On our walk towards Tokopah Falls, I was wondering why my husband stopped talking for several minutes.
He finally broke the silence and I noticed worry in his tone: “Ruth, I heard a strange noise,” he said.
“What kind of noise are you talking about?” I replied. As soon, as I stopped muttering those words, I hear the “noise.”
It sounded like a loud snore with a hint of a groan.
In cases like that, you are not supposed to run. However, I felt like flying.
“Let’s move fast,” my husband said while looking in all directions.
We had seen people in the trail but the majority of the time, we were walking by ourselves. And, the thing is that there was nowhere to hide. One side of the trail was covered by thick pine forest or granite boulders and on the other side a river with a thundering current was flowing.
It was our third day in Sequoia National Park. I am not going to deny I saw signs like the one below all over the place.
For some reason that I cannot understand, I didn’t pay a lot of attention. I guess you think you are immune to bear / wildlife encounters when you live in a big urban area.
Minutes after hearing the noise, we found people on the trail. Plus, my heart returned to normal when I spotted high granite wall throughout the trees. That meant we were getting close to the final leg of the hike.
When I visit a National Park, I like to fit in a hike per day. I am not the most able hiker in the world but I like to challenge myself a bit. And, let’s face it. Some beautiful sights are not located next to a parking lot.
We noticed a lot (if not the majority) of park visitors tend to congregate around the Giant Museum or General Sherman areas.
Traffic gridlocks faded away once we passed those areas and turned towards the LodgePole Visitor’s Center. The trailhead to Tokopah Falls is located past the campground in the area. The mostly flat hike is about 4 miles roundtrip and can be completed in 2 to 3 hours.
The trail culminates in a 1,200 feet (365.8 meters) high waterfall (the tallest in the park). In addition, it affords views of impressive granite cliffs and the canyon formed by the Marble Fork of the Kaweah River.
A granite peak known as The Watchtower dominates part of the landscape.
Most of the walk takes place under the shadow of towering pines. Once in a while, you bump into meadows and short wood bridges.
The howl of the river accompanies you all the time. The water moves forceful through rocks and fallen logs. Only a few sections seem calm and shallow (this can be deceptive however).
The trail narrows once the end of the canyon is in sight. A little bit of rock scramble is needed to get a good glimpse of the waterfall.
The beautiful thing is that Tokopah falls in several steps. When we visited, there were still some snow patches around. The melt was creating other thin falls to the right of the big drop of water.
Looking around and up felt like being in another planet. There were so many crevasses, lines and colors on the granite. You start to wonder what forces contributed to such features.
The other great thing is that we saw a lot of wildlife during the hike. We saw several marmots.
And a chipmunk eating the bark of a tree.
In addition, we saw deer and a wide variety of birds.
So, at the end, I cannot affirm the “noise” was a bear. However, the cafeteria workers told us people saw bears on the trail that same morning. I sweat a bit after hearing that. I am glad I didn’t see them even though they may have seen us.
Details
- The LodgePole Visitor’s Center has a cafeteria and shop. I do not recommend hiking with an empty stomach.
- Bring water
- Be prepared to encounter bears during your walk. Make sure you understand what needs to be done on a case like that.
- Plus, respect other wildlife you see on the trail. Do not feed or harass animals.
- Never, never get into the river
- Once you reach the waterfall, there is a sign indicating people should not go beyond certain point. I will follow those instruction (I saw people descending to the waterfall, not a good idea in my opinion)
Have you encounter bears?
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I’ve never heard a bear so I can’t help you. You are fortunate that my husband wasn’t with you. He might have gone in search of the noise so he could get a good bear photo.
Was that your hubby paving the way in some of your shots?
Oh no! I would not like that. Ironically, my husband likes to take photos of snakes he find in the paths. That drives me crazy. Yes, my husband is the one walking on the photos.
We’ve actually seen bears while hiking several times in several places, but no harm. In Alaska there was a sign saying to act big and scary if you saw a grizzly bear and small and curled up if you saw a brown bear. or it might have been the other way around. That kind of scared me. But that time we didn’t see either one. (Tho, as you say, they might have seen us.)
It looks to me as if you are quite an able hiker! And that NP is beautiful; thank you for the lovely shots and memories.
Thanks Sally. I have read those tips too. I think they are pretty harmless if you leave them alone.
Oh! That was close may be.
Glad you both are safe. Wonderful nature captures from your hike.
Thanks Indrani! For some reason, I do not want to cross paths with a 300 pound creature.
Yes I have encountered a bear. The first time I went to Yosemite we stumbled upon a bear a yard off the trail we were on.
I went to Yosemite last year and didn’t see bear but saw a mountain lion. Even rangers have not seen one in the park.
Wonderful scenery and cute animals. What more does a person need? Excellent photos.
R. Täysin arkista
You are right. I think that is why I like National parks so much. They feel like paradise to me.
I saw the bear signs on the General Sherman trail too. Luckily we didn’t encounter any!If I remember well, you are advised not to leave food in the car as well. The hike to Tokopah falls looks very interesting, but comparing your photos from Sequoia National Park and Yosemite, I like the latter the most!
