Updated July 2026
Bassi Falls
Bassi Falls is a granite cascade roughly 109 feet high on Bassi Creek in Eldorado National Forest, west of Lake Tahoe near Union Valley Reservoir. The trail length varies with the parking area used, from about 1 to 4 miles round trip.
Before you go
Waterfalls are hazardous by nature — wet rock, cold water, and unstable edges — and flow varies enormously with season and recent rain. Trail figures here describe the route as documented, not conditions today. Check US Forest Service for closures and current conditions, and confirm land status before setting out.
Frequently Asked Questions
Bassi Falls drops about 109 feet. That makes it the 178th-tallest documented waterfall in this inventory, taller than roughly 74% of the falls listed here. Height comes from published land-manager and survey records, not from our own measurement.
The Bassi Falls Trail reaches it about 1.2 miles (out-and-back) with roughly 200 feet of elevation gain, rated easy. The nearest town is Pollock Pines. That describes the route as documented, not conditions on the day — check with US Forest Service for closures and current conditions.
late spring to early summer. Waterfall flow swings enormously with snowmelt and recent rain, so a fall that roars in spring can be a trickle by late summer.
More California waterfalls
- Alamere Falls · 40 ft
- Berry Creek Falls · 70 ft
- Big Falls · 500 ft
- Bridalveil Fall · 617 ft
- Burney Falls · 129 ft
- Carlon Falls · 35 ft
- Cascade Falls · 200 ft
- Cataract Falls
Sources
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