Fall colors abound at Wisconsin waterfalls

Willow Falls, near Hudson, Wis.

Among the most

beautiful scenes in autumn is a waterfall wreathed in autumn colors. Fortunately for those living in or visiting Wisconsin, there are plenty of great waterfalls that fit he bill and can be easily reached via a day hike.

Ashland County
Hikers can tour Wisconsin’s geological history in some of the most breathtaking scenery this side of the Mississippi on Doughboys’ Nature Trail at Copper Falls State Park. The trail follows the Bad River and Tyler Forks past Copper and Brownstone waterfalls and a series of cascades. From Mellen, take State Hwy. 169 north. Upon passing Loon Lake, enter the park by turning left onto Copper Falls Road. The road leads to a parking lot near the pet area. From there, head northwest to the picnic area. Doughboys’ Nature Trail starts near the concession building.

Douglas County
Just a few miles south of Superior flows the highest waterfall in the Upper Midwest. Short overlook trails in Pattison State Park provide a variety of scenic views of Big Manitou Falls. Summer marks the most comfortable time to visit the falls, but each season delivers a unique experience. Winter offers mist rising off the falls, spring brings thundering water flows, and autumn unveils the fantastic ancient rocks forming the gorge below. To reach the trailhead, take Wis. Hwy. 35 south about 13 miles from Superior. The entrance and parking lot is on the left. Walk to the southwest corner of the parking lot and take the pathway through the park’s grassy picnic area past the nature center toward Interfalls Lake.

Florence County
Yellow-leaved birch and evergreen cedar and pine line a waterfall at the end of the LaSalle Falls Trail. The 1.9-miles round trip partially heads along the Pine River to the 20-foot high waterfalls, which slides down a long rock ledge. LaSalle Falls is the highest waterfall in this part of the state. From Florence, take County Road N south. Turn right/west on County Road C then right/north onto LaSalle Falls Road. After crossing Halls Creek, park in the lot on the right/north side of the road. Leashed dogs are allowed on the trail.

Iron County
An impressive waterfalls surrounded by a gorge of fall colors awaits on the Potato River Falls Trails. Three paths for a combined 0.5-mile round trip heads to a series of cascades and falls that drop about 90 feet over the Potato River. One trail heads to the 40-foot drop over the Upper Falls, a second trail to the-50 foot Lower Falls, and another to a lookout. Red, yellow and orange leaves line the gorge below the falls, and fallen leaves float and swirl upon the flowing river. From Hurley, take U.S. Hwy. 2 west. Turn left/south on Wis. Hwy. 169. Go right/west on Falls Road. The trail leaves from the Potato River Falls Campground.

Iowa County
Fall colors light up the trail to picturesque Stephens Falls in Governor Dodge State Park. The 0.5-mile round trip Stephens Falls Trail passes beneath a canopy of hardwoods before arriving at the waterfalls, which spills 20 feet over a moss-covered sandstone into a splash pool below. The hike can be extended by continuing past the falls on the Lost Canyon Trail. From Dodgeville, take U.S. Hwy. 23 north. The park entry road is on the right/east. Follow the entry road north to the Stephens Falls parking area on the right/east. Leashed dogs are allowed on the trail.

St. Croix County
A waterfall that many say is among Wisconsin’s best awaits day hikers on the Willow Falls Hill (Gray) Trail. The trail runs about 0.85-miles round trip on Willow Falls State Park’s eastern side. Trees line the top of 200-foot walls and the base of the 45-foot high falls. Take Exit 4 from Interstate 94, heading north on U.S. Hwy. 12 for about 1.6 miles. Follow County Road U for 0.3 miles to County Road A. Drive north, continuing past the main park entrance for about 0.4 miles. Park in the Willow Falls Parking Lot on the road’s left/west side. The trailhead leaves from the lot’s northwest corner

Upper Peninsula hike leads to 40-foot falls

Autumn colors glow on waterfalls day hike

Lower Falls of Minneopa Falls drops 39 feet in southern Minnesota.

Minneopa Falls Trail map. Click for larger version.

Day hikers can walk to the most scenic waterfall in southern Minnesota, a perfect adventure in autumn when the gorge glows in orange and red leaves.

The 0.4-mile round trip Minneopa Falls Trail sits in Minneopa State Park near Mankato. The trail is located in the park's smaller southern part.

To reach the trailhead, from Mankato follow U.S. Hwy 169 west. Turn right/north onto County Road 69/Gadwall Road. After entering the park, take the first left/south. The road ends in a gravel parking lot; leave your vehicle there.

