Trifter

Many of the waterfalls in Yosemite National Park are seasonal and will dry up and not run without rainfall or the spring run-off. So if you are going to Yosemite specifically to see the waterfalls try to go in the Spring when almost all the falls are flowing in their magnificence (and besides Yosemite tends to get quite crowded in Summer anyway).

Yosemite Upper Falls

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The Upper Falls of Yosemite drop 1,430 feet along Yosemite Creek and is easily visible from all over Yosemite Valley. At 1,430 feet this one of the tallest waterfalls in the world and when you include the Middle and Lower Falls the total height becomes 2,420 feet making Yosemite Falls the 6th or 7th tallest waterfall in the world depending on how you count newly discovered Gotca Falls and other factors as waterfall heights can be wildly argued.

Yosemite Middle Falls

Located between the Upper and Lower Yosemite Falls is the Middle Falls which consists of 5 main plunges totaling some 670 feet. Many visitors miss these falls and do not even know they exist as you have to hike around a little bit to see them as they are not readily visible from most of the main viewpoints.

Yosemite Lower Falls

The Lower Yosemite Falls drops 320 feet into a plunge pool shortly before Yosemite Creek joins the Merced River. Local Indians believed the plunge pool was inhabited by spirits and witches, probably a tale to keep kids away from the plunge pool because it can be dangerous.

Vernal Falls

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Vernal Falls drops 317 feet along the Merced River just downstream from Nevada Falls at the west end of Little Yosemite Valley and is also visible from Glacier Point. The water flows year round here and Vernal Falls is well known to stamp collectors because it was erroneously used on a US postage stamp issued in the Philippines in 1932 titled “Pagsanjan Falls” a Philippine waterfall. Due to the error copies of the stamp go for as much as $25.00. Yosemite Falls can dry up in the summer.

Wapama Falls

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Wapama Falls drops some 1,400 total feet over three main steps in the Hetch Hetchy Valley section of Yosemite National Park. During the Spring run-off the water flow here is sometimes so heavy the foot bridges near its base become inundated and impassable. Wapama Falls drops into the Hetch Hetchy Reservoir and is close to Tueeulala Falls.

Bridal Veil Falls

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Bridal Veil Falls is located along Bridalveil Creek as it drops 620 beautiful feet and is the first waterfall most people see as they enter Yosemite Valley from the tunnels along Highways 41 or 120. Bridalveil Creek flows some 10 miles from Ostrander Lake before it forms Bridal Veil Falls. The falls flows all year long but during dry spells the water will sometimes not reach the ground below.

Chilnualna Falls

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Chilnualna Falls is a series of waterfalls along the Chilnualna Creek in southern Yosemite near Wawona that drops a total of some 2,200 feet. The water flows here all year but to see the falls you must hike from a trail-head along Chilnualna Falls Road off 41 or take a horseback ride to the falls. 

Horsetail Fall

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Horsetail Falls is a seasonal waterfall that flows some 1,000 feet over the east side of El Capitan from December through April. As seen above this waterfall is famous for appearing to be on fire as it catches the suns last rays. This effect only occurs at the end of February. You can stop and view Horsetail Falls from the eastern El Capitan turnouts or picnic area.

Illilouette Falls

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Illilouette Falls drops 370 spectacular feet in a small side canyon right across from Vernal Falls. You cannot see this waterfall from any road but it is visible from the Vernal Falls trail and best viewed from the Panorama Trail just a few miles from Glacier Point.

Lehamite Falls

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Lehamite Falls drops 1,180 feet into Yosemite Valley through a deep recess in Indian Canyon which is right next to Yosemite Falls. Lehamite Falls is very seasonal and due to this and its location right next to the more spectacular and much easier to view neighboring falls it is ignored by most visitors to Yosemite.

Nevada Falls

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Nevada Falls drops 594 feet along the Merced River at the west end of Little Yosemite Valley and is visible from Glacier Point. It is known for its bent shape and Nevada means “snowy” in Spanish. For hikers you can reach the falls past Vernal Falls but the trail is very steep.

