Kings Creek Falls - Lassen National Park

Kings Creek Falls

          At 9am when we pulled up to the Kings Creek Falls trailhead we were the only car in the lot. At the trailhead was a sign indicating the Cascade Trail section was currently closed and to instead use the Horse Trail to reach the falls.
          A small stone stairwell led us down from the road to the beginning of the trail. Paralleling Kings Creek the trail leads slightly downhill over gentle terrain before coming to a wide open meadow. Kings Creek snakes away from the trail at this point and winds through the heart of the meadow. Now on level ground the trail travels back into the trees where small drifts of snow still resided in shady pockets. Soon we came to the junction with the Horse Trail and the Cascade Trail. There was a chain link fence blocking the entrance to the Cascade Trail as it is considered too dangerous for use. Although I traveled the Cascade Trail without incident the day before we decided to take the Horse Trail this time. I must say the horse trail does not seem all that horse friendly at all. The footing consists of baseball sized rocks which I like to call ankle breakers. The grade is steep as the trail descends back toward the creek and with the uneven trail surface the knees take a beating. The whole way down this section of trail I was telling Sarah how preferred the Cascade route is in comparison and that we should take it on our return hike. The trail led us to the creek where there was a sign indicating the falls were another .2 miles downstream. We hiked a short distance further to what looked like it could have been the falls. These falls, however, were not that big and we both felt a bit of disappointment. Again, doubts rose in our minds as to whether these were the falls or not. I had not seen any pictures of the falls so I didn’t know quite what to expect. We concluded that because the park service boasts Kings Creek Falls as the best in Lassen, what we were looking at could not possibly suffice. We continued down creek and came to another sign that said .2 miles to Kings Creek Falls. Now that's confusing!
          Shortly thereafter we came to the brink of the now unmistakable Kings Creek Falls. A steel cable lines the edge of the lookout area for protection but there are areas where one could easily slip through so if you have kids you’ll want to keep a close eye on them.
          A precarious path leads down to the base of the falls and without hesitation I started to descend using all fours at times for stability. At the bottom a brisk mist saturated the area as well as me. I took my shoes off and waded out a short distance into the strong current being absolutely sure of each step so as to avoid catastrophe. I set up the tripod but was unable to get any proper shots as the mist was overbearing.

Kings Creek Falls
          The rocky cliffs lining Kings Creek are just as spectacular as the Falls themselves with their pockmarks and sporadic patches of vibrant chartreuse lichen.
          I climbed back up to the brink of the Falls where Sarah and I enjoyed the view a little longer.

Sarah Overlooking Kings Creek Falls
          We left the falls and started hiking back up the creek when we came across a confused looking hiker. It just so happens that he was at the smaller waterfall we had stopped at earlier and he too was wondering it was Kings Creek Falls. We explained to him that we had the same confusion ourselves and that he need only to walk a little further to reach the actual Falls. If you find yourself on this hike and run into the same problem I will say this: When you come to the falls you won’t have any question about it. There is a tell tale steel cable and overlook.
          When we arrived at the junction with the Horse Trail and Cascade Trail we decided to cross the chain link fence and hike alongside the cascade. We hiked carefully so as not to add to erosion problems as well as to insure our own safety. Sarah spotted a cave in the Cliffside that went unnoticed by me the day before. I set my pack down and climbed on up to check it out. It was a small circular depression in the rock just big enough for me to crawl into and turn around to look out.

Myself Peering out of a Cave

From Within the Cave
          We continued to the top of the Cascade where we reconnected with the official trail. Retracing our steps we walked back through the open meadow and up along Kings Creek back to the trailhead and our car.
          Although vastly different from the towering waterfalls of Yosemite, Kings Creek Falls is special in its own right.

