Yosemite Falls
- Height
- 2425 ft
- Hike
- 1 mi round trip
- Elevation gain
- 50 ft
- Permit
- Required
- Dogs
- Not allowed
Yosemite Falls only runs after rain or snowmelt. Yosemite Falls is a 2425 ft waterfall on Yosemite Creek in Mariposa County, California. Reaching it is a 1 mi hike round trip with 50 ft of elevation gain.
Closures and warnings
Stay on the paved trail. Above the wooden footbridge on Yosemite Creek, rocks are slippery even when dry; going off-trail here often causes serious injuries. As of September 28, 2026.
The falls
| Height | 2425 ft |
|---|---|
| Flow | Only after rain or snowmelt |
| Flows | November through July |
| Flow note | Three sections: Upper Fall 1,430 ft, middle cascades 675 ft, Lower Fall 320 ft. Peak in May; often a trickle or dry by August. Ice cone at the upper base in winter. |
Access
| Hike | 1 mi round trip |
|---|---|
| Elevation gain | 50 ft |
| Parking | Yosemite Valley; Lower Yosemite Fall trail is reached from the Valley shuttle and Village area. Park entrance required. |
| Fee | Private vehicle entrance $35 for 7 days (motorcycle $30; walk/bike $20 per person 16+). Cash not accepted. |
| Reservation or permit | Required |
| Wheelchair access | Eastern side of the Lower Yosemite Fall loop, from the shuttle stop to the base of the waterfall, is wheelchair accessible. |
| Managed by | National Park Service (Yosemite National Park) |
Rules
| Dogs | Not allowed |
|---|
Common questions
Common questions
Is Yosemite Falls open?
Stay on the paved trail. Above the wooden footbridge on Yosemite Creek, rocks are slippery even when dry; going off-trail here often causes serious injuries. As of September 28, 2026.
How tall is Yosemite Falls?
Yosemite Falls drops about 2425 ft.
How long is the hike to Yosemite Falls?
It's a 1 mi hike round trip with 50 ft of elevation gain. Parking: Yosemite Valley; Lower Yosemite Fall trail is reached from the Valley shuttle and Village area. Park entrance required.
Do you need a reservation for Yosemite Falls?
Yes. A reservation or permit is required.
Is there a fee at Yosemite Falls?
The fee is Private vehicle entrance $35 for 7 days (motorcycle $30; walk/bike $20 per person 16+). Cash not accepted.
When is Yosemite Falls flowing?
It only runs after rain or snowmelt, so it is often dry. It flows November through July. Three sections: Upper Fall 1,430 ft, middle cascades 675 ft, Lower Fall 320 ft. Peak in May; often a trickle or dry by August. Ice cone at the upper base in winter.
What are the rules at Yosemite Falls?
Dogs are not allowed.
Nearby
Camping nearby
Public land
Yosemite Falls is inside Yosemite National Park and Yosemite Wilderness .
Sources
5
- https://www.nps.gov/yose/planyourvisit/waterfalls.htm (accessed September 28, 2026; backs manager, waterfall.heightFt, waterfall.flowNote, waterfall.flowMonths, waterfall.ephemeral, access.hikeDistanceMi, access.wheelchairAccess)
- https://www.nps.gov/yose/planyourvisit/valleyhikes.htm (accessed September 28, 2026; backs access.hikeDistanceBasis, access.elevationGainFt)
- https://www.nps.gov/yose/planyourvisit/fees.htm (accessed September 28, 2026; backs access.fee, access.permitRequired)
- https://www.nps.gov/places/000/yosemite-falls.htm (accessed September 28, 2026; backs hazardNote)
- https://www.nps.gov/yose/planyourvisit/pets.htm (accessed September 28, 2026; backs rules.dogs)
More: California waterfalls