What makes Leavitt Falls special
Leavitt Falls is a 200-foot, multi-tiered waterfall in the Sierra Nevada of Mono County, California, in the description’s figures. It stands on Leavitt Creek, a tributary of the West Walker River, where the creek drops off the edge of a hanging valley into Leavitt Meadow. The hanging valley is the story: the creek runs across a high, flat valley floor, reaches its edge, and falls in tiers into the meadow below.
The fall is a meadow fall as much as a mountain fall. The meadow below is open and flat, and the tiers of the fall are the boundary between the high valley and the low ground. It is a wide, open view rather than a narrow canyon one: the creek, the tiers and the meadow all in one frame.
Its neighbours are close. Silver Falls is 1.9 miles away, Sardine Falls 3.3 miles away and Llewellyn Falls 10.0 miles away, so Leavitt Falls is one of a group of falls along the West Walker River country.
Source: Wikipedia
Geology and background
The fall is formed where Leavitt Creek drops off the edge of a hanging valley into Leavitt Meadow. A hanging valley is a valley left high above the main valley floor, and the creek’s tiers are the steps it takes down from that height. The multi-tiered form of the fall comes from that drop: the water does not fall in one sheet but in stages down the valley edge.
Plan your visit
Getting there and parking
- GPS: 38.3192749, -119.5629272 — Get directions
Navigate by coordinates rather than by name. Map apps often send waterfall searches to the wrong parking lot or the far side of the stream. Download an offline map before you lose signal: this is Sierra country, and signal is not guaranteed.
Best time and crowds
No stream gauge is linked to Leavitt Falls, so recent rain is your best guide. Expect the most water in spring and after heavy rain, when the snowmelt runs off the Sierra. In a dry spell, especially late summer and early fall, the same fall can look half the size.
This is a quieter fall than the famous ones, and the trailhead is unlikely to be crowded. Even so, an early start is the best way to have the viewpoint to yourself.
Safety
Stay on marked trails and behind railings. Wet, mossy rock near the brink is the most common cause of serious injury. Never climb the cascade or stand at the top edge, even when the flow looks gentle. Plunge pools hide cold water, strong currents and submerged logs.
What to bring
- Shoes with real grip
- A rain shell for the spray
- Water and a snack
- An offline map or screenshot
- A dry bag for your phone
- A bag to pack out trash
Practical tips
- Screenshot the directions and these coordinates before you leave town: signal is thin out here.
- Pair it with Silver Falls, 1.9 miles away, or Sardine Falls, 3.3 miles away.
- Wear shoes you do not mind getting wet: spray reaches further than you expect.
- Look for the hanging valley edge: the tiers of the fall are the steps the creek takes down into Leavitt Meadow.
Keep exploring
- More waterfalls in California
- Explore California waterfalls
- Silver Falls (1.9 mi away)
- Sardine Falls (3.3 mi away)
- Llewellyn Falls (10.0 mi away)
- Explore the map
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