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Experience Thrilling Mists at Yosemite Falls
Published by Megan Eaves, Writer
Country: United States 
The Experience
The first thing you notice about Yosemite Falls is not the view, it's the noise. The roar of millions of gallons of water crashing down the length of a 200-story building is deafening, even from half a mile away. The falls known as Yosemite Falls are actually a series of two waterfalls, Lower and Upper Yosemite Falls, which are separated by a series of pools, streams and fissures that snake through a deep gorge. At the bottom of the falls, the spray rises for hundreds of feet, often creating beautiful rainbows as the water glistens in the clear California sunlight.
Before it sweeps into the 5th largest waterfall in the solar system, the Yosemite Creek is a gentle stream fed primarily by snow melt. However, once they reach the sheer rock cliff and tumble over the edge, falling more than 2,000 feet down, these demure waters turn into an unstoppable life force. During springtime, when the winter ice is melting rapidly, Yosemite Falls are in their fullest force, spraying a dazzling gush of white water that can been seen over a mile away.
There are many hiking trails in Yosemite National Park, but the best trail for viewing the falls is Lower Yosemite Falls Trail, which snakes its way around and up the rock face, nearly a half mile up from the trail head. The best views of Yosemite Falls are actually at the start and finish of the trail, but the trail, which switches back and forth up the cliff, makes for a pleasant, shaded half-day hike.
Even if you don't like hiking, you can gaze up at Yosemite Falls from below, taking in its overwhelming sound and lengthy, changing beauty. Often, visitors are drawn from their cars as soon as they catch the first glimpse of Yosemite Falls, jumping out or rolling down their windows for a better look.
Before it sweeps into the 5th largest waterfall in the solar system, the Yosemite Creek is a gentle stream fed primarily by snow melt. However, once they reach the sheer rock cliff and tumble over the edge, falling more than 2,000 feet down, these demure waters turn into an unstoppable life force. During springtime, when the winter ice is melting rapidly, Yosemite Falls are in their fullest force, spraying a dazzling gush of white water that can been seen over a mile away.
There are many hiking trails in Yosemite National Park, but the best trail for viewing the falls is Lower Yosemite Falls Trail, which snakes its way around and up the rock face, nearly a half mile up from the trail head. The best views of Yosemite Falls are actually at the start and finish of the trail, but the trail, which switches back and forth up the cliff, makes for a pleasant, shaded half-day hike.
Even if you don't like hiking, you can gaze up at Yosemite Falls from below, taking in its overwhelming sound and lengthy, changing beauty. Often, visitors are drawn from their cars as soon as they catch the first glimpse of Yosemite Falls, jumping out or rolling down their windows for a better look.
When to Go to Yosemite Falls
In combination, Upper and Lower Yosemite Falls are considered the longest waterfall in the continental United States, and they are truly a sight to behold! The best time to go to Yosemite Falls is during April and May when snow melt is in its prime and the falls are at their peak. Bring a good camera and be sure to pack your hiking boots if you're planning to head up the falls.
Odds n' Ends
Yosemite Village is located about half a mile below the Falls and makes for a good place to park your car or have lunch. To reach the trail head, walk west until you see signs, or hop on one of the convenient shuttle buses that traces the entire length of Yosemite Valley, including the village and the trail head.
Want a Guide?
- Extranomical Adventures - Yosemite Falls
- Come to see the Yosemite Falls on our Yosemite & Giant Sequoias tour. Stay for one, two or three days in the Park and explore the Yosemite Falls by yourself or together with our experienced guides, who can tell you interesting facts and stories about the National Park and of course about the Yosemite Falls. No matter which time of the year you are planning to visit Yosemite our small group tours will take you to the Park all year long.
- Yosemite National Park Tours
- Yosemite tours are a great way to see, understand, and appreciate the beauty of Yosemite National Park. Yosemite tours can be taken at Yosemite National Park from San Francisco, California. It would be easy to spend an entire summer exploring Yosemite National Park and its beauty but Yosemite tours range from a few hours if taken at the park to a few days if taken from San Francisco.
