Devils Postpile & Rainbow Falls

Madera County, California

5.0/5
based on 2 reviews

Details

Distance

4.53 miles

Elevation Gain

509 ft

Route Type

Out-and-Back

Description

Added by The Outbound Collective

The hike to the top of Devils Postpile is a bit steep & no railing at the the top. The base (from the lower trail) features iconic columnar basalt rock formations. If you continue, you'll arrive at Rainbow Falls, which has 3 viewpoints. Head down to the base of the falls for an amazing view!

If you do this once the shuttles are running from Mammoth Mountain, you'll want to park at the Mammoth Mountain Inn and took the Reds Meadow Shuttle Bus to the trailhead closest to Devils Postpile. It was a short and easy hike, about 0.5 miles to the base. While many walked past Devils Postpile after a few photos, we took the short but steep trail to the top. The view is worth the extra few minutes. You can loop to the trail with Rainbow Falls or head back down to rejoin the trail you were just on.

Rainbow Falls is about 2.5 miles away on the same trail. A great place for lunch and relaxing and swimming. Surprisingly, there was cell phone reception at the Falls, I was able to call my wife and show her the Falls via Facetime.

Here is a helpful map to show the highlights and stops if you're taking the shuttle.

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Features

Photography
Hiking
Easy Parking
Family Friendly
Forest
River
Scenic
Waterfall
Wildflowers
Swimming Hole

Devils Postpile & Rainbow Falls Reviews

My wife and I came in October, which was a little chilly but overall it was a great hike. The larger falls was beautiful but keep hiking to the lower falls for a better picnic spot. Very good for photography, even when we aren't the photography type. High elevation but easy hike.

If the shuttles have started, make sure you get there early on the weekends as there can be a pretty long line. And when you hike the falls, head down to the base of the falls for an amazing view!

Leave No Trace

Always practice Leave No Trace ethics on your adventures and follow local regulations. Please explore responsibly!

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