Mist Falls

Mist Falls is the largest waterfall in Kings Canyon National Park, a powerful 45-foot cascade where the South Fork of the Kings River thunders over a granite ledge and explodes into a churning pool of spray. Despite its modest height, the sheer volume of water during peak runoff is staggering — the wide river compresses through a narrow granite channel before launching off the edge, generating clouds of mist that drench everything within 50 feet of the base. The surrounding granite slabs, polished smooth by millennia of water, glow warm gray and pink in the afternoon sun.

The 8-mile round-trip hike from Roads End follows the South Fork of the Kings River through one of the deepest canyons in North America. The first two miles are relatively flat, crossing pleasant meadows filled with wildflowers in spring. The trail then enters forest and begins climbing in earnest, gaining 600 feet in the last mile through a series of switchbacks with increasingly dramatic views of the canyon. The final approach to the falls crosses open granite slabs marked with cairns.

May through July offers the best flow, when snowmelt transforms the falls into a thundering spectacle. The trail is usually accessible from late April through October, though the road to Roads End (Cedar Grove) typically doesn't open until mid-to-late April. This is bear country, so store food in bear canisters or lockers. The canyon can be brutally hot in midsummer, so carry ample water and start early.