--- title: "Twin Falls Trail — Explore Arnold | Arnold Haven" description: "A short shaded walk to a pair of granite waterfalls near Arnold, California — distance, difficulty, when the falls run hardest and what to bring." lang: en json-ld: | [ { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "TouristAttraction", "name": "Twin Falls Trail", "description": "A short shaded walk to a pair of granite waterfalls near Arnold, California — distance, difficulty, when the falls run hardest and what to bring.", "address": { "@type": "PostalAddress", "addressLocality": "Arnold", "addressRegion": "CA", "addressCountry": "US" } }, { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "TouristAttraction", "@id": "https://arnoldhaven.com/explore/twin-falls-trail#attraction", "name": "Twin Falls Trail", "alternateName": "Twin Falls Trail", "description": "A short, shaded walk to a pair of granite waterfalls that run hardest in late spring — one of the easiest big payoffs anywhere near Arnold.", "url": "https://arnoldhaven.com/explore/twin-falls-trail", "address": { "@type": "PostalAddress", "addressLocality": "Arnold", "addressRegion": "California", "addressCountry": "US" } }, { "@type": "ItemList", "name": "Lodging near Twin Falls Trail", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "CHALET BRUIN", "url": "https://arnoldhaven.com/cabins/chalet-bruin" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "KODA LOFT", "url": "https://arnoldhaven.com/cabins/koda-loft" } ] }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://arnoldhaven.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Explore", "item": "https://arnoldhaven.com/explore" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Twin Falls Trail", "item": "https://arnoldhaven.com/explore/twin-falls-trail" } ] } ] } ] --- [Arnold Haven Arnold · California ](/) [Cabins](/cabins)[Explore](/explore)[Guides](/guides)[Availability](/availability-search)[Support](/chalet-bruin-future)[Book a stay](/cabins) ![Twin Falls Trail](/assets/twin-falls-hero-DKi_OIbS.webp) Explore Arnold # Twin Falls Trail A short, shaded walk to a pair of granite waterfalls that run hardest in late spring — one of the easiest big payoffs anywhere near Arnold. [Check availability](/cabins)[See the cabins](/cabins) First things first ## The walk in Twin Falls is the kind of trail you can do in trail runners before breakfast. The path leaves the road through mixed cedar and ponderosa, crosses a small feeder creek on stones, then follows the drainage upstream until the noise gives the falls away well before you see them. Two channels drop side by side over a granite shelf into a single plunge pool — hence the name. The whole route is under two miles round trip with a couple of hundred feet of gain, and the tree cover means it stays comfortable long after the exposed ridges have baked. ![Twin Falls Trail](/assets/twin-falls-hero-DKi_OIbS.webp) 02 ## When to go The falls are at their best from late April through June, when snowmelt is still feeding the drainage. By August the twin channels usually narrow to a single ribbon over the shelf, and in a dry year the pool below can be little more than ankle deep. Winter changes the trail completely. Once snow settles above the 4,000-foot line the route becomes a short snowshoe, the granite shelf grows a rim of ice, and you will likely have the place to yourself. ![When to go](/assets/stanilusforestwaterfall-DDy10SMZ.webp) ![When to go](/assets/twin-falls-pool-9RW8lPDg.webp) 03 ## What to bring Sturdy shoes with grip — the last approach to the pool is over wet, polished rock that is more slippery than it looks. Skip the scramble to the top of the falls; the runout above the lip is unforgiving and there is no view up there worth the risk. The drainage is a good spot to sit for an hour, so pack lunch and a layer. There are no facilities and no reliable cell service at the trailhead, and the creek water needs filtering before you drink it. ![What to bring](/assets/san-antonio-falls-rim-trail-CpLGFXfJ.webp) ![What to bring](/assets/arnoldrimtrail-QES47Smt.webp) Gallery ## Twin Falls Trail in pictures ![Twin Falls Trail — photo 1](/assets/twin-falls-hero-DKi_OIbS.webp) ![Twin Falls Trail — photo 2](/assets/stanilusforestwaterfall-DDy10SMZ.webp) ![Twin Falls Trail — photo 3](/assets/twin-falls-pool-9RW8lPDg.webp) ![Twin Falls Trail — photo 4](/assets/san-antonio-falls-rim-trail-CpLGFXfJ.webp) ![Twin Falls Trail — photo 5](/assets/arnoldrimtrail-QES47Smt.webp) ![Twin Falls Trail — photo 6](/assets/trail-running-BIKEfw-6.webp) Nearby ## Keep exploring [ ![Arnold Rim Trail](/assets/arnoldrimtrail-QES47Smt.webp) ### Arnold Rim Trail Miles of forest singletrack with overlooks down the North Fork canyon. Discover ](/explore/arnold-california/arnold-rim-trail) [ ![Big Trees State Park](/assets/bigtreestatepark-BBHgHqZs.webp) ### Big Trees State Park Giant sequoia groves and river trails five minutes from the cabins. Discover ](/explore/big-trees-state-park) [ ![Hiking guide](/assets/pac-crest-trail-DU08RCiZ.webp) ### Hiking guide Distances and difficulty for every trail worth walking near Arnold. Discover ](/guides/hiking/arnold-hiking-trails) Stay nearby ## Lodging near Twin Falls Trail The Twin Falls trailhead is a quick drive from Arnold, which makes an early-season waterfall hike easy to fit around breakfast. Looking for cabins near Arnold hiking trails? Arnold Haven has two dog-friendly cabins — a five-bedroom A-frame chalet that sleeps 12 and a two-bedroom loft that sleeps 4. Minimum stay is 2 nights, check-in is at 3pm and check-out at 11am. Check-in Self check-in, 3pm Cancellation 5 days notice, full refund - [CHALET BRUIN — 12 guests, 5 bedrooms](/cabins/chalet-bruin) - [KODA LOFT — 4 guests, 2 bedrooms](/cabins/koda-loft) Check live availability, see your full price, and book securely — ID check and payment are handled by Stripe. Check dates & book Good to know ## Frequently asked questions How hard is the Twin Falls trail? + Easy to moderate — under two miles round trip with a few hundred feet of climbing and shade most of the way. When do the falls run strongest? + Late April through June during snowmelt. Flow drops considerably by late summer. Can you swim at the base? + The plunge pool is swimmable in early summer once the flow eases, but it stays cold and the rock around it is slick. Arnold Haven Cabin stays in Arnold, California — minutes from Calaveras Big Trees State Park, White Pines Lake and Bear Valley. 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