2 min
Overview
About a few miles west of Zumwalt Meadow, the Roaring River spills its contents over a 40 foot ledge before merging with the Kings River. The unexpectedly ferocious Roaring River Falls (at least in a wet year) kicks up abundant mist and churns ups the water within a beautiful granite “bowl.” These popular falls are easily accessible via an access trail, but a longer hike from the Zumwalt Meadow trailhead creates a nice riverside hike to a great destination. Kings River, looking east toward the high country with a developing thunderstorm The Roaring River drains the region south of Silliman Crest in Sequoia National Park and west of the Sphinx Crest in Kings Canyon. While this watershed is technically part of the larger Kings River watershed, the Roaring river accumulates enough run-off from creeks and lakes in the Jennie Lakes Wilderness and the Mt. Silliman region to qualify as a river. If your curious about the distinctions between different types of watercourses, remember that streams drain into creeks, while creeks drain into rivers, with rivers draining into the ocean. Technicalities aside, the river produces a healthy flow of water, even during drought years. You can reach the falls from an asphalt access trail that connects to a large parking lot just off the highway. This 100 yard access trail is good for people with less inclination or ability for hiking. However, this write-up assumes that you are looking to take a hike and will therefore detail a route that departs from the nearby Zumwalt Meadow Trailhead. This 4 mile hike can be taken in conjunction with Zumwalt Meadow, or it can be taken alone for a moderate trek through recovering forest, meadows, and along the Kings River. Kings River from the bridge The trail departs from the parking lot and travels along a short segment of the Kings River. You’ll notice a number of side trails that lead down to the river’s edge where swimming and wading are popular activities when the water is calm. The trail will come to a large steel bridge spanning the Kings
Trail Stats
7.4 km
152 m
1553 m
1432 m
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Photos
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