You are correct. You cannot leave food in the car. when you camp, the rules are stricter. Sequoia and Yosemite are similar in several aspects but I think Yosemite is a special place hard to equal.
What a lovely hike! Amazing scenery and such adorable marmots.
I was so excited about the marmots. My husband spotted them. He has a good eye for wildlife.
The nature is breathtaking and those chipmunks are so cute! Apart from the bear noise, it must have been an amazing hike.
You are right! The hike was wonderful. As I mentioned, the wildlife was so abundant. It felt so good to be in such a beautiful place.
How I would love to walk that walk! Stunning
It is a good walk since it is easy. People of all ages can do it.
Hello, wonderful photos from your hike. The waterfalls and views are fabulous! Love the cute critters too. Happy Wednesday, enjoy your day!
Thanks Eileen. So good you enjoyed the photos.
Wow this looks incredibly wild and remote but sooooo beautiful!!! I would love to visit one day! It seems even prettier than Norway 😉
Those are big words! Prettier than Norway? Well, at least, I can be grateful for having those landscapes in California.
So many wonderful scenes in this park–the big beautiful granite rocks, gushing waterfalls and cute animals. I live where there are bears and we are told to make a lot of noise when hiking as the bears will stay away. Bears really don’t want to encounter people, and it is only when you sneak up on them, or they feel their cubs are in danger, will they attack.
My husband and I were talking during the walk but I will not say we were making enough “noise.” part of me thinks the noise came from a small animal with a scary sound.
One time we were doing a night walk on Halloween at a wooded trail. The only light was our flashlights. It was spooky, but that was the point. We heard a rustling in the trees and we figured it was a deer. Then all of a sudden, we were completely surrounded by howling coyotes! Glad you only heard a bear. Great hike.
What a crazy story! I think I would prefer a bear.
I would’ve been absolutely terrified!
However, I definitely want to take that hike if I ever make it there. 😀
Next time, I think I will be inviting some friends to the park. In that way, we can hike in group (but I do not have a lot of hiking friends).
…and there I was hoping for at least a photo of the bear and all I get are a few squirrels. Nevertheless, this looks like an amazing trail we didn’t walk. But that’s probably because we visited in late April and had snow up to our waist in many places, icy tracks in other locations. Even with walking sticks I remember some tracks as quite treacherous.
I am telling you, even if I have seen the bear, I would be out of there. I think I would not have the courage to take a photo. My husband wants to visit the park in winter but I am not sure I want to do it.
The hike was definitely worth it for those marvellous waterfalls. The marmots are cute. I’ve never seen one of these before. Sequoia National Park reminds me very much of Yosemite with the same granite rock formations and waterfalls.
Sequoia, Kings Canyon and Yosemite are very similar in terms of elements. They have granite, waterfalls and wildlife. You cannot go wrong with any of them.
I guess your bear signs, are like our “Estuarine Crocodiles inhabit these waters” signs! I’ve come across bears whilst in a car in Canada (both brown and grizzly) but I would definitely not like to do so on foot. Great countryside.
On no! I will freak out at crocodile signs. I once saw them in Cancun but didn’t pay attention. Thankfully, I didn’t run into any.
Stunning. Fabulous photos, and so different from the redwoods were were just in. I am glad there was no nearby bear, and that you did see the smaller wildlife. I don’t think I have ever seen a marmot before today.
That is why I want to see redwoods so I can compare. I have seen “small” ones in Santa Cruz County but I think they cannot compare to the old growth giants.
Breathtaking! This place is simply stunning and you have captured that in your photos!
#photofriday #wkendtravelinspiration
Great! I am glad you enjoyed the photos of the hike.
Wow – what a beautiful place!
So nice you liked it! Thanks for stopping by!
I bet it was like another world out there. It must seem like somethings missing when you stopped hearing the sound of the falls or river.
The great thing is that we were able to hear the rivers the four days we were in the park. One night, we camped at Kings Canyon and I heard the river all night.
Living in Montana was certainly fun! I came home one day and there was a black bear roaming around in our front yard and my dogs were in the back yard. Good thing I got home when I did! #WeekendWanderlust
Well, here in California bears get in people’s pools. That must be a little weird. You just have to wait for the bear to leave.
I’ve been to Yosemite but never have been to Sequoia. It looks just beautiful – going to have to add it to my list! The falls are stunning!
Well, I guess you have to complete the Sierra’s National Park circuit and visit Sequoia and Kings Canyon.
Love your photos of the chipmunk and marmot. Glad you didn’t have a direct encounter with a bear during your Sequoia national park hike.
I love seeing those cute creatures too. Encountering wildlife is one of my favorite things aspects of visiting National Parks.
stunning! great animal photos! #the weekly postcard
Thanks Tanja!
I had a similar incident in Montana while out hiking alone. In thar case I turned away from the noise amd walked quickly away. I too was happy not to see that bear! Your pictures are beautiful! #wkendtravelinspiration
That is why I do not hike by myself!
