Phantom Falls Trailhead Parking — Attraction in Oroville

I have mixed feelings. On one hand, having trails is convenient, but on the other hand, it's made certain areas a little TOO accessible. And it's sort of taken away a lot of the adventurous aspect, which no longer makes it as fun and rewarding. Back in my day, if you wanted to reach a waterfall, especially the base, you had to work for it. So reaching the base of Ravine Falls for instance felt rewarding. And you could sit there with your lunch and take it all in all. Both the scenery and also the idea of having achieved something few or no people have. Now you're greeted with other hikers, even in the off season and you have to rush so the next group behind you can take THEIR pictures, which completely ruins the experience. Thankfully however, there are still areas of Table Mountain that offer this.

So that being said, if you're mainly interested in just seeing some waterfalls and getting some pictures and not so much in the adventure and solitude, this is a great area to visit.

However, if you want something a bit more raw and old school, especially if you've already seen Phantom Falls, I would recommend the other side of the reserve, even though the falls and wildflowers aren't...

4/18/23 the bloom is probably fading, but it's still rather pretty.

I don't think there are any trail restrictions, partially as there are cows everywhere (stay away from them). There are established "trails" that have serious undulations, and some amount of scrabbling up and down rocks. The rocks are all loose and sharp volcanic type that also pepper the trails. So one needs to be sure-footed and in reasonably good physical dimensions to get to the falls (for example). With our limitations we made it about 1/2 the way to Phantom Falls before we had to turn back. So sadly, we'll probably not have another go at it

The area can also get crowded and I'm not sure if there's a reliable time to get photos without people in them.

As a warning, most of the road to Tabletop is extremely narrow and sketchy as all get out. It seems like they just put a layer of tarmac on the stagecoach road without doing...

This is a stunningly beautiful place that would benefit from some form of management or the presence of rangers/volunteers to help preserve its natural beauty for years to come.

There was a lot of activity going on—people getting close to the cows, taking pictures and having picnics on flower beds, practicing yoga with loud meditation music, and even shouting at the waterfalls.

The flowers create a stunning multi-color palette, adding to the charm of the landscape. The hike to see all the falls is absolutely worth it, but if you’re seeking serenity, this may not be the ideal spot, despite its peaceful appearance. Good sturdy shoes will be needed as trail is...