PLAN C (CARLON)
The hike to Lower Jawbone Falls was a short one. I did not want to just go home afterwards. I had just driven 3 hours to get here for Pete’s sake. I needed to go on a second hike.
My first choice was to go to Middle Fork Tuolumne Falls and the others in that immediate vicinity. Those waterfalls would be raging and they were very close by and they probably would still be in good light. When I came to the road going down to them I found big huge signs saying “absolutely no access by absolutely anyone or anything at all – not even you, Madman”. (or something very similar to that) What the heck?? How long has this area been closed? Is it recent? If it is because of recent storm damage then I have no hope at all of ever returning to them. They are never going to fix the road. I wish I could have gone down there to see what was the big deal. Why are these fantastic waterfalls now closed?
My second choice was to go to Carlon Falls just inside Yosemite National Park. At least I knew that trail would be open. Unfortunately, I surmised I would not be able to get to it in time for photographing because it was getting so late in the morning now. Nonetheless, it would still be a good hike and worth doing. I had no other ideas.
It is an easy 1.5 mile hike to the waterfall. I only saw one other person on the entire hike (I expected to see a lot more). When I arrived I found the waterfall partially in the sun but I thought it was still worth taking a photo. That was a nice bonus for the day. Carlon Falls is 30 feet high and it was spectacular. I returned to the car and drove home. It was a good day in Stanislaus National Forest and Yosemite National Park.