Follow the paved path from the parking lot past the picnic area. You'll hear the rush of the falls as you approach Minneopa Creek.

The trail next turns northwest and comes to a footbridge that crosses between the falls' two drops, allowing you to see the smaller falls and the lip of the lower falls. Multicolored leaves float and swirl along the shallow creek.

Trail to Lower Falls
Minneopa Creek flows 11 miles, most of that through farmland, before reaching park. The Upper Falls drops 8 feet.

After crossing water, the trail go upon the top of the gorge then limestone steps heads down the edge of ravine. At the bottom is a sandy and rocky trail that runs along the creek bank.

The orange-red glow of the autumn leaves forms a canopy over the trail. Sugar maple, basswood, elm, and northern red oak, with some hackberry and ironwood, all contribute to the harvest colors. A stand of yellow birch also can be found at the southernmost edge of its range.

How the trail looks to your great-grandchildren in a few decades almost certainly will be different than it does now. Dutch elm disease has claimed most of the elms while oaks, unable to tolerate shade, are not replacing themselves as they fall. The result is maples and basswood are becoming more dominant.

At last the trail reaches the Lower Falls. It drops 39 feet and is 25 feet wide. If you can take your hike a couple of days after a thunderstorm, the water flow will be heavier that usual in autumn.

Millions of years in the making
Minneopa Falls exists thanks to millions of years of geology that predate the dinosaurs. Beneath the dirt are several stories of dolomite and sandstone, set down in a shallow sea over tens of millions of years atop a layer of steeply tilted granite. The granite slopes to the east toward Mankato.

At the end of the last ice age about 10,000 years ago, the Glacial River Warren carried meltwater from retreating glaciers, carving out what today is the Minnesota River Valley. As the amount of meltwater decreased, so did the size of the glacial river, forming dry, flat terraces where it used to flow. The park sits on one such terrace.

The Lower Falls at one time likely was the the creek's mouth to the Minnesota River, but the creek eroded away the rock below the waterfall until the mouth moved to its current location, about 2.2 miles downstream.

There's a double waterfall because of three different layers of hardness in the sandstone. The site of the waterfalls is the softest while the 66-feet stretch between them is harder or more resistant. The constant spray of the waterfalls ensures nearly vertical gorge walls.

Minneopa Falls got its moniker by shortening the Dakota name for it – Minneinneopa – which means "water falling twice."

After taking in the Lower Falls, retrace your steps back to the parking lot.

North Country Trail heads to Wren Falls

Surrounded by fragrant cedars, Wren Falls tumbles 15 feet into a pool.

North Country National Scenic Trail, Wren Falls segment
topo map. Click for larger version.

Hikers can enjoy scenic Wren Falls atop an old iron range in the Wisconsin Northwoods.

A 6.58-miles round trip hike on the North Country National Scenic Trail heads to the falls. Though Wren Falls drops just 12-15 feet, it does so with a dramatic flourish as a river flows through a deep gorge then spills into a wide, peaceful pool.

To reach the trailhead, from Mellen take Wis. Hwy. 77 east. Go left/north on the gravel Casey Sag Road. Look for the trail access, which is on both sides of the road at the Gold Mine Creek Bridge. Park along the road and head west on the trail.

About 100 feet in, the trail crosses a 34-foot bridge over an unnamed tributary of Gold Mine Creek then crosses yet another bridge.

Gold mine con
The route is a fairly new segment of the North Country Trail. Construction began in 2007 with many of the volunteers driving from the Milwaukee area some 5-6 hours away. The Student Conservation Association, made up of high school students, also spent a month working on 1.2 miles of the trail.

In little more than half-mile from the trailhead is a spur on the left/south side that heads to a campground.

At 0.6 miles, the trail reaches the “gold mine,” the site of a great con job. During the late 1800s, a con man made up a story of a mother lode being found there and then sold shares to investors. So that the investors and anyone else coming by would believe the story, he even had equipment set up there. Today, an old steam boiler and two mine shafts – now filled with water – can be seen on the hike.

After the trail crosses another bridge, it enters a rolling woodlands with glacial erratic boulders all about. These boulders actually are rock from northern Canada that glaciers sheared off and carried to Wisconsin as advancing during the last ice age. When the glaciers melted and retreated, the boulders dropped to the ground and remained behind.

Gogebic Range
There was money to be found in the ground there, through it came in the form of iron rather than gold. The trail heads through the famous Gogebic Range, which also is known as the Penokee Range.

