The photo shows how much higher

than the river the trail has climbed.

Following the river, the trail makes a wide curve to the right as you

near the middle falls.  At certain points along the path you lose sight

of the river for brief periods. So, as with many waterfalls,  you hear

the middle falls before you see them through the trees on your right.

The hiking trail is exquisitely designed to take advantage of a

sharp bend in the river where they have located an overlook

in just the perfect spot that allows you to see the falls dead

on, as though you were on a bridge spanning the river itself.

Although the hiking trail is more

scenic, it is a bit rugged as well.

There is an alternate route to the big

falls along a smooth gravel road that

takes one directly from the parking

lot to the big falls. You still have to

travel uphill, and you are out of sight

of the river, but the slope is more

gradual and the footing is even.