Places to Eat
- Yosemite Falls Cafe
- Ahwahnee Dining Room
- The crown jewel of Yosemite dining, the award-winning Ahwahnee Dining Room is both magnificent and intimate.
- Degnan's Cafe
- Adjacent to Degnan's Deli, this cafe offers specialty coffee drinks, fresh pastries, and ice cream. It's a good place for a quick bite when you're in a hurry, and one of the few spots in the park with Wi-Fi (for a fee).
- Elderberry House Restaurant
- "I have the simplest of tastes, I only want the best." These words, compliments of Oscar Wilde, can be found over the kitchen door at Erna's Elderberry House Restaurant on the grounds of Chateau du Sureau. They seem to sum up the exquisite experience of dining at Erna's Elderberry House and the adjacent Chateau, where the vast culinary talents of Executive Chef Karsten Hart now reign supreme.
- Iron Door Saloon
- Visit this "Crossroads of America". A real "Gold Country Family, Food and Fun Emporium!" Filled with History, and Artifacts. Bring the kids and experience the "Old West" feel of one of California's unique treasures. We are a restaurant with the best Steaks,Seafood, and Salads around. Vegetarian too! Music every week-end and special concerts too.
Recommended Places to Stay
- Yosemite Lodge at the Falls
- As the closest property to Yosemite Falls, Yosemite Lodge at the Falls is an idyllic spot for families, group retreats and visitors seeking the comforts of a hotel after an exciting day exploring the wilderness.
- The Ahwahnee Hotel
- The Ahwahnee shines as Yosemite National Park’s distinctive AAA® Four-Diamond hotel. Known for its magnificent façade, and architecture, The Ahwahnee was specifically designed to highlight its natural surroundings, featuring Yosemite Falls, Half Dome and Glacier Point.
- Tenaya Lodge
- Tenaya Lodge at Yosemite is a classic mountain resort set two miles from Yosemite National Park’s southern gate, surrounded by noble evergreen forest and a rich range of Sierra recreation. The Tenaya experience is classic, yet perfectly modern, with such contemporary amenities as wireless Internet, spa services, fine dining, and gracious guest service.
- Yosemite Rose Bed & Breakfast
- This late 1800's 'Italianate Revival' Victorian bed and breakfast lodging took 3 years to build and is a replica of a famous Bay Area mansion that is now a museum. The retreat is situated off the old stage coach run to Yosemite and is approximately 20 minutes from the park just off Highway 120, which is the most direct route from the Bay Area and San Francisco airport.
- Yosemite Bug - Rustic Mountain Resort
- We have very well appointed PRIVATE ROOMS WITH BATHS and SHARED BATHS in new cabins with views. Our TENT CABINS are wood framed and covered with rubberized canvas, with real beds and linens. They also have new centralized camping style restrooms. Not heated. Of course, we still have the five original HOSTEL AND GROUP DORMITORIES. GUEST HOUSES are now available across our creek away from the main complex.
Additional Places to Stay Nearby
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Housekeeping Camp is located along a section of the Merced River in the center of Yosemite Valley. This is the ideal location for those who ... 4 miles away
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The largest lodging facility in Yosemite Valley, Curry Village offers a motel, cabins with and without private bathrooms, and canvas tent cabins without plumbing. Although ... 4 miles away
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More Experiences Nearby
- Trek along the Mist Trail to Vernal Falls in Yosemite National Park
- The waterfalls of Yosemite National Park have a reputation for being some of the most beautiful in California, and possibly the world. The roaring waters of the Yosemite National Park’s five main waterfalls are set against the backdrop of the giant granite mountains of the Yosemite Valley. Vernal Falls is one of Yosemite’s most beautiful and mysterious waterfalls, and one that must not be missed on any trip into the Park. Vernal Falls has a staggering 317-foot drop before crashing into the large boulders below. The sheer force of this powerful waterfall can be felt within your core as you ...4 miles away.