About 2 billion years ago, iron-rich sediments eroded off the land and settled into a shallow seas that covered this region. At 1.7 billion years, a mountains rose in the area, raising the sediment out of the deep earth. Then about 1.1 billion year ago, volcanism morphed the rock to create iron ore. Between 1977 and 1967, miners removed an incredible 325 million tons of iron ore from about 40 individual mines in the range.

The trail next veers north toward a knoll. As reaching its base, the route curves west and approaches another knoll, which you’ll go over at about 2 miles in.

Then the trail briefly heads southwest to a third knoll. After going over it at about 2.75 miles, the trail heads northwest.

Wren Falls
The trail soon approaches Taylor Fork River, a tributary of the Bad River, which in turn flows into Lake Superior to the north. You’ll parallel the small river for about 300 feet.

Take a spur to a campground on a bluff overlooking Wren Falls. Below, the river narrows in a rocky gorge before spilling to a pool. Cedar trees grow in the rock while lichens cling to granite.

The water falling over the falls often is the color of root beer. Decaying leaves and roots spilling into the waterway caused the coloration.

After taking in the sight, head back to main trail and then retrace your steps back to the parking lot. Alternately, you can continue on left/north on the North Country Trail to the intersection of Casey Sag and Vogues roads and Sullivan Fire Lane for pickup; this shaves about a mile off the hike.

14 Great Day Hikes to Waterfalls

Laurel Falls at Great Smoky Mountains National Park. NPS photo.

Great Smoky Mountains National Park waterfalls
Thanks to its geography, Great Smoky Mountains National Park is a great destination for waterfall lovers. All across the park, the steep grade of rivers and creeks has carved down to erosion-resistant layers that suddenly drop-off. A few waterfalls top 90 feet in height.

Brandywine Gorge Trail
Cuyahoga Valley National Park
A 65-foot waterfall awaits visitors on the Brandywine Gorge Trail at Cuyahoga Valley National Park. Brandywine Falls ranks among the most popular of the park’s several waterfalls. The Brandywine Gorge Trail, with a combination of segments from the Stanford Road Metro Parks Bike and Hike Trail, loops 1.5 miles to the falls then back to the trailhead with several crossings of Brandywine Creek.

Adams Falls Trail
Rocky Mountain National Park
Day hikers can enjoy a 55-foot waterfall in Rocky Mountain National Park on the Adams Falls Trail. The 0.9-miles round trip is an easy walk on the park’s west side. Autumn marks a great time to hike the trail as aspen leaves have turned a brilliant yellow, though the waterflow at the falls will be low compared to May when at its peak.

Many Falls Trail
Glacier National Park
With melting glaciers and high mountains, waterfalls can be found aplenty in Glacier National Park. You can enjoy one of the park’s most photographed falls on the Many Falls Trail. The 1.7-miles round trip offers a 260-foot change in elevation, which is moderate for this mountainous area.

Lower Yosemite Fall Trail
Yosemite National Park
Day hikers can walk to the base of North America’s tallest waterfall on a must-do trail for anyone visiting Yosemite. The Lower Yosemite Fall Trail offers a number of spectacular views of Yosemite Falls in a 1.2-mile loop. Actually consisting of seven waterfalls, Yosemite Falls sends water rushing 2,425 feet downward into the valley. 

Learn more about national park day hiking trails in my Best Sights to See at America’s National Parks series.

Spurs head to rare Saguaro NP waterfalls

Ernie's Falls

If you’re on the hunt for a scenic hike that includes picturesque waterfalls, then the Douglas Spring Trail is a must-see. This hike boasts two beautiful waterfalls, Ernie’s Falls and Bridal Wreath Falls.

After heavy rainfall or snowmelt, several other waterfalls can be seen from the water flowing down the Rincon Mountain. Bridal Wreath Falls is the more popular end point for hikers, and it’s well worth the 5.6-mile round trip.

To reach the trailhead, from Interstate 10 in Tucson take East Speedway Boulevard east. Outside of town, the road dead ends at the trailhead. As the trail is easy to access, the parking lot fills up fast, so you may need to park on the road’s wide shoulder as it approaches the trailhead. Though there’s no fee station, be sure to have your park pass, as rangers regularly patrol the area.

