Stevenson Creek Falls is a 1,345-foot tiered waterfall on Stevenson Creek in the Sierra National Forest, Fresno County, California, below Shaver Lake. Visit Fresno County calls it the tallest waterfall in the county, and a paved Southern California Edison service road runs right across its lower tiers on a metal bridge.
The falls
The creek drops toward the San Joaquin River in a series of horsetails. Lidar data shows at least nine distinct tiers, the tallest 520 feet. The flow is not natural: water from Shaver Lake Dam and the Big Creek hydroelectric system controls it, and a diversion tunnel from Huntington Lake adds water upstream. The old road's grated bridge crosses directly in front of the second-to-last tier.
Getting there
From Auberry, the route follows Jose Basin Road north, bearing left onto Italian Bar Road, about 1 hour 45 minutes from Fresno. The walk starts at a gate on the paved Edison road and covers about 3.5 miles to the falls with roughly 700 feet of gain. The out-and-back covers 7.0 miles with 781 feet of gain, rated moderate. The road is in Sierra National Forest but is operated by the utility; check current gate and road status with Sierra National Forest before driving out.
When to go
March to May is the recommended season. Because releases are regulated, flow in summer is often reduced or absent. The road has no shade, so starting early in warm weather and carrying plenty of water is advised.
On site
The bridge is the main viewpoint and the main hazard. At peak flow the falls envelop it, and it becomes impassable in wetter years when water is released from Shaver Lake. The bridge should not be crossed when water is rushing over it. Edison uses an adit halfway along the route to drain excess water; sirens mean a release is about to begin, so move away from the creek if one sounds. Dogs are allowed on a leash.
History and name
The service road, known as the Million Dollar Mile, was built in 1922 by Southern California Edison for the Big Creek hydroelectric project, said to have cost a million dollars per mile.
Nearby
Upper Stevenson Creek Falls sits upstream on the same creek, about 2.8 miles away. Mill Creek Falls is about 2.1 miles away and Jose Creek Cascades about 2.5 miles. Shaver Lake is about an hour's drive.
Distances are straight-line.