Today we visited Devils Postpile National Monument
The highlight of the monument is of course the hexagonal basalt columns (at arrow 1 on the map). You can hike to the top of the postpile and see the hexagonal tops of the columns. We also hiked down to Rainbow Falls (arrow #2) and then continued onward to Lower Falls (arrow #3). Then, for the sake of completionism, we also took the trail out to Minaret Falls. I believe we saw all the highlights in the monument.
The Devil's Postpile requires you take a shuttle bus to the trailhead if you arrive at the monument after 7 AM. So we got up early and were at the entrance gate before 7 AM and drove to the parking lot of the postpile. The walk to the Devil's Postpile is easy, we were there in no time at all. The Postpile is quite a sight, the hexagonal columns appear so regular that surely they were manmade - but instead they were constructed by natural forces (there was a helpful interpretive sign nearby that explain why the basalt cooled into such regular shapes.) We took a short trail to the top of the Devil's Postpile so that we could stand on the top of the hexagons which look like a tiled floor.
It was a 2 mile walk to Rainbow Falls, but since it was so early in the morning, we had plenty of time to saunter out that way. The weather was nice again, sunny but not hot. Rainbow Falls is in the Middle Fork of the San Joaquin River. Another interpretive sign informed us that thousands of years ago, unknown events caused the Middle Fort San Joaquin River to leap from its banks onto dry land. After a mile of wandering down the valley, the river turned to reunite with its original course - a steep gully carved through volcanic rock. The river rushed over the edge and into the gully below, creating Rainbow Falls. Since then, the river has stayed true to its course, but the falls continue to sculpt the volcanic cliffs.
Another helpful sign indicated that Lower Falls was just another 0.5 miles further, so of course we pushed on to visit the Lower Falls.
Walking back past the Devil's Postpile, we saw yet another sign indicating that Minnaret Falls was accessible via another short hike. Minnaret Falls was worth the extra distance, it is a delicate falls spilling over rocks - quite pretty. We ate our lunches there while admiring the view.
That night we ate all the leftovers from Ramone's weeklong spree of BBQing. Leftovers never tasted so good!