To get there, just stay left on the Douglas Spring Trail until you see the trail marker telling you to turn right for the falls. As you hike, you’ll enjoy the flat, grassy and bushy land all around you, and after crossing three dry washes, you’ll reach a four-way intersection by the site of Aguila Corral. Take a right/southwest from there, and you’ll be just a stone’s throw from the awe-inspiring Bridal Wreath Falls.

Although the waterfall is seasonal, it’s still worth the 0.6-mile round-trip hike to see this small gem tucked away in a quaint wooded canyon.

The Ernie’s Falls Trail is a 1.1-mile (one-way) stretch that takes you from a four-way intersection up north to the park boundary. What makes Ernie’s Falls Trail so unique is its diverse range of plant and animal life. As you wander through the trail’s initially level terrain, you’ll encounter saguaro, prickly pear, mesquite and agave.

Keep your eyes peeled for the various types of cacti like pin cushion and cholla, as well as bobcat, deer, lizards, and snakes. And with the abundance of flowers in monsoon season, you may even catch a glimpse of some busy bees.

But the real star of the show is the rock outcropping where the waterfall can be seen – a breathtaking sight to behold when the water is running.

TOPO MAP

Click for printable version

Waterfalls abound at Rocky Mountain NP

Fern Falls is a roaring respite along the trail to Fern Lake. NPS photo

Rocky Mountain National Park is a waterfall lovers’ paradise. With 30 named waterfalls and many more unnamed and seasonal falls in the backcountry, they can’t all be seen in one visit.

Among the park’s best falls and the trails to see them are:
• Adams Falls – Rainbows shine through the 55-foot-high falls’ mist during the early morning hours. Adams Falls sits at the end of a 0.6 miles round trip in-and-out trail. Use the East Inlet Trailhead near Grand Lake.
• Alberta Falls – The 1.4-mile out-and-back Alberta Falls Trail heads through lush green woodland on its way to this popular 25-foot waterfall. Pick up the trail at the Glacier Gorge Trailhead parking lot.
• Bridal Veil Falls – A 6.4-miles round trip hike heads past historic McGraw Ranch and through an aspen forest to the 40-foot falls. Start at the Cow Creek Trailhead.
• Cascade Falls – The wide waterfall offers flat rocks perfect for picnicking. The 3.5-mile hike through lodgepole pines starts at the North Inlet Trailhead near Grand Lake.
• Chasm Falls – A mere 100 feet from Old Fall River Road, this is perhaps the most accessible waterfall in the park. There the Fall River cuts through a narrow gorge and drops 30 feet.
• Columbine Falls – The 110-foot waterfall is about 6-miles round trip from the Longs Peak trailhead. After Roaring Fork tumbles over the cliffside, it gathers in Peacock Pool.
• Copeland Falls – Two small waterfalls – an upper and lower that drop a combined 12 feet – are a short distance apart on the first waterfall from the Wild Basin Trailhead, a mere 0.8 miles round trip. Another 1.4 miles up the trail is the Calypso Cascades, which tumbles 90 feet over boulders.
• Fern Falls – The 60-foot waterfall casts a fine mist across the forested trail. Seeing the falls requires a 5.4-miles round trip hike on the way to Fern Lake.
• Horseshoe Falls – A long cascade waterfall, Horseshoe Falls can be seen from the Alluvial Fan Trail in a short 0.4-miles round trip hike. In total, water drops 250 feet here.
• Ouzel Falls – The waterfall drops 40 feet over a cliffside and across boulders. It’s a 5.4-mile round trip hike from the Wild Basin Trailhead; hiking to this trail allows you to also see Copeland Falls and the Calypso Cascades.
• Timberline Falls – Though a long day hike at 8-miles round trip, the effort is worth it, as the falls drops 100 feet with a great view of The Loch and the mountain valley. Use the Glacier Gorge trailhead.
• West Creek Falls – This is a great waterfall for those looking to get away from crowds. A spur off the North Boundary Trail, you’ll walk 4.75 miles round trip from the Cow Creek Trailhead to the 22-foot falls.

Learn more about the park's day hiking trails in my Best Sights to See at Rocky Mountain National Park.

Trail heads to little known 3-story waterfalls

Ash River Falls from the air.

Satellite map of Ash River Falls Trail.

Day hikers can head to a three-story waterfall on the Ash River near Voyageurs National Park.

The Ash River Falls Waterfall Trail runs 1.7-miles round trip. Though not an official trail in the Kabetogama State Forest, the falls is so spectacular a sight that people have cut a path to it.

