Illilouette Fall
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Illilouette Fall is a waterfall in California, at a modelled elevation of 1,778 m. Red Peak stands 3,567 m to the east-southeast, 9.3 miles off. The nearest named place is Panorama Cliff, a cliff 0.5 miles away. Tioga Road/Big Oak Flat Road passes 6.4 miles off.
The story
Illilouette Fall is a 381-foot (116 m) waterfall on the Illilouette Creek tributary of the Merced River in Yosemite National Park. It is located in a small canyon that cuts into the south wall of Yosemite Valley directly across from Vernal Fall. The origin and meaning of the waterfall's name has been lost to time. The fall is prominently visible to the south from both Mist Trail and John Muir Trail near Vernal Fall. However, during low-flow months, the fall can disappear entirely from this perspective. The best vantage point for viewing the waterfall is from the Panorama Trail as it descends from Glacier Point. There is no trail to the base of the fall, as the narrow canyon is craggy and inundated with rapids during the wet season. It is possible - though not encouraged - to reach the base of the fall during low-flow months.
From Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0.
Wikidata Q37588, referenced by the OpenStreetMap record.
What the record says
- Height
- 110 m
How to reach it
- 6.4 mi off the Tioga Road/Big Oak Flat Road, National
Overlooks nearby
- View on Tenaya Lake · 8 mi
- Viewpoint for Giant Sequoias · 14 mi
- Lembert Dome · 16 mi
- Disappearing Meadows · 19 mi
Named places within 25 miles
- Grizzly Peak: 1.3 mi
- Sentinel Dome: 1.4 mi
- Liberty Cap: 1.9 mi
- Moran Point: 1.9 mi
- Mount Broderick: 2.0 mi
- Vernal Fall: 1.3 mi
- Silver Apron: 1.4 mi
- Staircase Falls: 1.6 mi
- Nevada Fall: 1.7 mi
- Sentinel Fall: 2.1 mi
- Nature Center at Happy Isles: 1.1 mi
- Yosemite Conservation Heritage Center: 2.0 mi
- Ansel Adams residence: 2.8 mi
- Yosemite Exploration Center: 2.8 mi
- Yosemite Museum & Library: 2.8 mi
- Indian Arch: 4.4 mi
- Valley View Yosemite (Sunset Spot): 5.9 mi
- Valley View Parking: 5.9 mi
- Yosemite Valley Railroad Caboose Number 15: 12.6 mi
- Hetch Hetchy Railroad Number 6: 12.6 mi
- Panorama Cliff: 0.5 mi
- Glacier Point: 1.3 mi
- Diving Board: 2.3 mi
- The Fissures: 2.3 mi
- Profile Cliff: 2.3 mi
- Foster Curry Cabin: 1.6 mi
- Women's Club Building: 1.6 mi
- World Heritage Site: 2.8 mi
- John Muir: 2.9 mi
- Soda Springs Cabin: 15.6 mi
- Iron Spring: 2.1 mi
- Moss Spring: 5.4 mi
- Black Spring: 5.4 mi
- Fern Spring: 5.7 mi
- Barrel Spring: 12.1 mi
- Swinging Bridge Picnic Area: 2.6 mi
- El Capitan Picnic Area: 3.4 mi
- Cathedral Beach Picnic Area: 3.5 mi
- Summit Meadow: 5.7 mi
- Red Bud Picnic Area: 14.5 mi
- El Portal Park: 12.6 mi
- Midpines Park: 23.5 mi
- Ahwahnee Hills Regional Park: 24.8 mi
- Yosemite National Park: 8.7 mi
- Nelder Grove Historical Area: 19.8 mi
- Benson Lake Beach: 21.2 mi
- Bennettville: 22.5 mi
- Arch Rock: 24.3 mi
Summits around it
The highest named summits within 9.3 miles of Illilouette Fall. Elevation from each summit’s own record; bearing measured between the two coordinates.
| Summit | Bearing | Elevation | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Red Peak | ESE 116° | 3,566.6 m | 9.3 mi |
| Gray Peak | ESE 110° | 3,525.5 m | 8.3 mi |
| Mount Clark | E 99° | 3,512 m | 7.4 mi |
| Obelisk Lake Peak | E 96° | 3,206 m | 8.1 mi |
| Quartzite Peak | E 89° | 3,182 m | 7.5 mi |
| Clouds Rest | NE 47° | 3,028 m | 5.4 mi |
| Sunrise Mountain | NE 48° | 3,026 m | 8.2 mi |
| Mount Bruce | SSE 155° | 2,964 m | 8.9 mi |
When to go
Light through the year
| Date | Sunrise | Golden hour | Sunset |
|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox | 07:03 | 18:36 | 19:10 |
| June solstice | 05:38 | 19:45 | 20:24 |
| September equinox | 06:47 | 18:22 | 18:57 |
| December solstice | 07:11 | 16:03 | 16:44 |
Local time (America/Los_Angeles).
Climate normals
Months averaging 50–80 °F: Apr–Oct.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avg °F | 38 | 41 | 45 | 50 | 58 | 66 | 73 | 73 | 67 | 56 | 44 | 37 |
| Precip in | 7.0 | 6.5 | 5.5 | 3.2 | 1.9 | 0.5 | 0.3 | 0.2 | 0.4 | 1.6 | 4.0 | 5.6 |
1991–2020 U.S. Climate Normals, NOAA NCEI — Yosemite Park HQ, 3 mi away.
Months at or above the year’s average flow: Apr–Jul — fullest in May, leanest in Oct.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mean cfs | 95.9 | 116 | 210 | 574 | 1,274 | 1,203 | 468 | 108 | 40.7 | 38.9 | 61.1 | 81.7 |
USGS monthly mean discharge at gauge Merced R A Happy Isles Bridge NR Yosemite CA, 1 mi away — the nearest gauge, which can sit on a different stream.
Inside the official boundary of Yosemite National Park. Quietest months by visitation: Jan and Feb; busiest: Aug.
NPS visitation statistics, monthly averages 2021–2025 (2020 excluded).
Where this comes from
Location and category confirmed against OpenStreetMap.
OpenStreetMapWikidataOpenStreetMap element node/773001756
Day trips start here
- Sierra Nevada · 1 mi
- Yosemite National Park · 1 mi
Take the scenic way to Illilouette Fall.
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