Hiking to Mist Falls in Beautiful Kings Canyon National Park

Looking for more fun things to do in Kings Canyon?
Visit the Muir Rock swimming hole after your hike to Mist Falls and relax by the Kings River. Need more ideas? Check out my guide to One Amazing Day in Kings Canyon National Park.

DIFFICULTY

• Moderate, but can be strenuous in hot weather. In summer, start early to avoid the worst heat of the day. The first section of the trail is relatively flat, but the second half climbs steadily. You’ll encounter some rocky, boulder-strewn areas and climb over exposed granite rock faces. There are frequent stairs and a few switchbacks, but generally the slope isn’t too steep.

WE HIKED IT

June, 2021, about 7 hours, including nearly two hours spent lunching and playing at Mist Falls

CURRENT INFO

For information about the Mist Falls Trail, visit the National Park Service website. Find reviews and maps on the AllTrails website. Good maps and trail info are also available in the book Hike the Parks: Sequoia-Kings Canyon National Parks by Scott Turner.

GOOD TO KNOW

• Since Mist Falls is located within Kings Canyon National Park, you must present an America the Beautiful pass (or other national parks pass) or pay the $35 entrance fee (valid for up to seven days) when you enter the park. You can also purchase an annual pass at the park entrance. Check ahead of time to see if you qualify for a free pass — fourth graders and active military do! Fourth graders must print a voucher ahead of time to qualify.
• There is a large parking lot at the trailhead at Roads End.
• Vault toilets and a spigot with potable water are available at the trailhead.
• Pets are not allowed on the trail.
• There is a small backcountry permit station at the trailhead (no permits are required for day hikes) with maps and information. A ranger is sometimes on duty to answer questions.
• Mist Falls is one of the most popular trails in Kings Canyon National Park, and it can be busy. Go early to get a head start and to avoid the worst heat of the day.
• Don’t forget to bring the 10 essentials. Sun protection and water are especially important on the trail to Mist Falls.
• Always follow Leave No Trace principles.

HIGHLIGHTS

The trail to Mist Falls is gorgeous, no doubt about it. It takes you deep into Kings Canyon, where you’ll find yourself surrounded by granite peaks as the trail climbs steadily upward. The Kings River sparkles translucent green, looking so inviting. Finally, thundering Mist Falls comes into view. If there’s one word that sums it all up, it’s magnificent!

THE KIDS’ TAKE

This was the longest hike we’d taken to date with the kids, and they were real troopers. We told them about the hike days in advance, attempting to mentally prepare them for the challenge. The kids were hot and tired by the time we reached the falls, but regained their energy as we relaxed by the cool water. The shallow pool was ideal for splashing and playing, and as usual I had to pry them away when it was time to hike back. Plus, we saw a king snake! How cool is that? All in all, it was an amazing hike, and one that led to a real sense of accomplishment.

WHILE YOU’RE HERE

There is no shortage of things to see and do in Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks. How about a swim following your hike? Check out Muir Rock, located near the trailhead for Mist Falls. For a full day’s worth of ideas, check out my guide to One Amazing Day in Kings Canyon National Park. Take a tour of Boyden Cavern, and have a picnic at Grizzly Falls. In the mood for more waterfalls? Roaring River Falls is easy to reach and really lives up to its name. For a lovely short hike, follow the trail around Zumwalt Meadow.

There are few options for food in Kings Canyon National Park. Here in the canyon, you have just one choice: the Cedar Grove Grill. Located in Cedar Grove Lodge, it’s only a 15-minute drive west of Roads End. While it isn’t cheap, the prices are not bad by national park standards, and the sandwiches and burgers are good and filling. There is also a small market here that sells snacks and drinks. In the summer of 2021, they were only open for dinner, so be sure to check the hours ahead of time. Several campgrounds are also located at Cedar Grove.

This was it — the day of our big hike. When we camp, we often do shorter hikes. With kids, variety is key. Too much hiking can wear them down, and besides, sometimes all they really need is free time to play in the great outdoors. But sometimes mom really needs a good hike, and I’d been eagerly anticipating our hike to Mist Falls for weeks.

The trail to Mist Falls begins easily enough. From Roads End, the terminus of Highway 180 in Kings Canyon National Park, the Paradise Valley Trail extends eastward along a flat, sandy path. Ahead of us, the granite peaks of the Sierra rose sharply toward the sky. Nearby, we spotted a couple of lizard out enjoying the early morning sun. This section of the trail is fairly exposed, so I was glad for our relatively early start of 9am. The trailhead was an hour’s drive from our campsite at Hume Lake, so arriving by 9 was an accomplishment for my family!

Before long, the trail led into a shady forest. Through occasional gaps in the trees I caught glimpses of the mountains, which were definitely drawing nearer. T was already asking for a snack, but I encouraged him to keep going until we reached the trail junction with Bailey Bridge. At this point, fortified with a few Scandinavian Swimmers, we turned left and continued up the trail to Mist Falls.

At this point, the trail began its ascent. It was considerably rockier, and in a few spots we had to clamber across granite boulders. I was thankful that much of the trail was still shaded, as it was beginning to heat up. We caught a few glimpses of the South Fork Kings River, and I imagined soaking my feet in the cold, clear water after our hike.