To reach the trail, from U.S. Hwy. 53 about midway between Ash Lake and Ray, turn east onto County Road 129/Ash River Trail. Then go right/south onto Ash River Recreational Trail. The paved highway naturally becomes Bright Star Road. As taking the last curve before the NoVA Far Detector Building (which is off limits to the public), park in the pullout on the road's left/northwest side. Two trails start at the pullout. Take the one on the right and go northeast.

The sandy jeep trail heads through a woods as it wraps around the detector building. A particle physics experiment designed to detect neutrinos, elementary particles are beamed through 503 miles of Earth from Fermilab (the near detector) to this one in northern Minnesota (the far detector).

After about 0.42 miles, on the detector building's east side, the trail narrows and heads through a pine barrens.

Where the woodline picks up abut 0.38 miles later, the trail descends through evergreens to the Ash River shoreline. Once on the rocky beach, turn right/south; the base of the waterfall is in about 300 feet.

The Ash River tumbles about 34.5 feet over four tiers of gray rock. You’ll likely spot a canoeist or two on the river below the falls; this is a popular canoeing destination from a series of resorts along County Road 129, which begin about a mile upstream. Unfortunately, no hiking trail leads from the resorts to the falls.

Below the waterfall, the river widens and flows northeast to Sullivan Bay, which empties into Kabetogama Lake near the Ash River Visitor Center in Voyageurs National Park.

Learn more about nearby day hiking trails in my Best Sights to See at Voyageurs National Park guidebook.

Eight must-see national parks waterfalls

Yosemite Falls in Yosemite National Park. Courtesy of Photoree.

The following entry originally was written for and appeared in Coach-net’s May 2016 newsletter:

Nothing quite demonstrates the awesome power and beauty of Mother Nature like a waterfall – hundreds of gallons of water rushing several stories over a cliffside, the vertical stream nestled in lush greenery, the mist and droplets that splash on you at the fall’s base.

Fortunately, several of our national parks preserve many of the country’s most fantastic falls. Many of them are quire easy to reach via short hikes.

Yosemite Falls
If there is one waterfall that everyone absolutely must see, it’s this one in California’s Yosemite National Park. Actually consisting of seven waterfalls, Yosemite Falls sends water rushing 2,425 feet downward into the valley. Depending on snow melt, the falls’ peak flow typically occurs in May when up to 2,400 gallons of water flow down Yosemite Falls every second.

You can hike 1.2-miles round trip to the base of North America’s tallest waterfall. During spring, you may want to take the trail on a clear night when the moon is full, especially if on a romantic trip. Moonlit rainbows – called moonbows – span the waterfalls.

Queenie and Fido also can enjoy the waterfalls, as leashed dogs are allowed on the trail. Be sure that your dog is comfortable with crowds and other people, however.

Tokopah Falls
Not many travelers have heard of Tokopah Falls, but it’s an incredible site. A series of cascades, it drops 1200 feet – almost the height of the Empire State Building – at California’s Sequoia National Park. It’s a park of tall trees and tall waterfalls.

A glacier carved Tokopah Valley, leaving high gray cliff walls that cradle a meadow, creeks, and a pine and fir forest. The 3.8-mile (600 foot elevation gain) Tokopah Falls Trail leads to its namesake, which is the park’s highest waterfall.

Avalanche Lake waterfalls
With melting glaciers and high mountains, waterfalls can be found aplenty in Montana’s Glacier National Park. Melting glaciers feed several lakes across the park, including Avalanche Lake

Start on the Trail of the Cedars then turn off onto the Avalanche Lake Trail. The 4.7-miles round trip (505-foot gain) trail heads to Avalanche Lake, where several waterfalls from Sperry Glacier drop several hundred feet to fill the valley with its turquoise waters.

Hidden Falls
You can enjoy this waterfall and then a vista at 7200 feet elevation on Grand Teton National Parks’ Hidden Falls-Inspiration Point Trail. The trail runs 3.8-miles round trip into Cascade Canyon. Though technically not a waterfall but a series of cascades running 200 feet over several multiple steps, Wyoming’s Hidden Falls still impresses.

Because only part of the cascades are steep, there's a lot of confusion among various sources about exactly how high the drop that looks most like a waterfall actually is – some say 80 feet and others say 100. Afterward, visit Inspiration Point, a short walk from the falls.

Fairy Falls
The trail to Fairy Falls at Yellowstone National Park offers a three-for-one deal: the multi-colored Grand Prismatic Spring, an array of geysers, and the 197-foot waterfall. If going to see Old Faithful, this is a perfect nearby trail to hike the same day.

