Feather Falls - California Waterfalls; Feather Falls Scenic Area, Oroville-hike/trail/map/directions

Feather Falls is one of my favourite hikes. I have been here many times now, in the spring when the falls is raging and at low flow in the fall. It is a spectacular waterfall, plunging 410 ft. along the Fall River. Feather Falls flows year-round, but is most impressive in April, when the snow is melting. Outside of Yosemite, this is one of the best waterfalls in California.

The Feather Falls hike is a very popular one, so I recommend coming here in the early morning. When I was here on a Saturday in early May, I arrived at the falls for sunrise, so I had the waterfall all to myself. But on the hike back, I must have passed about 70 other hikers on the way to see the falls. It was crazy. Feather Falls is a loop hike, the upper loop is 4.5 miles and the lower one 3.5 miles. All the guidebooks recommend hiking the lower loop into the falls and the upper loop on the return. The reason is that the shorter loop is much stepper on the return. The upper loop is much gentler so even though it is uphill on the return it is easier than the lower loop.

There is a path that leads to the top of Feather Falls, where you can look down from the brink as it plunges down into the canyon. It is definitely a sight worth seeing. But be careful around this area. The rocks can be very slippery, and people have died here before. It is not a place to take children! There are also swimming holes at the top of the falls, for later in the summer.

I wanted to get back to Feather Falls was to determine its true height. I had read on Bryan Swan and Dean Goss' world waterfalls website that they had determined that Feather Falls was not 640 ft. high, as is widely reported. Indeed, after examining the topo maps, it seemed to be more in the neighborhood of 400 ft. high. I wanted to measure it more officially with my laser rangefinder and clinometer to confirm this difference of opinion. I found that indeed Feather Falls is only 410 ft. high. It is definitely *not* 640 ft. high, and certainly nowhere near being the 6th highest waterfall in the U.S. (which is also widely reported). This came as a complete shock and big disappointment to me. I had always just assumed the 640 figure was accurate. Who came up with that figure and how? But the truth is now revealed: Feather Falls true height is 410 ft.

Update 1/1/2025: Since 2020 Feather Falls was closed due to the Bear Fire. The forest order closure expired on 12/31/24 and no new forest order was posted. By default this means the trail is now (finally) open again (though the website inexplicably does not state the trail is open). Everything is 100% rebuilt and has been for a long time. This trail should have been re-opened LONG before 2025.

It should be stressed that after the Bear Fire the trail is now 100% exposed to the elements (the trail used to be mostly through the forest - there is no forest any longer). It will be very hot in the summer and I don't recommend it. Hiking for 8 miles entirely in the heat when it is over 90 degrees will be dangerous, especially for kids and dogs. Do not come here when it is hot. Also it is worth noting that you can now pretty much see the entire loop trail as you hike along, so you can see all the people that are behind you or ahead of you on the trail.

14 Miles ESE Concow CA (Elev. 2224 ft)

Overnight
Showers. Steady temperature around 47. South wind around 8 mph, with gusts as high as 22 mph. Chance of precipitation is 90%. New precipitation amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch possible.
Friday
A 50 percent chance of showers, mainly after 1pm. Mostly cloudy, with a steady temperature around 46. South southwest wind around 8 mph, with gusts as high as 21 mph. New precipitation amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch possible.
Friday Night
Showers likely, mainly before 11pm. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 37. South southwest wind 5 to 7 mph becoming calm in the evening. Winds could gust as high as 18 mph. Chance of precipitation is 70%. New precipitation amounts of less than a tenth of an inch possible.
Saturday
Sunny, with a high near 53. Calm wind becoming west southwest around 5 mph in the afternoon.
Saturday Night
Mostly cloudy, with a low around 43. Light and variable wind.
Sunday
Showers. High near 51. Chance of precipitation is 80%.
Sunday Night
Showers. Low around 42. Chance of precipitation is 90%.
Monday
Showers. Cloudy, with a high near 46.
Monday Night
Showers likely, mainly before 11pm. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 39.
Tuesday
Showers likely, mainly after 11am. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 46.
Tuesday Night
Showers likely. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 40.
Wednesday
Showers likely. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 48.
Wednesday Night
Showers likely. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 42.