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Nobe Young Falls was once the secret treasure of the Sequoia National Forest. Now that the secret is out, it's no longer surprising to find company both behind and below the 100ft waterfall.
There are upper cascades above the main plunge, but chances are you'll only see the main plunge part of the overall drop. The upper cascades are visible further down the formal trail where the lower main tier is mostly obstructed by foliage.
Julie and I actually had a bit of trouble finding the falls the first time around because of its unsigned nature both for the car parking and for figuring out where best to scramble from the trail of use towards the falls itself. But once we figured it out, we realized it really was a very short hike and scramble of about 1 mile round trip.
From the car park (see directions below), you follow the trail as it briefly parallels Hwy 190 (Western Divide Highway) until the trail forks and goes past an old fire pit. Then, you'll start to hear the waterfall. At that point, you'll have to find a suitable steep scrambling route (it's pretty steep) towards either the base of the falls or to the cove behind the falls. Even though the round trip distance is only a mile, it might be a bit longer your first time (as it was for us) as you try to find your way.
It's not often that you get to go behind a waterfall, which is what makes this hidden gem so special. There's plenty of room in that cove but just be careful as you make the approach and that you don't get too close to the edge (for a spill there would be real bad).
Directions: To access the falls, drive south of Ponderosa Lodge on the Western Divide Highway (Hwy 190) for 6.7 miles just past the bridge over Nobe Young Creek. If you're coming from the south, it's 1 mile north of Camp Whitsett. The dirt pullout where you can park the car is unsigned so you'll have to watch your odometer and keep your eyes peeled for the little car park.
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