Carpe Diem! Book to do this experience now!
Your journey begins with a drive through San Joaquin Valley and into the Sierra Nevada range. You will then have five to six hours to ...
Starting from $128.99 per person.
Starting from $128.99 per person.
Books and DVDs
- Yosemite, The Complete Guide (Paperback)
- From luxury lodges to rugged multi-day backpacks, this handy guide reveals the best of Yosemite National Park through vivid, full-color photography and informed writing.
- 100 Hikes in Yosemite National Park (Paperback)
- Your guide to the best assortment of family walks, day hikes, overnighters, weekend trips, and backpacking adventures that Yosemite National Park has to offer!
- The Rough Guide to Yosemite (Paperback)
- Make the most of your time with The Rough Guide to Yosemite, the ultimate guide to California’s most stunning park. The full-colour section introduces Yosemite’s highlights, from hiking the Mist Trail and rock-climbing in the Valley to insight into the lives of the Ahwahneechee at the fascinating Yosemite Museum.
- Hiking Guide - Yosemite National Park (DVD)
- This DVD hiking guide covers Yosemite's best day hikes and backpacking trips. Day hikes featured include: Half dome; Vernal, Nevada, Bridalveil, Upper and Lower Yosemite Falls, the 4 Mile (Glacier Point), Mirror Lake, and the Valley Loop trails.
Elsewhere on the Web
- Yosemite National Park (U.S. National Park Service)
- Yosemite Valley is world famous for its impressive waterfalls, meadows, cliffs, and unusual rock formations. Yosemite Valley is accessible by car all year.
- Yosemite Falls Facts and Geology
- * Yosemite Falls is the world's 5th tallest. * World's tallest: Angel Falls, Venezuela, 3,212 ft., 979 m. * Other taller falls are in South Africa and Norway
- The Three Falls at Yosemite
- Yosemite National Park is home to a number of waterfalls including its most well-known, Yosemite Falls. Yosemite Falls is in reality three separate falls.
- Upper Yosemite Falls, Yosemite National Park, California
- Upper Yosemite Fall is a magnificent sight at any time of year, but especially so during late spring, during the time of maximum snow melt. It is the seventh highest waterfall in the world, or part of the third highest if the lower fall is included.
- Waterfalls of California - Upper Yosemite Falls
- Upper Yosemite Falls in Yosemite National Park, California, is one of the most spectacular sights in all of the United States. In the summer, the water flow dwindles to almost nothing, but in the spring during snow melt, the waterfall is overwhelming. Upper Yosemite Falls can be seen along the roadside at a number of viewpoints along Southside Drive. The best ones are at Cook's Meadow and Swinging Bridge, and it also can be seen along the trail to Lower Yosemite Falls.
Media References
- Yosemite Falls Podcast - NPS (movie)
- 10-minute podcast about Yosemite Falls, produced by the National Parks Service.
- Yosemite is wet, wild and slippery (Tahoe Daily Tribune) (newspaper)
- Finding water in Yosemite National Park in the spring is like finding pine cones at Lake Tahoe. However, pine cones don’t seem to be so slippery in the spring.
- Yosemite's Rock Stars (The Atlantic) (magazine)
- Last autumn Yosemite National Park, in California’s Sierra Nevada, was at its gorgeous best. Recent rains had turned on the legendary waterfalls; the oaks were yellowing. Thousands of visitors were there to hike and bike and admire the play of water over granite, or just gaze at the bald pate of Half Dome.
- JOURNEYS; Having Yosemite All to Yourself - NYTimes.com (newspaper)
- TOMORROW morning, determined would-be campers hoping to snag a site in one of the country's 385 national parks for the Fourth of July weekend will set their phones on speed dial to (800) 365-2267.
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