The 5.6-mile hike begins with geysers then arrives Grand Prismatic Spring, a wonder that boasts multicolored rings of algae. About 370 feet in diameter, Grand Prismatic is the largest hot spring in the United States and the third largest in the world.

Fairy Falls comes next. The waterfalls’ base supports a variety of vegetation. If looking for a place to picnic, the rocks downstream from the falls where raspberry bushes grow make a perfect spot.

Marymere Falls
A trail through a lush, old growth forest that ends at this waterfall will delight anyone hiking the Marymere Falls Trail at Olympic National Park in Washington. The 1.6-mile round trip trail really is like taking two entirely different hikes in one. Most of the trail heads through a intensely green Pacific Northwest rain forest while the last portion at the destination is purely about the waterfalls.

Marymere Falls is about 90 feet high, and you’ll get really close to it as the trail passes the small plunge pool. Hikers also can take a stairs to see the falls’ upper segment. A few landings on the stairs offers fantastic views of the falls from different angles.

Laurel Falls
Though Rainbow Falls is the tallest at Great Smoky Mountains National Park, many visitors eschew it because of the strenuous hike. One that’s much easier to reach and still spectacular in its own right is Tennessee’s 80-foot Laurel Falls.

The Laurel Falls Trail runs 2.6-miles round trip through a pine-oak woods with hemlock and beech along the stream, making for a colorful walk in autumn. May also is impressive, as mountain laurel blooms along the trail and near the falls, which runs its highest that month. Deer, often with fawns, wood squirrels, and songbirds are common on the trail.

The waterfall on Laurel Branch consists of an upper and a lower section. A wide walkway crosses the stream where the mist from the falls roils over her head.

Brandywine Falls
This 65-foot waterfalls awaits visitors on the Brandywine Gorge Trail at Ohio’s Cuyahoga Valley National Park. The Brandywine Gorge Trail loops 1.5 miles to the falls then back to the trailhead with several crossings of Brandywine Creek.

The area surrounding the falls is gorgeous in October beneath autumn leaves, but the trail can be hiked any season. It's shaded almost the entire way by red maples with eastern hemlocks and green moss upon the ground once closer to the falls.

Learn more about national park day hiking trails in my Best Sights to See at America’s National Parks guidebook.

Great Smoky Mtns. abounds with waterfalls

Ramsey Cascades, courtesy Great Smoky Mountains NPS.

Thanks to geography, Great Smoky Mountains National Park is a great destination for waterfall lovers.

All across the park, the steep grade of rivers and creeks has carved down to erosion-resistant layers that suddenly drop-off. A few waterfalls top 90 feet in height.

Most of these can be reached via a day hike. They include:
• Ramsey Cascades – Water spills over 100 feet of cascades, a great reward for the strenuous 8-mile round trip hike. Park at the trailhead along Greenbrier Road.
• Juney Whank Falls – The 90-foot falls, split into two sections, is easy to reach via the 0.8-mile round trip Juney Whank Falls Trail. Park at the end of Deep Creek Road north of Bryson City, N.C.
• Hen Wallow Falls – The Gabes Mountain Trail runs 4.4 miles round trip to the 90-foot falls. Park in the lot designated for hikers at the Cosby Picnic Area.
• Rainbow Falls – At 80 feet, this is the park’s highest single-drop waterfalls. Reaching it requires a 5.4-miles round trip hike uphill, but there are several other small falls along the way to enjoy.
• Laurel Falls – A picturesque 80-foot waterfall awaits day hikers on the Laurel Falls Trail. The easy-to-reach trail runs 2.6-miles round trip from a lot at Fighting Creek Gap.
• Mouse Creek Falls – The 45-foot falls can be reached via the 4-mile round trip Big Creek Trail near Cataloochee, N.C. Park at the Big Creek Trailhead on a gravel road off of Waterville Road.
• Grotto Falls – The 25-foot falls awaits at the end of the Trillium Gap Trail, a 3-mile round trip hike through old-growth hemlocks. Park at the trailhead off of the Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail.
• Indian Creek Falls – The falls, which cascades about 25 feet down a series of ledges into a wide pool. The 1.6-mile round trip is located on the Deep Creek/Indian Creek Falls Trail north of Bryson City, N.C.
• Abrams Falls – Though a short drop of only 20 feet, the ferocity of the water tumbling over the falls is impressive. The trailhead for Abrams Falls Trail is just past Stop No. 10 on the Cades Cove Loop road.
• Mingo Falls – The area’s best falls – at 120 feet the tallest in the southern Appalachians – actually sits just outside of the park on the Cherokee Indian Reservation in North Carolina. Take the Pigeon Creek Trail for 0.4-miles round trip from the Mingo Falls Campground to the falls.

