Exploring the Ansel Adams Wilderness
This may have been my very favorite day on the our Eastern Sierra Road Trip. We hiked trails we’d never been on before and explored a wilderness new to us. I’d seen images of Devils Postpile and had always wanted to see it in person. There is just something fascinating to me about the way the land we love and enjoy was formed hundreds of thousands of years before us.
Where to start your hike into the Ansel Adams Wilderness
Like many of our family hikes, we like to begin at the visitors center or rangers station. We find that it gets us all a little more excited for what lies ahead. The kids see photos of what we are going to find out there since they don’t always believe we know what we are talking about! Stopping in helps get us off on the right foot. Here’s what I recommend:
- gather information, maps, trail recommendations or closures
- pick up any water or snacks you might need
- use the restroom!
- if a national park – pick up a junior ranger guide. We are huge fans of the Junior Ranger Program!
- kids get to pick out a sticker for our well loved Thule box that never misses a road trip or a patch to add to our family collection.
Hiking in to the wilderness
To start this hike, you actually have to begin at the Mammoth Adventure Center. From here you will board a shuttle bus to drive you into valley as no personal cars are allowed. This ride in itself was exciting as the views were breathtaking and the hairpin turns adrenaline pumping. At the end of the shuttle ride into the valley is a rangers station. Because Devils Postpone is a National Monument, you can get a stamp here for your National Park Passport Book. We love and cherish our NP Passport Books. I’m so glad we started this tradition years ago. It’s encouraged my kids to want to see as many parks and monuments as possible. Not simply to get a stamp, but as a sort of badge of honor. This book along with the Junior Ranger Program are helping us as parents encourage our children to be guardians of our lands.
The 100,000 year old lava flow slowed and cooled into what we see today at Devils Postpone. The long ‘post-like’ columns we formed as the lava cooled. Eventually a glacier removed the tops and polished them in to what we see today. This is an impressive sight from below seeing how some columns appear to be folding and bending a visual on how slowly the lava cooled. At other angle it seems as though you are looking at carefully stacked logs, but in fact it is nature at work. Equally impressive is the view from the top, where you get a look at how these enormous columns were shaped into nearly perfect hexagons and how more recently (20,000 years ago), a glacier sliced off the top of them and carved away at the side of the postpile.
Rainbow Falls
Moving along on our hike continued towards Rainbow Falls. It was a pretty warm day and the kids were losing steam just as we began to hear the roar of the falls. We forged on to catch a glimpse of the famous falls. When it’s a clear day, there is always a rainbow here in these falls. The falls rage over the 100 foot cliff where at the bottom of the pool lies a stunning rainbow.
One thing to note on this trail is that you will see A LOT of Pacific Crest Trail through hikers. It was so fun to talk with them about where they started and how long they’ve been on the trail. Some having begun on the Mexico border on their way to Canada while others are just doing a portion. Both my husband and I have this goal to be healthy and active enough when our youngest is in college to be able to do this together. I’d say that’s pretty good reason to stay committed to my workouts! But truly, it was really fun to meet so many of them. The best part was when we made it to Red’s Meadow!! Red’s Meadow is mostly a pack station for through hikers. They can shower, pick up supplies at the general store, fill up on water AND get a real meal at the cafe. I’d read about the pies and shakes here and knew my crew would have there our mini nirvana moment here after a hot day of hiking. I didn’t mention much to them about this and ended up looking like Mom-of-the-Year!
What to know:
- 4.5 mile easy to moderate hike for familes
- 2 interesting destinations and 1 delicious cafe
- bring water, hats, and sunscreen
- buy tickets for the shuttle in the Mammoth Adventure Center
- Dogs are allowed but must wear a muzzle on the shuttle (you can buy one at MAC)
- don’t forget to bring your National Park Passport Book with you
Follow along as The Simple Proof family explore the Eastern Sierra with stops in Bodie, Mammoth, Rock Creek Lake and more.
