These hiking poles are sturdy, and great to help keep your balance on short or longer hikes
Roaring River Falls is a small but powerful waterfall in the Cedar Grove Area of Kings Canyon National Park. The water tumbles about 20 feet into a stunning swirling turquoise pool before rushing down a river of white water. This breathtaking waterfall is easily accessible with a short 0.3-mile round-trip paved trail. It is a must-stop place when visiting Kings Canyon!
Roaring River Falls Main Trailhead:
36.783983, -118.622004
Roaring River Falls West Side:
36.782557, -118.623152
There is a small parking lot on the side of the road.
Kings Canyon National Park charges a fee to enter. The fee varies depending on the vehicle used to enter the park (car, motorcycle, bike, on foot, or on horseback). For more information, click here. If you have an America the Beautiful Pass, you can use that instead.
0.3 mile R.T.
26 ft
Easy
10 – 30 minutes
May to October. We recommend getting here earlier or later in the day for the best light.
The closest restroom is down the road at the Zumwalt Meadow Trailhead.
Pets are not allowed on the trail!
Highway 180 to Roaring River Falls closes for the winter usually from mid-November to the end of April. The reopening is conducted by CalTrans.
The main trailhead of Roaring River Falls is located directly off Highway 180. From the intersection of Highway 180 and Cedar Grove Village, it is about 3 miles to the main trailhead. A small bridge crosses the river, and a sign for the Roaring River is in front of it.
The popular viewpoint for the Roaring River Falls is accessible from the main trailhead. This is where most people go to see the falls and get close to the water. That being said, we don’t recommend getting into the water. Swimming is highly discouraged by Kings Canyon National Park. The rocks are slippery and the currents below the water can easily drag you under. Drowning in rivers like this one is the most common cause of death in Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks. Roaring River Falls West is an unofficial trail that will give you a different view of the waterfalls from the other side of the river. This is a higher viewpoint with no water access.
After parking, we headed toward the big sign and the paved trail for the Roaring River. The trail is paved the whole way with a small, easy climb. Along the way, we had stunning views of the river. This river is aptly named. We could hear it roaring from far away.
Just before the waterfalls, the Roaring River Falls trails intersected with the River Trail. If you want to make this a longer hike, the River Trail connects to the Zumwalt Meadow and Road’s End. It is about 4 miles round-trip to Zumwalt Meadow and 5.2 miles round-trip if you’re going to Road’s End.
The Roaring River Falls is right up the trail from the intersection. In fact, we could see and hear the thundering sound of the water from far away. The trail ends at the rocky area with gorgeous views of the falls. The river is fed mostly by snowmelt. So if you visit at the end of spring or early Summer when the snow is melting, the waterfalls can be a lot more impressive. At the bottom of the falls is a turquoise pool that looks very inviting. However, as we mentioned above, it’s not a good idea to go in the water. We could spend hours here just listening to the sounds of the waterfalls and the river. It was a nice break. When you’re done, head back the same way you came from.
Roaring River Falls West is an unofficial trail on the other side of the river. It is shorter but more rugged than the main trail. This short hike is only about 422ft each way, but it is steeper, rockier, and more slippery.
After parking on the side of the road, we followed a small trail that led uphill. The trail curved around and went under the trees. It got buggy in the afternoon, so bring some bug spray. This trail is steep but very short. Soon, we reach a rocky path with a metal fence running along the side of the river. Both the fence and the trail came to a small platform. From here, we have a different perspective of the Roaring River Falls and the river below. Even though the views from the main trail are better, we still like to do this optional trail because it gives us some awesome views of these stunning waterfalls.
If you love waterfalls, check out the Rainbow Falls near Devil’s Postpile. Another one of our favorites is the Shoshone Falls in Idaho, where you have to kayak to get to. Shoshones Falls is known as the Niagara Falls of the West. Now, even though it is touristy, you NEED to visit Niagara Falls, at least once in your life. It is the mother of all waterfalls!! Since you’re in Kings Canyon & Sequoia National Park, don’t forget to check out some of our favorite hikes such as the General Grant Tree, Big Stump Tree, Moro Rock, and the Congress Trail.
Happy Adventuring. Don’t forget to check out the related posts below for more inspiration on your upcoming adventures. While at it, follow us on Instagram and subscribe to our YouTube channel! We’ll love you forever!
These are the gear that we personally use and find helpful for this particular adventure. Don’t forget to check out our Recommended Gear section as well.
These hiking poles are sturdy, and great to help keep your balance on short or longer hikes
If you tend to have foot blisters on hikes, get this! We use this all the time.
Our favorite hiking/travel jacket. It's warm and packable, perfect to bring on a hike or a road trip.
Our favorite hiking/travel jacket. It's warm and packable, perfect to bring on a hike or a road trip.
This jacket is packable into a super small and light little ball. Perfect for when you just need a little…
This jacket is packable into a super small and light little ball. Perfect for when you just need a little…
It's always good to bring a GPS tracker with you. We use the Garmin inReach.
This is Vy's favorite hiking bag! It has tons of room for snacks and water!
Our favorite biodegradable, eco-friendly, reef-safe sunscreen!
This is our go-to camera for all of our adventures. It comes with us everywhere!
Compact GoPro pole that extends to 25", perfect to bring on your adventure.
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Hi! We are Dustin & Vy, the proud creators of Live That Adventure. We created this website because we wanted to inspire others to live their lives to the fullest. On here, you’ll find everything from hiking, canyoneering, kayaking, and snorkeling to adventure and travel tips, gear reviews, and bucket list items such as bungee jumping or wing walking. We’ll show you the ropes so you can do them too!
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