Learn about other great trails at this national park in Best Sights to See at Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

Reason No. 35 to Hike with Your Kids: Waterfalls boost energy levels

For a long time, an unsubstantiated theory claimed that being around waterfalls and ocean beaches can improve one's mood thanks to “negative ions.” Such ions actually do exist; when water molecules collide with one another, the water in fact becomes positively charged, and the surrounding air becomes negatively charged.

Pierce J. Howard, a Ph.D. and author of “The Owner's Manual for the Brain: Everyday Applications from Mind-Brain Research,” now says that negative ions actually can make you feel good. That's because the negative ions entering our bloodstream can lead to biochemical reactions that reduce sadness and stress while raising energy levels.

“High concentrations of negative ions are essential for high energy and positive mood,” he recently told HealthNewsDigest.com. “Negative ions suppress serotonin levels in much the same way that natural sunlight suppresses melatonin. Hence the invigorating effect of fresh air and sunshine and the correspondingly depressed feelings associated with being closed in and dark.”

The best ratio of negative to positive ions for boosting moods typically occurs at waterfalls. The worst ratio occurs in windowless rooms and closed vehicles.

Learn about trail guidebooks available in the Hittin’ the Trail series.

Video of Minnesota’s Vermillion Falls

Day hikers can enjoy a 35-foot waterfall on the Vermillion Falls Trail in Hastings, Minn.

Once a working waterfalls, the drop in Hastings is the tallest on the nearly 60-mile Vermillion River. The river tumbles over a formation of erosion-resistant dolomite – a mineral that forms with the help of ancient sulfate-reducing bacteria – that’s up to 488 million year old.

A flour-milling plant occupies the north side of the river gorge. From the falls, the Vermillion flows into the Mississippi River.

Here’s a video of Vermillion Falls:

To reach the trailhead, from downtown Hastings take U.S. Hwy 61 south. Turn left/east onto 26th Street and then a right/north into Vermillion Falls park. Park in the lot and follow the marked trailhead north to the falls. The trail is an easy 0.13-miles loop with the waterfalls at just before the halfway mark.

Learn about trail guidebooks available in the Hittin’ the Trail series.

Trail heads through rain forest to waterfall

Marymere Falls, courtesy of Olympic NPS.

Topo map, Marymere Falls Trail.

Marymere Falls easy
to reach from Seattle

A trail through a lush, old growth forest that ends at a waterfall will delight kids day hiking the Marymere Falls Trail at Olympic National Park.

The 1.6-mile round trip really is like taking two entirely different hikes in one. Most of the trail heads through a Pacific Northwest rain forest while the last portion at the destination is purely about the waterfalls.

The trail can be hiked anytime of the year, though rain is more likely during winter. The upside is that the water flow is higher, making for a more spectacular falls and creeks.

While perhaps not as stunning as a walk through Olympic’s Hoh Rain Forest, the Marymere trail is much easier to reach from Seattle. At Port Angeles, head west on U.S. Hwy. 101. After about 17 miles, Lake Crescent appears on the right/north. Turn right onto Lake Crescent Road. At the first stop sign, turn right/east, which takes you to a parking lot. The trailhead is on the lot’s east side and curves southeast back toward the highway.

Lowland forest
The trail passes the historic Storm King Ranger Station then heads beneath Hwy. 101. The ranger station is a good example of early North Peninsula log construction and at one time was the residence of a homesteader and forest ranger who was instrumental in convincing Congress to create Olympic National Park.

From the highway, the trail curves westward, roughly paralleling it. The next half-mile is fairly flat as you walk through a lowland forest, seeing more green that you might imagine ever existed. Ferns cover the ground from which spring spruce, fir and hemlock. Verdant moss covers every rock and bare patch of ground – and just about every tree for that matter. If hiking the trail in late May, purple forget-me-nots dot the forest floor.

The emerald forest, as with others on the park’s north and east side, sit in the Olympic Mountains' rain shadow. The result is they receive only 60 inches of rain per year. In contrast, those on the west side, such as the Hoh Rain Forest, receive up to 150 inches annually.

As the trail curves southward, it follows Barnes Creek on the right/west. Watch for trail signs pointing where to turn right/west for Marymere Falls. The trail then crosses the creek over a wooden footbridge.