(Click HERE for a link to Lassen Hiking Association and a Trail Map for this hike)

(Click HERE to continue reading about Day 3 of our Lassen Trip)

Lassen National Park Trip Report - Day 3 - 9/12/11

          After waking up Monday morning I looked up at the sky and saw more dark clouds and potential stormy weather. This would unfortunately cause us to once again abort our hike to the summit of Brokeoff Mountain. With that being the case we did not need to leave as early as expected so I left Sarah in bed while I went down to the lake to catch sunrise.
          I watched the lovely display and contemplated where Sarah and I might like to hike on our last day in Lassen.
          Over breakfast Sarah and I discussed several different hikes and decided to complete my failed attempt from yesterday and hike to Kings Creek Falls. After packing lunch and supplies we set off for a day of adventuring.
(Click HERE to read about our hike to Kings Creek Falls)

Kings Creek Falls
          After a great hike to Kings Creek Falls we still had plenty of energy and an appetite for adventure. From the parking area at the Kings Creek Falls trailhead we drove south along the main park road for a couple miles to the Kings Creek Picnic Area. This is a great day use area for picnicking and barbequing as well as a trailhead for several different hike options.
          We set off from the parking lot in route to Cold Boiling Lake and Crumbaugh Lake. We would make it as far as Conard Meadows before turning back.
(Click HERE to read about our hike to Cold Boiling Lake, Crumbaugh Lake & Conard Meadows)

Conard Meadows
          After getting back from our hike to Conard Meadows we drove back to camp to regroup before possibly going for another outing. We decided to take a drive to Manzanita Lake near the north entrance to buy some ice and take showers.
          Manzanita Lake is the largest of all the campgrounds in Lassen National Park and tends to be the most congested. There is a camp store there that offers everything from firewood to take-out pizza. It seemed as though 9 out of 10 folks walking out of the camp store had an ice cream cone in hand. Next door to the store is a 24 hour shower and laundry facility which is open to the public. The showers take quarters and there was a change machine in the laundry room.
          While visiting Manzanita Lake we experienced a torrential downpour during which I wondered how our camp was holding up. The rain let up before we left and we speculated how long it would hold off. As we drove south gaining elevation along the park road toward camp there was a thick layer of fog hovering just above the road. Sarah thought she noticed hail along the side of the road so we stopped to check it out. We couldn’t believe our eyes as there was hail stones the size of walnuts.

Hail Stones
          As we drove further the road was covered with a thick layer of hail which made my tires spin out anytime I lost momentum. We pulled into camp to find everything covered with ice. How ironic as we just went to go buy ice! Although the hailstorm lasted only about 15 minutes, it was enough for several inches of hail to pile up in places. Our Kelty Carport Canopy had collapsed due to the weight of the hail that had collected on the roof. Our tent was still standing, however, the piles of melting hail around the perimeter was quickly soaking through. We acted fast in emptying and disassembling the tent hoping to finish before the next episode of rain or hail came. We figured it would be easier to take the tent down before it was completely full of water. Besides, we were sleeping in the 4 runner anyhow and only using the tent for storage and as a changing room.

Decrepit Camp
          During all the commotion of getting camp re situated I jogged down to the shore of Summit Lake to admire the icy fog blanketing the waters surface. There was a unique crispness to the air and an eerie silence about the environment that intrigued me. It was definitely the calm before the storm.

Boardwalk along Shoreline

Summit Lake Shoreline Trail

Icy and Foggy Summit Lake
          Back at camp our gracious camp neighbors invited us over to their fire to warm up. We gladly accepted their offer and chatted for a while about their experience with the hail storm. We all agreed that although it caused a lot of extra work, it was an exciting thing to have occurred. I then jinxed us when I mentioned that “At least it wasn’t followed by heavy rain!”.
          Just then the dark clouds that engulfed the skies above Summit Lake began to glow like a burning ember. Again, I ran down to the lake to capture some photos.

Fiery Storm Clouds above Summit Lake

Summit Lake Stormy Sunset
          Lightning flashed repeatedly like a strobe light and combined with the glowing clouds it felt like natures nightclub. A wonderful feeling came over me as the depth of color in the skies grew deeper and the electrical storm drew nearer.

