All the guidebooks, for some mysterious reason, recommend hiking the lower loop into the falls and the upper loop on the return. Feather Falls is a loop hike, the upper loop is 4.5 miles and the lower one 3.5 miles. And it was obvious none of them had read my website because they were all going in the wrong direction. But on the hike back, I must have passed about 70 other hikers on the way to see the falls. 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. The Feather Falls hike is a very popular one, so I recommend coming here in the early morning. Outside of Yosemite, this is one of the best waterfalls in California. Feather Falls flows year-round, but is most impressive in April, when the snow is melting. It is a spectacular waterfall, plunging 410 ft. I have been here many times now, in the spring when the falls is raging and at low flow in the fall.
Turn left at sign and drive 1.5 miles to the trailhead.įeather Falls is one of my favourite hikes. (-1000 ft., +1000 ft.)ĭirections:From Oroville, take Hwy #162 east (Olive Hwy) for 6.7 miles, turn right on Forbestown Road for 6.3 miles, turn left on Lumpkin Road for 11.4 miles to the signed turnoff for Feather Falls. Location: Oroville, Feather Falls Scenic Area, Plumas National Forest, Butte CountyĮlevation: 2500 ft.