I’ve always wanted to go there!
Nice! I hope you can visit one day!
I was hoping for a bear photo, but you got lots of lovely nature photos anyway! Sounds like you had a great visit and were relieved not to see any bears:) I am glad you mentioned the comment about following the park rules, not feeding/harassing animals, and the like. The last time I was in a national park I got so frustrated at people for pestering and feeding animals (despite the signs), destroying vegetation, and endangering themselves (and in turn park staff who may need to go save them) by going off trails and climbing in dangerous spots, urgh!
I have observed that in the parks too. I saw people hitting squirrels in Yosemite. In addition, I saw tons of people dangerous things like getting very close to cliffs and waterfalls. I think rules are there to protect us and to protect those who inhabit the park.
Couldn’t help but notice the bear sign said to “guard your food.” Not.A.Chance. My food is on its own if there’s a bear…I’m out of there! 😉 Sounds like you just bear-ly avoided it a “grizzly” incident there. Whew! (I’m sure the puns are worse than the bear would have been!) -Rob
Ron, you are so funny! I needed some of that good attitude while on bear country. I camped in an area where they can break in and I was super scared.
What a beautiful hike! I also love to hike on trips (and at home). It is a great way to get some exercise and see the area more intimately.
I am planning my next set of hikes. I even wrote a post about the hikes I want to do this summer.
Ha, ha, I have a picture in exact same spot (on the rocks) where those people are. It was a hot summer day when we went there and I remember even dipping into the water at some point. Lovely photos, Ruth!
Thanks Anda! The water level were high when we visited. I preferred not to get close to the water at all.
No, I haven’t encountered a bear (yet), there are some around our very urban area these days though. Worries me when I’m out jogging. The photographer in me, of course, wants to see one, but my brain takes over and says ‘no’.
Gorgeous photos! I am glad you took the hike to see that awesome waterfall. Thanks for sharing it with us.
The think is that you never know when you are going to bump into one of these creatures. There are mountain lions and rattlesnakes around the area where I live. I definitely do not want to bump into those.
I have to say encountering large wildlife whilst on foot is not my idea of a good time. Even here in Australia if we happen to come across kangaroos I always keep a good distance away (they can be viscous) you just never know how a wild animal will react.
You are right! Wild animals are wild and should be kept that way. You kind of forget about how they can react when you see all the photos people upload with them on social media.
Beautiful! I like to fit as many hikes into my travels as possible too. This one looks excellent. Glad you escaped the bear!
Walking or hiking is a great way to see a place as it is. I fit a hike here and there whenever possible.
I love the idea of seeing bears but would definitely prefer not to be surprised by one… I think i’d have been hiking at speed. Beautiful place and very cute marmots though. #mondayescapes
Well, it would be nice to spot a bear from a distance. But, believe me, that hike was pretty enclosed most of the time (because of the river). That bear was going to be too close.
Oops that was close!
Lovely captures, great description and important tips.
Thanks! Doing my part in here (on trying to keep wild places wild).
Hi Ruth. What a gorgeous hike! I would have been flipping if I thought there was a bear nearby. I used to live in Banff, Alberta, and in the summertime bears often came in to town to hit the dumpsters for food. I was coming home late one night, and noticed that a few people were standing in their doorways. Finally, I got to a house where I knew the people and they were in the doorway watching.They called me over, and there was a mama bear and cup in the dumpster right smack in the middle of my route home! Needless to say, I sat down and relaxed for a while! 🙂 Thanks for co-hosting this week. #TPThursday
I suppose you are extra careful when you have animals like that in your surroundings. When we visited the park, a deer jumped in front of our cars. Thankfully my husband was driving slow.
The scenery is fabulous, Ruth! You won’t mind if I include this in my walks next Monday?
Feel free to include a link to this post in your walks compilation.
I can’t imagine how scary it’d be to hear a bear while hiking! The granite cliffs look amazing, like a scene right out of the Lord of the Rings. Lovely pictures.
Oh! What a great comparison! The scene there was a bit surreal.
I remember visiting Yosemite and being desparate to see a bear. However I think I would have been incredibly scared if I’d actually seen one! #Mondayescapes
Sometimes we do not know what we ask for, right?
Eek! You’re brave. I love bears – such powerful, majestic creatures – but I prefer to keep them at a firm distance! Stunning countryside to be walking through, though.
We have seen lots of brown bears in Shenandoah NP, some quite close. One was just behind our accommodation and my husband got some quite good photos. It’s much less scary than you imagine beforehand – though I’m not sure I’d like to meet a grizzly!
Great scenery and a lovely walk. I’ve not been to Sequoia (yet!)
How cute are those marmots? I’m not surprised you were a little frightened of those strange noises! But Sequoia looks wonderful and somewhere I would very much like to visit one day. Thanks for linking up with #MondayEscapes
I was delighted with the photos, wonderful place. Congratulations, beautiful, beautiful, beautiful …
Excellent read, I just passed this onto a friend who was doing some research on that. And he actually bought me lunch since I found it for him smile Thus let me rephrase that: Thanks for lunch!