Where is one of Yosemite’s best hidden waterfalls? Hint: It’s not in the valley. You’ll have to venture into the park’s less-traveled northwest corner near Hetch Hetchy to find the trailhead to Carlon Falls. And the small pull-off to the trailhead is so unassuming it’s easily missed, so you’re likely to see just a few people making the 4.5-mile round-trip hike to Carlon. The namesake path scuttles through a forested canyon paralleling the South Fork of the Tuolumne River on generally flat terrain. Ponderosa pines tower as the river rushes nearby. As you close in on Carlon, the trail zigzags, with several premature offshoots to the river. But follow your ears. The last part is a steep ascent and descent (made easier with grippy shoes). Wind your way to the giant boulders bordering pools of water collected by the impressive 40-foot falls that thunder over a sheer granite ledge. There are noticeable spots where it’s safe to take a seat and wet your toes or lounge on wide-open rock slabs. Exercise caution though: this year’s massive snowmelt means the river is rip-roaring, and the falls are fast flowing—an awesome spectacle well worth the hike. You might get giddy, but tread using common sense; getting carried away may get you carried away, and we’d prefer you to return the way you came. 

About 1 mile before Yosemite's Big Oak Flat entrance on Hwy. 120, take the signed turnoff left to Camp Mather and Hetchy Hetchy on Evergreen Rd. About a mile along Evergreen Rd., look for a pullout on the north (far) side of the bridge near the Carlon Day Use Area sign. This pullout is where the Carlon Falls Trail begins.