Wind Whips Across Summit Lake
          Then, like the flick of a switch, I watched a violent gust of wind sweep across the lake surface and with it came torrential rain. I scrambled back to camp to secure everything we needed. Like a fire drill we had all trained so well for, everyone took cover and tended to their camps. I watched as the neighbors’ campfire danced in the wind with embers spilling out like firecrackers.
          The rain kept coming with no end in sight. We remained dry underneath our canopy but kept having to tap out the collecting rain water on the roof every few minutes to prevent leaks. At one point I ran out to check on the neighbors but found that the few remaining campers had retreated to their vehicles to wait out the storm. We made the best of the situation by cracking some beers and enjoying the excitement. We skipped cooking dinner out of convenience and just ate snacks and such to hold us over until morning. After hours of enjoyment we eventually crawled into the back of the 4runner and went to bed, the rain dying down shortly afterwards. Sometimes you end up having the most fun while enduring a bad storm!

(Click HERE to read about Day 2 of our Lassen Trip)

Kings Creek Cascade - Lassen National Park

          From our campsite at Summit Lake I drove several miles south along the main park road before reaching the Kings Creek Falls trailhead. There were six cars in the lot as I set off on my hike. I immediately crossed paths with two separate parties headed in the opposite direction which accounted for two of the cars in the lot. I often times count the cars at a trailhead (within reason) and then the number of groups/people I encounter so that I know when I will most likely have the trails to myself.
          The trail descends for a couple of hundred yards paralleling Kings Creek before leveling out along a large open meadow.

Trailside Meadow
          Wildflowers crowded the creeks edge with yellow and purple splashes. After passing the meadow and entering a forest the trail leaves the creek and begins to undulate.
          I passed an older couple and another party of 3 hiking in the opposite direction meaning there was just one car left in the lot unaccounted for. The clouds in the sky were dark and threatening and did a good job of discouraging the majority of hikers. I was expecting rain at any moment but it never did come.
          After about 3/4 of a mile I came to a junction with the Cascade trail and the Horse trail, both leading to the same place. Currently the cascade trail is closed due to hazardous conditions mainly because our national parks are rampant with inexperienced hikers like the folks that die in Yosemite each year. I’m sure erosion is part of the problem as well. With that being said, accidents do occur and you should use extreme caution when hiking in any inherently dangerous situation. People seem to greatly underestimate the force of moving water and too often fall victim to its torrent.
          At the junction there was a chain link fence blocking access to the Cascade trail. I was faced with a dilemma. Do I stay on the proper route, or do I defy park authority and let the explorer in me have his victory?
          Well that was an easy question. I bypassed the fence and continued down the Cascade trail. There are many faint paths so I just followed the most prominent one which led me down a steep embankment toward Kings Creek Cascade.

Steep Embankment Leading to Cascade
          Mottled textured cliffs hemmed in the Cascade on both sides offering some precarious overlooks. The skies to the East were crowded with sinister looking clouds and the horizon was a sliver of smoldering crimson.

Kings Creek Canyon

Kings Creek Cascade Overlooks

          By the time I scrambled down to the bottom of the cascade I was a bit disoriented and actually thought I was at Kings Creek Falls.

Bottom of Kings Creek Cascade

Kings Creek Cascade
          There was still a shred of doubt in my mind but with daylight burning quickly I decided to call it quits regardless and make my way back up the Cascade taking photos along the way.

Kings Creek Cascade

Paintbrush and Kings Creek Cascade

Cliffs on Opposite Side of Kings Creek

Precarious Cliffs

Storm Clouds Brewing

          At the top I opted to avoid the trail and continue following Kings Creek whose banks were decorated with vibrant wildflowers and patches of pristine meadow grass.

Kings Creek Studded with Wildflowers

Kings Creek

Pure Rushing Water
          Eventually I reunited with the trail and paced meditatively back to the car. I still had major doubts floating around in my head as to whether I had even made it to the falls or not. Back at camp after further research I concluded that I only made it as far as the Cascade. Either way I was satisfied with my adventure and have the Falls to look forward to in the future.

(Click HERE to continue reading about day 2 of our Lassen Trip)

For more resources on hiking in Lassen visit Lassen Hiking Association