Pywiack Cascades

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The Pywiack Cascades is a 600 foot waterfall along Tenaya Creek as it flows through Tenaya Canyon that is visible from Glacier Point for those with keen eyes. The main drop is much steeper than what is pictured above and is not accessible on foot. Pywiack Cascades is just upstream from Three Chute Falls.

Quaking Aspen Falls

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Quaking Aspen Falls is a seasonal waterfall that drops 25 feet right along the Tioga Pass Road near signport T16.

Ribbon Fall

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Ribbon Fall drops 1,612 feet over a cliff on the west side of El Capitan during the spring run-off and is dry most of the rest of the year. Ribbon Fall is visible from the road as you enter Yosemite Valley just beyond the Bridal Veil Falls turn-off.

Royal Arch Cascades

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The Royal Arch Cascades is a seasonal waterfall that tumbles 1,250 feet right near the Ahwahnee Hotel in Yosemite Valley. The cascades is directly adjacent to the Royal Arches rock formations which is directly opposite Glacier Point.

Silver Strand Falls

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Silver Strand Falls is a seasonal waterfall that drops 574 feet along Meadow Brook and is located at the western end of Yosemite right above the Wawona Tunnel.

Snow Creek Falls

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Snow Creek Falls drops 2,140 feet making it the second tallest waterfall in Yosemite National Park. Snow Creek Falls is located in Tenaya Canyon but the best viewpoint for the falls is from the top of Half Dome.

Staircase Falls

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Staircase Falls is a seasonal waterfall that drops some 1,300 total feet in many different steps hence the name. Staircase Falls is located on the granite cliffs right behind Curry Village which is below Glacier Point.

Three Chute Falls

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Three Chute Falls is an 80 foot waterfall just downstream from the Pywiack Cascade on Tenaya Creek shortly before the creek flows into Mirror Lake.

Tueeulala Falls

Tueeulala Falls drops 880 feet in two main drops into the Hetch Hetchy Reservoir on the north side of the Hetch Hetchy Valley in the northwestern part of Yosemite National Park. To reach the falls you need to enter the park at the Hetch Hetchy entrance which can be reached off 120 before or at the Big Oak Flat entrance. Tueeulala Falls is close to Wapama Falls.

Wildcat Falls

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Wildcat Falls is a seasonal waterfall that tumbles some 720 total feet over roughly 7 total drops. It is located right along the El Portal/140 Road about 3 miles in from the Arch Rock Entrance to Yosemite.

Rancheria Falls

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Rancheria Falls is a series of waterfalls along the Rancheria Creek in the Hetch Hetchy Vally section of Yosemite National Park. To reach this area it is a 7 mile long one-way hike from the O’Shaughnessy Dam.

Hetch Hetchy Dam Falls

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The waterfall pictured above is actually overflow from the man-made O’Shaughnessy Dam which was built with great controversy back in the 1920’s to flood the beautiful Hetch Hetchy Valley in order to provide electricity and water for San Francisco and surrounding areas. Hetch Hetchy Valley was reportedly almost a twin in its beauty to Yosemite Valley and the idea of damning the valley was vehemently opposed by the Sierra Club and its leader John Muir. Since Hetch Hetchy Valley is inside Yosemite National Park the final decision on the dam was left to Congress and they approved the plan in 1913 and President Woodrow Wilson signed off on it. Muir was dismayed by the decision and died in 1914. Today the Sierra Club and many others are trying to get the damn removed, you can read more about it here.

White Cascade

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White Cascade is the second major waterfall along the Tuolumne River just after the Tuolumne Falls. White Cascade drops roughly 50 feet in very pretty fashion.

Waterwheel Falls

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Waterwheel Falls is another waterfall located along the Tuolumne River. This waterfall derives its name from how the high winds in the area can often force the water up and back into itself as it goes over small ledges.

Tuolumne Falls

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Tuolumne Falls drops some 100 feet along the Tuolumne River along the Glen Aulin Trail off 120/Tioga Pass Road.

For more great National Park waterfalls please see Fantastic Waterfalls of Yellowstone.