Mariel Gabrielle Mendoza

Mariel Gabrielle Mendoza

Hike to Black Star Canyon Falls

02/07/17

Blackstar Canyon was honestly a workout! The first 1-2 miles of the trail is quite flat, but once you see the "Blackstar Falls" sign, that's when the fun begins. As you walk through, you'll come across a river; follow the river to lead you to the falls. We got a lot of water because of the previous rainy weather, but I heard from other returning visitors it's usually all just rocks and dry. There are a lot of boulders to climb over. I read other reviews that said to be ready to "boulder and climb," I assumed rock climbing/bouldering so I took my climbing shoes, not necessary.But do wear shoes with good grip and ones you don't mind getting wet and dirty. This hike is a definite workout with upper body strength, core and legs. Expect to use every muscle if you plan to hike through the boulders. There are also alternative paths if you cannot climb through the rocks, but be aware of the loose dirt/gravel. After you hike 4 miles over boulders, you'll find yourself in front of the beautiful Blackstar Falls. You can climb into the little cave at top if you commit to getting wet from the waterfalls. To the far right of the falls closer to the trees, there's a rope you can climb up, I didn't go up there but visitors told me it goes up pretty high and sometimes the rope isn't necessary. This hike was 7-8 mi round trip. With leisurely climbing and taking pictures, it took my friend and I about 5-6 hrs, but if you drill through it, you could probably cut 2 hrs. Anyways, overall an awesome fun hike that I will definitely coming back to with more friends!

5.0