Willow Creek Trail

Willow Creek Trail follows its namesake creek off the north shore of Bass Lake in Sierra National Forest, climbing from the water up to two of the area's better waterfalls, all within a short drive of Oakhurst. The U.S. Forest Service lists the trail at 2.7 miles round trip, rated moderate to steep, and most hikers spend about an hour and a half to two hours out and back once they factor in time at the falls.

Angel Falls and Devil's Slide

The trail's two rewards are Angel Falls, which drops in stages down a long slanted rock face, and Devil's Slide farther upstream, where the creek fans out across a wide granite chute into a series of pools. Both sit on open granite that stays wet with spray and runoff even in dry months.

Trailhead and Trail Conditions

• Two trailheads sit on opposite sides of the creek; the east-side trailhead, reached by crossing a footbridge, is the maintained route — the west side requires an unmarked creek crossing that turns dangerous when water is running high
• A parking fee applies at the trailhead
• The Forest Service specifically flags the rocks around both falls as extremely slippery, and the pools below carry real current — stay on the trail rather than working down to the water's edge
• Spring and early summer bring the fullest flow; the trail itself is walkable most of the year