Rainbow Falls - Inyo NF, CA

There are lots of things to see and do in Devil's Postpile National Monument and the surround John Muir and Ansel Adams Wilderness Areas. There are two places in particular that most people visit. The first one is the namesake of Devil's Postpile National Monument. The other is Rainbow Falls.


Rainbow Falls gets its name from the rainbow that its mist generates when the sunlight hits it just right. It is a breathtaking sight. Located along the Middle Fork of the San Joaquin River, the falls drop 101 feet. After a heavy winter the late spring and early summer water flow over the falls is spectacular. As the summer wears on the falls continue to impress even as the volume of water drops.From Devil's Postpile National Monument there are two main ways to access the falls. The first way is to take the shuttle bus to the Soda Springs ranger station and take the Pacific Crest/John Muir Trail past Devil's Postpile and continue on to Rainbow Falls. The other, is to take the shuttle to Red's Meadow and follow the sign to Rainbow Falls from there.

In 1993 the Rainbow Fire occurred in this area. The devastation it left behind is still quite evident today. The forest has been quite slow to recover. The skeletons of many burned out trees still stand or are laid out on the forest floor. At a distance the area looks dead. Up close the forest is clearly making a comeback, slowly but surely. Another nice side effect is that with all of the extra sunlight reaching the ground, the wildflowers are thriving. Regardless of the route you choose to take to Rainbow Falls, you will pass through the burn area.

When you approach the fall you approach them from upstream. You can see them from the top, which isn't very impressive. However, it's clear that there is quite a drop off. After you pass the falls you will reach a good view point that rests on the right side of the falls on the edge of the canyon wall. This is where you are most likely to see the rainbow. You can continue on down to another view point that is still above the canyon floor but further back, giving you a straighter on view of the falls. You can also take a long stairway down to the canyon floor and view the falls from the bottom.

2011-03-29 slegal