Tokopah Falls and Moro Rock - Galleries

Galleries > Tokopah Falls and Moro Rock (26)

The family took a day trip to Sequoia National Park, stretching the annual pass we bought last August. Our focus this trip was the 3.5-mile roundtrip hike from Lodgepole to Tokopah Falls, then the short but steep hike to Moro Rock. The massive Sierra snowpack gave us marvels, with swollen rivers and waterfalls, and snow to enjoy on an 80-degree summer day. Paradise just 2 hours from home! These were shot with a Sony Cybershot so I had to crank down the resolution for these versions posted online. Some of the detail got lost in the translation. If anyone wants originals, I can share.

Baby Deer

Allie scrambled out of the Lodgepole Market to grab this shot of a baby deer nestled just outside in the bushes. A ranger was there to keep the masses from getting too close.
Lodgepole bridge

This bridge connects campgrounds on either side of the Kaweah River at Lodgepole. We saw lots of riverside camp spots, and made a note to come back for some overnight camping.
Bear .. no lion or tiger

We saw this bear quietly munching on grass just off the Tokopah Falls trail. Another hiker said he saw a mother and cub but we just saw the one.
Splash of red

We didn't see too many wildflowers, but I did find this stray flower just off the trail.
Mini waterfall

Because of the heavy snowmelt, mini waterfalls were all over the place along the Tokopah Falls trail.
Bent tree

Not sure why this happened but this tree was healthy but growing horizontally along the Tokopah Falls trail. The only green limbs are all pointing toward the ground.
Summer snow

It was more than 80 degrees on the Tokopah Falls trail but we walked past this stash of snow hidden underneath tree branches. We scooped some up and threw snowballs at one another.
Snow fun

Sandi, me and Allie
Topokah Falls

Tokopah Falls drops 1,200 feet in feeding the Kaweah River. There was so much snowmelt, other waterfalls had appeared, including the one on the right. that's snow in the center right, still there despite 80-degree temperatures.
Sandi at the falls

We crawled out onto some rocks close to the falls in order to enjoy the spray on a warm day. The Tokopah Falls trail is 1.7 miles in each direction, so we were grateful for the mist.
Allie embracing the mist

Allie crawled out close to the falls and escaped into the mist.
Girls rock

Allie, Sandi and Hanna underneath a rock overhang on the Tokopah Falls trail. Sandi's top is wet because she put a snowball underneath it to cool herself.
What's that behind you?

Not sure if this was a marmot or not but it wasn't scared of us. This was just beneath the Tokopah Falls trail.
Log rolling

Sandi and Allie taking a break while crossing the Kaweah River on a log. The river looks tranquil but the current was moving mighty fast.
Snow angels

Sandi and Allie making snow angels just off the Kaweah river in 80-degree temperatures.
Specs in the big picture

Sandi and Allie can barely be seen amid the surroundings.
The Tokopah Falls trail

The Tokopah Falls trail is easy to moderate and 1.7 miles in each direction.
Splashes of pink

There weren't too many wildflowers but what we did see usually was a pretty pink.
Valley view

This view from near the Giant Forest Museum captures the ripples of mountains looking toward the San Joaquin Valley. On a clear day, you can see the coast range. On this day, we could barely see the valley.
Winding like a snake

The Generals Highway to and from the San Joaquin Valley as seen from Moro Rock winds back and forth, down an down, back and forth. ... The highway was built in 1921-26, quite an engineering feat for the day.
The majestic Sierra

A view of some of the tallest peaks in the Sierra Nevada from the top of Moro Rock. Some of these peaks were more than 12,000 feet. The Middle Fork Canyon of the Kaweah River is 4,000 feet below Moro Rock, making it deeper than the Grand Canyon.
Tight squeeze

It gets very tight on some parts of the walkway to Moro Rock.
Rock formation

Rocks toward the top of Moro Rock take on interesting shapes.
Ants on the walkway

Those tiny colored things seen through the cracks in the rocks are people, making their way down the Moro Rock walkway. The 400-step staircase is an impressive accomplishment, both for the builders and tourists who survive the trip.
Tight corners

The 797-foot hike up to Moro Rock involves walking up 400 stairs, many of them around tight corners. Thanks to all the people who built that path, because the view from the top is breathtaking.
Trail of Sequoias

It's really hard to get tired of the giant redwoods. We saw this string of giant sequoias while driving around a corner on the General's Highway, not too far from the Giant Forest Museum.