence of their presence in the form of scattered trash, fecal matter, scarred tree trunks and other signs.  Be smart and use the bear box.

The trail parallels a concrete aqueduct and the Marble Fork of the Kaweah river for .2 miles before it begins a quick, switched-back climb on the east side of the river gorge. New trail signs indicate that from this point, the falls are 3.9 miles up canyon, and I believe it.

Oaks, laurels and yucca dominate the chaparral plant life that is accented in the spring with wide swatches of wildflowers. The trail continues to climb as it follows the contours of the river gorge. This is my favorite type of hike since the trail alternates between climbing and leveling off. This allows you to rest while moving to the next uphill section of the hike.


As the trail climbs, the terrain and plants change to more alpine-like with occasional bare rock outcroppings that provide a particular drama to the often narrow, steep drop-off single-track trail. During the wetter months and the spring thaw, you will need to cross any number of hillside creeks that exist in draws. The trail is also alternatively shady and sun drenched as it moves in and out of these foliage and even moss-dense sections of trail.


At about 2.5 miles you will be afforded a distant, but good view of the falls, actually a series of cascades of varying heights, at the bottom of the narrow gorge. You will definitely hear the river and the falls before you see them and the roar only grows more powerful as you near the end of the trail.

When you reach the place where the trail meets the river, you’ll be treated to up close views of the largest cascades as they wash over broad slabs of white marbleized quartz. Looking up at the west side of the gorge, you’ll witness a massive deposit of this quartz, the outcropping as tall as the mountain containing it, looming over the river. Though you might be tempted, it is not recommended to venture any further up river. The rocks are slick, the river powerful and any missteps, unforgiving.

After absorbing a bit of the energy echoing from every surface, return the way you came. During the spring and summer months, be sure to check yourself for ticks that like to hang out on shrubs and low laying flora. Keep an eye for passive, fearless mule deer and furtive rattlesnakes along the way.  Both are numerous at times. 

There are many online trail guides for Marble Falls if you need additional information. The park rangers at the Foothills Visitor Center can also provide you with the latest trail conditions.  Though it's an easy hike to find and follow, here's a map that may be useful: Sequoia NP Foothills Area. Other helpful maps can be found on this site as well.

It is important to mention that during the summer months, the foothills area of Sequoia can get quite warm so bring plenty of water, and wear a hat!

Multnomah-Wahkenah Falls Loop

Multnomah-Wahkenah Falls Loop
Columbia River Gorge, Oregon
6.3 miles - 1,600 elevation gain
Moderately Difficult
Multnomah Falls is arguably the second most recognizable feature of the Columbia River Gorge. The first is the river itself. This iconic spectacle is a popular tourist destination due to its beauty and comfortable tourist accommodations including a sit down restaurant, fully loaded gift shop, paved walkways and flush toilets. Highway access is quick and easy. There could be no better place for locals to bring visitors to Portland when wanting to truly impress them with the area’s natural beauty.

Most folks will take the ½ mile walk to the base of the first fall to peer upward from the circa 1914 concrete constructed Benson Footbridge. A number of others may even venture a bit more to peer dizzyingly over the upper fall’s cascade though it can produce some gasping breaths from those unaccustomed to steep walking. Even fewer take the opportunity to see some of the other wonderful falls higher up the gorge’s talus slopes and into the thick rainforest, which is exactly what I wanted to do during a recent trip to Portland to visit family and friends.

Depending on who you ask and which trail map you pick up, the Multnomah-Wahkenah Falls Loop hike is known either as Loop #1 or Loop #2. This map shows the route as Loop #2. Many of the hiking guides tell you to trek this in a clock-wise manner, from Multnomah Falls towards Weisendanger Falls but I would advise you to take this route in the opposite direction. Due to the crowds on the Multnomah Falls walkway (I’m hesitant to call this section a "trail," since it’s nicely paved, wide and well engineered. I spied many folks walking in flip-flops along the steep grade) I recommend saving this human traffic jam to the end of the hike. It would be a shame and misleading to allow this to set the tone for the remainder of the trek.

The hike is well documented on other sites including; Oregon.com Multnomah Falls Guide and Tripcart.com Multnomah Falls Guide
which give varying accounts of mileage and difficulty. In rechecking my calculations, the hike with side steps to lookouts and such is right at 6 miles with an elevation gain of approximately 1,600’.

Begin and end the hike at the Multnomah Falls Lodge. From the falls proceed west, past the lodge and parking area as you parallel the Historic Columbia River Highway until you reach Wahkenah Falls. Begin your climb up the gorge’s south wall as you travel a good distance along Wahkenah Canyon creek. The canyon fills your ears with the music of the rushing creek, as moss draped pines and deep green ferns saturate your eyes. I honestly don’t think I’ve ever hiked in a more beautiful forest setting.

The climb up-canyon continues for about 2.7 miles until it levels off on the southern slope of the gorge. Along the way you’ll discover Fairy Falls, a lovely fan waterfall that invites many photos to be taken. Near the high point of the hike, you’ll have opportunities to visit Devils Rest, another 1.6 miles and Larch Mountain, an additional 5 miles from the trail junction.

When you begin to descend north along Multnomah Creek, several more small waterfalls are found including Wiesendanger and Ecola falls. Though the scenery remains spectacular, it is along this section of trail that you’re likely to encounter more hikers who’ve come up from Multnomah Falls, the number of which will increase to distraction and irritation until you reach the main lodge again.

I’m definitely repeating this hike on subsequent visits to the area but will also strive to summit Larch Mountain next time. From the photos and trail guides I’ve read, it should prove to be a rewarding experience. The top of the mountain is similar to a bald; unprotected by trees thereby offering unobstructed views for miles in all directions.

In addition to the other charms of the area, both in terms of the inhabitants and environs, this hike will be just one more reason to return. And soon.