May 13, 2026 - Angel Falls and Willow Creek

 

Title: May 13, 2026 - Angel Falls and Willow Creek
Hike Info : Description :  Background  :  Flowers and Plants

Hike Info:

Type: Hiking

Trail head: Road at Willow Creek

Trail: Willow Creek Trail

Destination: Minimum Angel Falls 

Actual Destination: 

Distance: 2.55 miles

Start Time: 9:57

End Time:  122:55

Travel Time: 2:58  (0.86 mph)

Moving Time: 1:44  (1.47 mph)

Elevation Rise: 626 '

Descent: 589‘

Maximum Elevation: 3,848 '

Minimum Elevation: 3,452'

GPS Tracks

Description:

Angel Falls

I got up at 5am and did my first lightning report of the season-it was a bit rough, but the feedback I got was that it was welcomed. Sherri injured her foot last night and will not be going with us today. That leaves Steven, Rachel and myself. Rachel comes along a few minutes after 8. We do not rush out then, but manage to leave by 8:45.

One of the things which is making the lightning report hard to produce this year is that the way the data is being fed to me is different. This is causing me to feed Google Earth differently. I am having fits in doing what I want to do with it. I had talked with Rachel last night and today I explained the problem to Steven and we worked through what the issue is.

I was concentrating too much on this problem, as well as the road, that I entirely missed the turn off to Shaver Lake. We discussed what to do and decided to change our hike from Ely Mountain to Angel Falls close to Bass Lake. We notified Sherri of the change in plans and continued going up Highway 41, continuing with the discussion on Google Earth.

Watch Out sign

We get to the turnout where we will start our hike. Really this is just a patch of dirt, wide enough to park cars, having jumped the curb. We get ourselves together and start walking at 9:55.

We started our walk up a driveway which went to some buildings-maybe water filtration. It is only been about 50 years before Steven was born when Sherri and I were last on this trail. Steven leads us on the trail to the north, which crosses a small creek on some planks. Then the trail steeply ascends. A few years ago, I would be bounding up the rocks, even the ones which have water running down them. Now, I am more conscious that if I slip, a bone could break. So I do a lot more picking my way up it. Turns out the rocks have a lot of traction to them, even if they are wet and have stuff on them.

 

 

 

Water leak creates rainbows

Once we come up the initial slope, the trail becomes only a series of gradual inclines with a few descents into shallow ravines. We also get the first glimpse of Angel Falls. The view from our trail is a bit obscured by the foliage around us. While I like views of falls, the greenery does keep us out of the direct sun.

We really do not get a really good view of Willow Creek until we get close to the Falls. From this view, we do not see much of the Falls. But the top of the Falls is a series of teacup holes, which look inviting. No wonder there is a sign at the beginning of the trail saying that there is an average of a death a year from people who cannot get out of the Creek.

The trail follows the Creek and it does not disappoint. While not lush, there is lots of greenery. But not only green, there is a variety of flowers and colors which goes with the flowers. At one stopping place, Steven spots a single mallard, looking like it owns the Creek.

We went about a mile and a half up the trail. There is a second steep section which we debated about going up. It looks like we would be going over an exposed area and it is getting warm. We asked a couple who was coming down if there was a good view from there. They were not very enthusiastic about the view.*

So we turned around and retreated to a beach spot about a third of a mile back. There we had a snack and enjoyed watching the water flow by. I could stay here for a long time, and we did for about 20 to 30 minutes.

The trip up here must have made me stronger, else maybe it was going downhill which was easier. We were able to get to the car by 1pm. I had been concerned about the rocks being wet and be skidding and falling. But that did not happen. 20 years ago I probably would have been quicker and more graceful, but I got down the trail without damage=mission accomplished.

 

 

Where did we want to eat? That seems to the perineal question on any hike. After playing the game of I don’t know, where do you want to eat, we decided to go to our new standby, Los 2 Canales. We enjoyed our meal and then headed home. We got back to the house by 2:20.

Background 

*Suspect that if we had continued up the trail another half of a mile, we would have gotten to another set of falls called the Devil’s Slide.

 
Flowers and Plants

Hartwig Iris

Some sort of pea, I think

Columbine