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Yosemite Falls, Yosemite Valley, CA

Photo: chensiyuan, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons. Cropped and resized.

Sport & OutdoorIconicOutdoor AdventureFamily Favorite

Yosemite Falls

Lower Yosemite Fall trailhead, Northside Dr near Yosemite Valley Lodge · Yosemite Valley, CA

Why you should go…

Yosemite Falls drops 2,425 feet in three parts: Upper Yosemite Fall at 1,430 feet, the middle cascades at 675 feet and Lower Yosemite Fall at 320 feet. A one-mile loop trail leads to the base of the lower fall, and its eastern side is wheelchair accessible. You can also see the falls from many spots around Yosemite Village and Yosemite Valley Lodge, while reaching the top is a strenuous, all-day hike. The falls are fed by snowmelt and usually stop flowing in late summer or fall.

  • #waterfall
  • #national park
  • #hiking trail
  • #yosemite valley
  • #accessible trail

Good to know

General sport & outdoor guidance

Habits that pay off across this whole category, not rules for this one venue. Always check the official site for the specifics.

  • Weather calls the shots

    Check the forecast the morning of and keep an indoor backup in your pocket for the day it turns.

  • Shoes, water, sun cover

    The three things that decide whether you last the whole outing or cut it short after an hour.

  • Parking and launches fill early

    On a nice weekend, lots and trailheads are often full by mid-morning.

  • Daylight shrinks in shoulder season

    Spring and fall visits need an earlier start than the same trip in July.

What's around here?

The closest stops to Yosemite Falls, ordered by straight-line distance. A few more like it, plus some different kinds of fun so you can build a full day.

  • Tours
    Family Favorite

    Yosemite Mountain Sugar Pine Railroad

    $25–$50

    Ride a historic narrow-gauge steam train through the Sierra National Forest just outside Yosemite's south entrance.

    19 mi awaySwitch it up: Tours

  • Sport & Outdoor
    Outdoor Adventure

    June Mountain Ski Area

    $50+

    A laid-back Eastern Sierra ski area near June Lake with skiing and riding for the whole family.

    29 mi awayMore like this

  • Sport & Outdoor
    Outdoor Adventure

    Mono County

    Free

    California's Eastern Sierra region of alpine lakes, national forest and mountain towns from Mono Lake to Mammoth Lakes.

    30 mi awayMore like this

  • Sport & Outdoor
    Iconic

    Mammoth Mountain

    $50+

    Major Sierra Nevada ski resort near Mammoth Lakes with 3,500 acres of terrain, a bike park and summer activities.

    33 mi awayMore like this

  • Shopping
    Quirky Fun

    The Psychic Gallery

    $25–$50

    A Mammoth Lakes storefront offering tarot, palmistry and psychic readings.

    35 mi awaySwitch it up: Shopping

  • Stay
    Outdoor Adventure

    Empeiria High Sierra Hotel

    $50+

    Mammoth Lakes hotel serving as a basecamp for High Sierra skiing, hiking and mountain adventures.

    35 mi awaySwitch it up: Stay