Rainbow Falls is a 101-foot waterfall on the Middle Fork San Joaquin River in Devils Postpile National Monument, Madera County, California, lying about two miles downstream of the Devils Postpile formation that names the monument.
The falls
The river pours over the cliff in a single vertical curtain, on average about 65 feet wide and up to 80 feet. Established records document the height at 101 feet, while lidar readings indicate a drop of 96 feet. The cliff consists of rhyodacite lava; the river wears away the softer rock beneath it, undercutting the cliff face.
Getting there
Access in 2026 depends on the Reds Meadow Road construction schedule. From September 21 to November 1 the road is open Saturdays from 7 am through Sundays at 11 pm; from November 2 it is closed to vehicles and pedestrians for construction and the winter season. The Reds Meadow shuttle runs on weekends from September 26 to October 11, 2026, boarding by the Woolly Mammoth statue at the Panorama Gondola building at Mammoth Mountain's Main Lodge; day tickets are $15 for adults and $7 for ages 3 to 17, and the last bus leaves Reds Meadow Resort at 7 pm.
The shortest route starts at the Rainbow Falls Trailhead, shuttle stop 9: 1.3 miles each way, 2.6 miles round trip, as mapped in the 2026 compendium. The longer walk from the ranger station is 2.5 miles each way, rated moderate, with the option to return by shuttle from stop 9 or from Reds Meadow Resort at stop 10. There is no monument entrance fee, and day hikes need no wilderness permit.
When to go
Flow is strongest with early-season snowmelt, though the opening date varies with the snowpack and the 2026 construction schedule overrides the usual summer season. The rainbows that give the falls its name appear in the mist on sunny summer days.
On site
The route is hot and dry with little shade. Leashed pets are permitted. Swimming is prohibited above the brink and beneath the falls. Toxic algae have been found in the river above and below Rainbow Falls when water is low; stay out of the water and do not drink it where algae are visible.
History and name
The falls are named for the rainbows that form in their spray.
Nearby
Lower Falls (Middle Fork San Joaquin River) is about 0.5 mile away, Reds Creek Falls about 1.1 miles and Minaret Falls about 2.6 miles. The town of Mammoth Lakes is about 6.9 miles to the northeast.
Distances are straight-line.