Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
flat 2 miles on exposed pumice sand from the ranger station to the junction with
Bubbs Creek Trail. Walk through fragrant stands of pine and cedar that ultimately
give way to a shaded fern grove. At the Bubbs Creek junction, veer left uphill for the
moderate 2.7-mile journey up to Mist Falls (5,563 feet). Head north along the South
Fork Kings River through open forest and along granite staircases. The dramatic
views down the valley provide plenty of excuses to stop and catch your breath.
Reach Mist Falls, so called for the glistening spray erupting from its base, and ad-
mire one of Kings Canyon's largest waterfalls. This is a popular destination for day
hikers and families. After reaching the thundering falls, the real climbing begins.
Head up a series of tight switchbacks through a landscape of cottonwoods and aspen
groves for 2 miles to Lower Paradise Valley.
Once you reach Paradise Valley, camping is restricted to one night in designated
spots in an effort to help this fragile area recover from frequent use. There are bear
boxes, a pit toilet, and numbered sites at each Paradise Valley campground (lower,
middle, and upper). The streamside sites at Lower Paradise Valley (6,586 feet) are
some of the nicest in terms of shade and proximity to water. Hikers aren't the only
people who love this trail; it's also a mecca for savvy bears looking to pick up a little
extra trail mix. Be sure to store your food well.
Continue up-valley another 1.1 miles to Middle Paradise Valley (6,619 feet),
where sugar pines and butterscotch-scented ponderosa pines shade sites and a sandy
riverside beach affords excellent views. It's another 2.2 miles along the river to Up-
per Paradise Valley (6,876 feet). Walk through the well-defined campsite and cross
the South Fork Kings River on an impressively robust stone-and-steel bridge built in
2006. This marks the confluence of Woods Creek and the South Fork Kings River.
Head east along the Woods Creek Trail, ascending up the wooded valley.
Descend to Castle Dome Meadow, an area strewn with aspen groves and boast-
ing stunning afternoon light. Designated campsites are no longer necessary past
Paradise Valley. There are places to camp on the west side of the meadow, although
it's a bit of a struggle to get to the water due to streamside shrubs. It's not a struggle,
however, to crane your neck to enjoy views of the highly polished summits of Castle
Dome's royal peaks. And it's a treat to dry your clothes on the omnipresent sage
bushes that impart a lovely scent. Nature's deodorant!
Leaving the meadow, continue eastward, reentering the forest, and continue to
climb intermittent steps carved into the tough granite. Descend among cottonwoods
and enter a grove of older aspen trees just before the trail meets the John Muir Trail
(JMT), coming down from Pinchot Pass.
Interestingly, quaking aspen are the most widely distributed tree in the northern
hemisphere. While celebrated for their flat leaves that shimmer in the wind and