Welcome to the falls
When the rush of the falls fills your ears, you’re only about an eighth of a mile from the destination. The trail next crosses Falls Creek beneath Marymere Falls. From there, the trail is quite steep, but easy enough for kids to handle.

Marymere Falls is about 90 feet high, and you’ll get close to as the trail passes the small plunge pool. Falls Creek ultimately flows into Barnes Creek, which feeds Lake Crescent.

Hikers also can take a stairs to see the falls’ upper segment. A few landings on the stairs offers fantastic views of the falls from different angles. Alternately, the trail loops back to the footbridge over Falls Creek.

After taking in the views, return the way you came.

Light rain is not unusual in the Pacific Northwest, so be sure to wear (or at least pack) rain gear for everyone. In addition, you’ll want waterproof boots with decent traction, though the hard-packed trail is well maintained. It’s wheelchair accessible up to Barnes Creek.

Learn more about national park day hiking trails in my Best Sights to See at America’s National Parks guidebook.

Great day hike trail for kids: Bridalveil Fall

Bridalveil Fall, Yosemite National Park

Waterfall drops 620 feet over cliffside

Bridalveil Fall marks one of the park’s most recognizable and popular features, and for good reason. The falls drops 620 feet – the height of a 62-story building – on Yosemite Valley’s southern wall, between Cathedral Rocks and the Leaning Tower. When wind blows the waterfall’s mist sideways, it resembles a bridal veil.

Though hardly as high as Yosemite Fall, Bridalveil is the highest waterfall in the national park that flows year-round. Fed by melting snow, a shaded drainage keeps Bridalveil Creek constantly flowing, even in dry years.

Kids will love watching the falls, getting wet from its mist, spotting rainbows in it, running across multiple bridges, and scampering over boulders at the fall’s base.

To reach the fall, from the South Entrance head up Wawona Road into Yosemite Valley. If just arriving in Yosemite after a long drive, this hike is a great place to get out and stretch your legs. Select the westernmost parking lot, as this allows you to cross in front of the falls and then take the brief walk to the vista point. The trailhead is at the parking lot’s east end.

Snowy white water
A short trail largely parallels the road, crossing Bridalveil Creek and a pleasant meadow. Along the way, Bridalveil cascades over the precipice’s edge. Glaciers during the last ice age carved out the valley, leaving the incredible, sheer granite walls that the water glides down.

Upon joining the trail leading directly to the vista point, the path widens. Though paved, it is not fully handicap accessible, though a wheelchair can traverse it with strong assistance. A slight incline in this 0.2 mile section results in a 100-foot elevation gain.

The vista point sits at the fall’s base with a boulder field between the two. The water appears snowy white. Wind often blows the falls and mist sideways, giving it the appearance of a lacy veil – hence the name, Bridalveil Fall.

The best time of time to see the falls is late afternoon, between 4-5 p.m., on sunny days. A rainbow will appear, and as the wind shifts the falls and mist, the water shimmers in an array of changing colors. Stick around for sunset, and the falls and granite walls glow orange.

Seasonal changes
Which season to visit the fall depends on what your kids will enjoy more: a spectacular spray or scrambling over the boulders near the fall’s base.

If the former, you’ll want to visit Yosemite in late May and June when snowmelt raises water levels to their highest. The thundering fall creates its own microweather, so you’ll need to don raingear and protect your camera if it’s not waterproof. Sometimes the fall’s “rainstorm” can be felt up to a quarter mile away. Following winters of heavy precipitation in the Sierras, the asphalt trail leading to the base even will overflow with water. By August, when the weather is warmer, the amount of water heading over the falls drops, but it’s still incredible.

Regardless of which season you select, expect traffic to be heavy around Bridalveil Fall, not to mention the rest of the park.

From the vista point, you can continue walking toward the waterfalls for about 200 feet. A trail branches from this, closing on Bridal Veil as you pass through maple, oaks, cedar, and bay trees. Three stone bridges cross streams flowing from the fall’s base, and the trail then turns back toward the parking lot, leading to a view of the famous El Capitan across the valley floor.

Be careful of scampering over the boulders, as they are slippery when wet. On dry days, especially in August and September, this usually isn’t a problem. Also be forewarned that some of the rocks have sharp edges, so you’ll want to wear good hiking boots.

Avoid the boulders in winter, however, as ice covers most of them and often the trail as well.

Learn about trail guidebooks available in the Hittin’ the Trail series.