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United States
California
Madera County

Rainbow Falls

Rainbow Falls

Recommended by 11 hikers

This Highlight is in a protected area

Please check local regulations for: Ansel Adams Wilderness

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    Best Hikes to Rainbow Falls

    32

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    1. Rainbow Falls — Mammoth Lakes

    3.85km

    01:06

    90m

    90m

    Easy hike. Great for any fitness level. Easily-accessible paths. Suitable for all skill levels.

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    Easy

    Intermediate hike. Good fitness required. Easily-accessible paths. Suitable for all skill levels.

    Intermediate

    Intermediate hike. Good fitness required. Easily-accessible paths. Suitable for all skill levels.

    Intermediate

    Tips

    May 6, 2016

    Rainbow Falls is the highest waterfall on the Middle Fork of the San Joaquin River. Plunging 101-feet down to the turbulent water below, the falls are named for the rainbows that appear in its mist throughout sunny summer days.

    It is located in Devils Postpile National Monument near Mammoth Mountain. The national monument protects Devil's Postpile, an unusual rock formation of columnar basalt. Devils Postpile National Monument encompasses 798 acres. In addition, the John Muir Trail and Pacific Crest Trail merge into one trail as they pass through the monument. Excluding a small developed area containing the monument headquarters, visitor center and a campground; the National Monument lies within the borders of the Ansel Adams Wilderness.

    About 75,000 years ago, lava erupted from a vent just east of the present-day Falls. The eruption occurred in two stages. The first pulse of lava flowed about 1 kilometre (0.62 mi) westward and pooled in the Middle Fork of the San Joaquin drainage. The second pulse of lava insulated the first, allowing it to cool slowly and to fracture vertically. The layer above cooled under different conditions and fractured horizontally. Geologists describe these rocks as platy rhyodacite and are visible in the cliffs that surround Rainbow Falls.

    As water rushes over the cliff, it erodes the vertically fractured rhyodacite more easily. A small cavern begins to form at the base of the Falls, and the overlying rock loses its support and collapses. This process, known as undercutting, causes the waterfall to recede slowly upstream. To date Rainbow Falls has retreated about 500 feet (150 m) due to undercutting.

    en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rainbow_Falls_%28California%29
    en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Devils_Postpile_National_Monument
    nps.gov/depo/planyourvisit/nearbyattractions.htm

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      Elevation 2,250 m

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      Tuesday 21 October

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      Location: Madera County, California, United States

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