Glen Aulin Trail to Waterwheel Falls

Trip: June 2, 2018- June 4, 2018

Let me start this trail review by stating it was undoubtedly among my top favorite, if not my favorite, backpacking trips to date. Could be simply because all the stars aligned and we had absolutely perfect weather, or it could be simply because this is an absolutely stunning area to explore. Either way, I would call it a “must do”.

Day 1: We started our trek from the Glen Aulin trail head after picking up our wilderness permits from the Big Oak Flat Information Station. Having left home at 5am, we arrived at the station around 8:30am. There was a bit of a wait, as lines had already formed, but ultimately we were at the trail head about 9:40am. We were advised the best parking was on the left side of the road just before Lembert Dome. It was easy to find, and parking was no problem. There is a sign for “Soda Springs, Dog Lake, and Glen Aulin” just before the Wilderness Center directing you to parking.

From the moment we exited our car, we discovered problem #1…. Mosquitos. They were thick, and they were fierce, eating some of us through our clothing. Be prepared with plenty of spray and/or head nets for the trek and evening. The trail, at the end of the street we parked on, begins flat and takes you through gorgeous meadows to Soda Springs. There is plenty of water, straight away and throughout the hike, so with a filter there is no need to carry the weight of extra water. While in the meadows, you are surrounded by granite domes. The trail, itself, is easy to maneuver and is well maintained.

After Soda Springs, you will enter the trees and find some protection from the sun. Overall the trail is downhill, but at this stage it is gradual. There are water crossings, throughout, and you may choose to cross via fallen logs, rock hopping, or by simply trekking through the water. In most places, at this point, the water is not deep. The trail will take you through trees, onto slabs of granite, and through meadows of varying degrees. The variety of terrain makes the trail roll quickly as there is simply always something new to look at. When on the granite, the trail can at times be difficult to find, so we relied on the cairns scattered about as well as our GPS.

As you approach the main crossing of what I believe to be the Tuolumne River, the descent becomes more noticeable. With 1.7 miles left to Glen Aulin, the river flow becomes quite remarkable. Difficult to not stop and simply marvel in its power. In a short time, you will find Tuolumne Falls, the first of many along this trek. Pretty amazing, with plenty of room to safely go out on the rocks to fully appreciate the magnitude. From here, the trail descends more steeply taking you down stone paths and stairs, with some switchbacks, until ultimately landing you at Cascade Falls. At the base of this fall, you will cross a bridge that will take you right to Glen Aulin.

At the time of our stay, the actual bridge to Glen Aulin was out which forced a water crossing either by log (detailed in another blog) or by wading through the water. Most we saw chose the log, while others chose to wade through just downstream of the log (almost directly adjacent). While not particularly deep, the water was VERY cold and was moving swiftly enough to require the use of hiking poles for stability. Once across the water, the backpackers camp runs from just before the restroom to beyond and up the hill. With 30 sites, there are plenty to choose from. There are three designated fire pits, throughout the camp, and fires are not allowed except in a pit already established. The mosquitos made it difficult for us to stay close to the water, so we chose a spot up the hill adjacent to a fabulous rock slab that overlooked the river. My GPS clocked the total trek, from car to camp, at 6.44 miles. Taking only 3 hours and 48 minutes to get there, we had plenty of time to set up camp and chill before dark.

Day 2: After a rather leisurely rise, albeit chilly until the sun came up, our goal was to day trek to Waterwheel Falls. Knowing the trail followed the river, we carried day packs with snacks, one bottle of water each, and a water filter. Crossing back over the water, head left towards the base of Cascade Falls. Just prior to the bridge, hang a right and follow the trail that runs to the right of the river. Again, you will find yourself meandering from granite, to meadows, to trees. The trail is a gradual descent as you make your way downstream, and the river is never too far away. Our first obstacle was about a mile in, while in the meadows, where the trail was completely under water. Taking a detour to the right, off trail, we meandered through the marsh following a variety of downed logs and then ultimately bouldering until the trail was again dry. On our return trip, we learned that if you stayed closer to the mountain, there were less obstacles to maneuver around. Despite the diversion, the terrain was spectacular.

Along this trail, you will encounter three distinctly different, yet equally remarkable waterfalls in the following order: California Falls, Le conte Falls, and Waterwheel Falls. It is about 3 miles, to Waterwheel, but not wanting to have to retrace our steps uphill anymore than necessary, we stopped our trek at the point where we could get a side view of Waterwheel. Each Fall offers different terrain to explore and while it is possible to get on the rock fairly close to the water, I caution you (on good authority) to be careful on wet rock as it is extremely slippery and will land you on your backside before you’ll know what happened….. Yup… it happened to me. Taking breaks at each spot, we ultimately turned and made our way back up hill to camp. It is possible to continue downhill a bit more to get a better view of Waterwheel Falls and possibly a glimpse down the “Grand Canyon of the Tuolumne”.

Day 3: Time to head home. The hardest part of this trip, yet even still not terribly difficult, is the ascent out of Glen Aulin up to Tuolumne Falls. The rest of the trek vacillates between flats in the meadows and gradual incline. Our trek to the car took us 3 hours and 28 minutes and was equally as gorgeous as the trek in.

Trip Details: