Mist Falls

California · 45-foot drop · Kings Canyon National Park · Last verified 2026-05-23

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Flow at Mist Falls is light today (3 cfs) — visit for the geology, not the volume. The park has an active closure alert: "Middle Fork Road Closed During Repairs to Past Storm Damage."

Expect dry conditions today — don't drive out for this one. Flow is at 4.3 cfs (bottom 0% of the last 30 days, vs. 18.6 cfs average). The 7-day NOAA forecast shows no significant rain.

Right now

Streamflow

3.39 cfs

MARBLE FORK KAWEAH R · 1h ago

Overnight

57°F

Clear

Friday

81°F

Sunny

Today's daylight

Sunrise 5:43 AM · Sunset 8:15 PM · 14h 32m

AQI: 64 (Moderate) · PM2.5 3.8 µg/m³

Other park alerts

Middle Fork Road Closed During Repairs to Past Storm Damage(Park Closure)
Fire Restrictions in Place(Information)

Snapshot built 7m ago. Sources: USGS · NWS HNX.

No verified photo yet

Mist Falls is a wide 45-foot cascade on the South Fork Kings River, reached by an 8.2-mile out-and-back from Road's End in Kings Canyon National Park. The hike is moderate — the last mile climbs 600 ft to the falls — but the river views the entire way are why most people come. Peak flow in May and June from Sierra snowmelt; the spray gives the falls their name. Fatalities have occurred from slipping on the granite above the falls.

The trail

8.2 miles each way, rated moderate with 908 feet of elevation gain. Road's End trailhead lot at the end of Kings Canyon Scenic Byway, 6 mi past Cedar Grove. NPS entrance pass required ($35/vehicle or America the Beautiful).

Sources disagree on height

Different sources report different values for this waterfall's drop. We list them all so you can judge. Our headline number is the one we consider best-sourced.

Source	Height	Note
OSM	148 ft · 45 m	OSM lists 148 ft, but NPS and on-trail measurements peg it at ~45 ft. We use the 45 ft figure — Mist Falls is wide and low, not tall.
NPS Kings Canyon	45 ft · 13.7 m	—

Is the water flowing right now?

Most waterfall sites don't tell you this. The waterfall itself is almost never gauged, but a USGS streamgage in the same watershed can tell you whether snowmelt has started, peaked, or run dry.

USGS gage 11206820 · 16.3 mi away
MARBLE FORK KAWEAH R AB HORSE C NR LODGEPOLE CA
— Distant gauge — proxy reading, not on the same drainage.
View live discharge data →

30-day streamflow

Below 30-day average

2026-06-10 · low 4.3 cfstoday 4.29 cfs · avg 18.6 cfs

↻ Same date last year: 4.7 cfs · 91% of last year — similar

Compare to nearby falls

If this one isn't the right fit, here's how it stacks up against the closest documented falls. Every column is filterable on the site — not buried in 13,000 reviews.

Waterfall	Distance	Height	Trail	Dogs	Fee
Mist Falls (this page)	—	45 ft	moderate · 8.2 mi	N	$35
Roaring River Falls	5 mi	—	—	N	—
Lower Gardiner Falls	5 mi	—	—	N	—
Upper Gardiner Falls	5 mi	—	—	N	—
Grizzly Falls	11 mi	—	—	Y	Free
Triple Falls	12 mi	—	—	N	—

Related waterfalls

Similar height (~45 ft)

Same best season in California

Questions visitors ask about Mist Falls

Answers built from our structured data. If a question isn't here, the fact is unverified — we'd rather omit than guess.

How tall is Mist Falls?

Mist Falls is 45 feet (13.7 m) tall. Source heights disagree by source — see the discrepancy box on the page.

Is Mist Falls in a national or state park?

Yes — Mist Falls is inside Kings Canyon National Park. See the park page for fees, hours, and current conditions.

Can I bring my dog to Mist Falls?

No — dogs are not allowed on trails here. Most National Park trails prohibit pets to protect wildlife. Service animals are an exception per ADA.

Can you swim at Mist Falls?

No — swimming is not safe or not allowed at Mist Falls. The river above the falls is fast and the granite slope leading to the lip is slippery — multiple fatalities have happened here. Stay on the trail and well back from the water.

When is the best time to visit Mist Falls?

Peak flow is typically May, June, July, August. Season-wise: spring, summer. Snowmelt and recent rain affect day-to-day volume.

Is there a fee to visit Mist Falls?

Yes — entry costs around $35. Most Kings Canyon National Park entrances accept the America the Beautiful annual pass.

How far is Mist Falls from a major city?

Mist Falls is 4 miles from Cedar Grove (about 10 minutes' drive).

More waterfalls in California

Where it is

36.8135, -118.5490

Sources and live status

Where we got the data, and where to check current conditions before you drive.

Last verified by Fallspots: 2026-05-23

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