The Grand Canyon of the Tuolumne and Falls

"Mattie Falls" from beyond the falls stream, towards the east. You can see that the falls have a number of cascades.

"Mattie Falls"

The Grand Canyon of the Tuolumne and Falls, June 2004

Beyond the verge of California and into Glen Aulin, you will come to an obstacle; and if you are traveling early season, it deserves comment. I will discuss Glen Aulin further the next page and concentrate here getting to the main trail. Both times I have been at the west end of Glen Aulin near California Falls, it has been flooded.

After California Falls, the trail is level for a short bit, then disappears into water in early season. The safest bet is to consider the next section a long wet crossing and get into your wading shoes. Dave tried to stay on loges and what dry patches he could and made it across the flooded area, but I don't know if he ended up with wet feet or he had to take his boots off. I do know that he missed Mattie Falls and a pleasant slosh along the flooded trail. Oh, there is no official name of Mattie Falls, but that is what I call the falls, the waters of which come from Mattie Lake.

Approaching from California Falls, "Mattie Falls" is hard to miss. Somewhere way up there is Mattie Lake. The way to the falls is fairly level, with only a log or two to step over.

After taking off my boots and getting my wading shoes on, I followed the trail, which curved left. The trail could be followed with no problem even though it was underwater, sometimes up to my knees in places. After following it a good distance it curved to the right, even though the map says it follows the wall on the left. It was at this curve that I left the wet trail for dry open land to head right for Mattie Falls. I knew there was no need to get my boots back on, because I would have to cross two branches of Mattie Falls creek. After the open stretch, I reached the trees of the falls stream, which I crossed in two places. After that there was a pleasant grassy swale next to the granite walls of Glen Aulin, which the waters of Mattie Falls dash down.

This is to the east of the base of "Mattie Falls", a very pleasant area on this side of the falls. Wildcat Point soars above.

This spot near the falls is worth exploring. Mattie Falls is not the easiest falls to see because no matter where you are, there always seems to be some leafy great tree in the way. So, it is an area you need to move around to catch a glimpse of this or that aspect of the falls. Depending when you come, the falls will be in a variable state of activity, but the evidence suggests that at some times of the year, the falls would be an impressive torrent. Both times I was there the falls were impressive and invited a climb upward to explore its many cascades. The areas at the base of the falls are nice enough to serve as a destination for a picnic or a place to hang out to admire the falls and listen to the water music.

I sat down in a nice lawn-like area on a convenient rock and got my boots back on. Following the wall, I was returned to the trail and an impatiently waiting Dave.