Hess Falls

Location

Hess Falls: 37.9970 N, 119.3055 W

USGS Topo: Tioga Pass

Directions

The trailhead for the Lundy Canyon to 20 Lakes Basin (hike description to come) is located at the western end of Lundy Lake Road (~6.5 miles west of the intersection with US-395). The Lundy Lake Road is located ~7.4 miles north of the US-395/CA-120 (Tioga Pass Rd) intersection in Lee Vining. At the trailhead there is a loop with parking available on the side of the road. The trail begins heading west and shortly (~1/4 mile) comes to a pond, where the trail continues to the right. The northeastern shore of Lake Helen is reached (after passing Lundy Canyon Falls) ~2.7 miles from the trailhead and a view of this waterfall is reached a little south of the northern shore of Steelhead Lake, ~3.9 miles from the trailhead. An alternate trailhead would be the end of the Saddlebag Lake Road at the southern shore of Saddlebag Lake (~2.5 miles north of CA-120). One of the trails skirts the western shore of the lake where it intersects with the 20 Lakes Basin loop ~1.5 miles from the Saddlebag Lake trailhead. Turning left here, the trail reaches this waterfall's viewpoint on the eastern shore of Steelhead Lake ~3.0 miles from the Saddlebag Lake trailhead.