As the trail climbed higher, the going got tougher, especially for T. It wasn’t too steep, but there were fewer trees now as we crossed wide granite rock faces. In some places, the path completely disappeared, and we found ourselves walking across bare rock to find the trail on the opposite side. This wasn’t too difficult on the journey up, but be aware that on the trip back down there is one place where it is easy to lose the trail. When you get to that point on your decent, go left as you cross the giant boulder. If you keep looking along the left side of the rock, you’ll find the trail.

By now, the heat was starting to get to T. Michael and J forged ahead, but T was struggling to keep going. I stayed with him, offering words of encouragement.

“Your doing amazing!” I told him. “You just have to keep it up.”

“No, I’m not!” he wailed. “It’s too hot!”

The temperature had risen, although luckily it didn’t feel nearly as hot as the 100-degree weather we experienced the day before. I gave T a few breaks in the shade, and made sure he kept drinking water. I knew we were in the final stretch at this point. The last section took us back into the forest, and before long we heard the rush of falling water. Finally, Mist Falls appeared before us.

The beauty of the falls took my breath away. Mist Falls isn’t a tall waterfall, nor is it the most powerful, but the way it twists and tumbles through the rocky Sierras is something special. Jade green water pooled below the falls, shimmering under blue skies. Other hikers gathered around the river, enjoying picnics or simply taking in the sights and sounds around us.

Michael and I were eager to go further, but the kids needed a break. We left them sitting under a tree while we explored upstream. Ahead of me, I heard Michael cry out, “Snake!” He’d spotted a striped one crawling along the ground not far from the rocks where he stood. Now, we all have our fears, and Michael’s happens to be snakes. After seeing it for myself, I reassured him that it didn’t look like a poisonous snake. It was probably a king snake, and I was pretty sure those were benign. Another hiker passing by confirmed it was indeed a king snake and completely harmless.

Michael was still a little shaken, but I ran back to fetch J. How excited he’d be to see the snake! Unfortunately, by the time the boys and I reached the area, the snake was gone. Oh, well. In the meantime, Michael started to make his way down to the pool at the base of Mist Falls.

It was lunch time, and we needed a good picnic spot. A sloping pile of rocks led down to the water, which looked quite inviting. Sure, the rocks were a little difficult to navigate, but several of them were reasonably flat and might make a good seat. We wedged ourselves in among the stones, enjoying our sandwiches with a view.

T eagerly stripped off his boots and socks to explore at the water’s edge. He had forgotten all about the heat. J quickly followed, and the boys delighted in the feel of the cold water on their toes. I’d encouraged them to wear swimsuits as shorts, and made sure that both Michael and I had quick-drying clothing. Still, I hesitated. Should I get in the water?

Of course, the better question was, how could I not get in this water? Cold though it may be, I knew it would feel marvelous on a hot day. Soon, both Michael and I were in the shallow, sandy pool, reveling in the crystal water. Michael even bet J a pack of Pokemon cards that he wouldn’t swim across to the rocks in the middle of the river. Needless to say, Michael lost that bet. Despite the cold water, J happily swam across to the rocks no less than three times!

When it was time to go we could hardly believe that we had spent nearly two hours at Mist Falls. Two hours! I noticed that the skies were significantly cloudier now. A possible afternoon thunderstorm had been in the weather forecast, so it was time to move on. But before we left Mist Falls, there was one more surprise. The king snake returned! The boys were delighted to find it crawling along the trunk of a tree, and J even wanted to touch it. I warned him off — while I was fairly certain this was no poisonous snake, I still felt a little caution was warranted.

We made our way back down the granite slopes. Ahead of us, we could see the distinctive peak of The Sphinx reaching heavenward toward darkening clouds. Sure enough, we lost the trail for a minute or two at one point when traversing a granite dome, but soon found it tucked away to our left. The kids were both reinvigorated after our extra long lunch break, and we made good time. When we reached Bailey Bridge, we headed across to the other side of the river. This would make out trek back a little longer, but we were eager to see a different section of the trail.

This route is called the Kanawyer Loop, and the path on the south side of the Kings River felt distinctly different from the Paradise Valley Trail on the north. The landscape was starker, and blacked tree trunks gave evidence of recent forest fires.

The sky was quickly growing darker, and the air was thick and heavy. The heat had lessened, but the humidity was palpable. Sure enough, thunder rolled in the distance. Soon, the first raindrops fell.

I wasn’t worried; I figured down in the valley we should be reasonably protected. Still, I urged the boys to hurry as the raindrops grew heavy. Eventually, it was so heavy that we sought shelter under an enormous boulder. For at least 15 minutes we waited while the rain poured. As the rain lightened a bit, we headed back onto the trail.

It continued to rain as we hiked the last few miles to the Roads End parking lot. It wasn’t cold, however, and I have to admit it was preferable to hiking in extreme heat. We passed the beach near Muir Rock, where just yesterday we had played in the sand and swam. Today, Muir Rock was completely deserted, with not a single swimmer to be found.

We were all thankful to finally reach the bridge that would take us back across the Kings River. The thunderstorm subsided as we approached our car in the mostly empty parking lot. Tired, but satisfied and happy, we drove through Kings Canyon one last time. What an incredible hike, and what an unforgettable day!