Devil’s Postpile National Monument (DPNM)

Traveling to Devil’s Postpile during the busy summer season, requires use of a shuttle bus system. The shuttles are a good idea – the road into this area is one lane and winding, going over the Sierra Nevada Mountains, and down the western slope of the mountain range. 

The shuttles reduce vehicle travel for day users and help conserve a wilderness area. The bus system operates daily, with frequent departures during the day and only charges $7 (adult), which is a bargain. We caught the shuttle at the Mammoth Mountain Adventure Center (ski area).

Along the way into the Devil’s Postpile, there are several other shuttle stops, for visitors going into campgrounds, to lakes, and trail systems (several leading into the Ansel Adams Wilderness area).

And, past the dropoff for DPNM, other popular stops are the trailhead to Rainbow Falls and Red’s Meadow Resort (trail rides, cabins, café and store).

We decided to take the shuttle to the Devil’s Postpile stop where we checked out the small Ranger Station, and began our hike to the postpile and then on to Rainbow Falls.  This trail often was close to the Middle Fork San Joaquin River . 

Within about ½ mile the Postpile came into view.  What a unique rock formation. 

Interpretive information describes this as a columnar balsalt formation.  The vertical columns are mostly hexagonal-shaped, which allows a strong, interlacing support system for the structure.  The Devil’s Postpile was exposed by glacier action during the last glaciation period.  

Some of the columns had fallen, leaving a ends where we could see the geometric shapes

A little history - The DPNM was established along with the Yosemite NP, lost its NP protection due to local mining interests in the early 1900’s and then President Taft (listening to activists concerns on protection of the watershed) again placed the postpile and Rainbow Falls under federal protection.  Today the DPNM is protected within the Ansel Adams Wilderness (1984). 

This fern was emerging out of the "rubble" pile above - so green and beautiful!

Continuing our hike a couple more miles, we reached Rainbow Falls. 

Dropping 101 feet, the falls are spectacular.  However, when we reached the falls (late morning), the sunlight angle was not right for rainbow reflections (giving the falls its name).  But it was well worth the trip.  Below the falls were a couple fishermen, and some families cooling off in the river. 

These falls are also the result of volcanic activity (after two months in the Pacific NW, I am seeing the seismic and geologic pattern!).  Looking at the falls, there are two types of rock, stacked one over the other.  The upper layer, is volcanic andesite (“nickpoint”).  It erodes more slowly than the lower layer of volcanic rhyodacite.  So, as the lower layer erodes more rapidly, undercutting occurs and the nickpoint eventually has no support and drops into the pool below the falls.

These two different formations are easily seen looking at the falls; note the ongoing erosion of the lower layer above.

This has happened repeatedly over time.  The information states that the waterfalls have been moved 500 feet upstream due to the repeating erosion effects.

Above us was the chatter of a Stellar Jay, seemingly trying to chase out the biped visitors from its territory. 

We relaxed and watched the jay for a while and then began the hike up to the Red Meadows Resort shuttle stop.  This was the most difficult portion of the ~4-mile hike.  The mid-day sun was hot and we had little shade due to a fire in the 1990s.  Trees are beginning to recover the damaged forest, but it’s a slow process.

Resting and watching this wilderness area out the shuttle windows on the return trip, gave me time to think, process and appreciate having lands such as these protected for all visitors.  Yes, there were many, many from other countries getting out and seeing America.  The question is – how many Americans just take these protected lands for granted and never make the effort to see them?

We are ending our time now in Mammoth Lakes, and also coming close to the end of this, almost 3-month RV trip. We consider the trip stop to Mammoth Lakes well worth it!