Skip to content

Lower Yosemite Fall

Lower Yosemite Fall, seen from above at true elevation

Lower Yosemite Fall is a waterfall in California, at a recorded elevation of 1,368 m. Mount Hoffmann stands 3,308 m to the northeast, 8.1 miles off. The nearest named place is Middle Cascades, a waterfall 0.2 miles away. Tioga Road/Big Oak Flat Road passes 4.2 miles off.

The story

Highest waterfall in Yosemite National Park

Wikidata Q491677, referenced by the OpenStreetMap record.

What the record says

Height
98 m
Elevation
1368 m

What to expect

Seasonal
Yes

How to reach it

Coordinates37.75144, -119.59714

Named places within 25 miles

Peaks
Waterfalls: 48
Museums: 12
Attractions: 12
  • Indian Arch: 2.9 mi
  • Valley View Parking: 4.6 mi
  • Valley View Yosemite (Sunset Spot): 4.6 mi
  • Tunnel Tree: 11.5 mi
  • Yosemite Valley Railroad Caboose Number 15: 11.6 mi
Cliffs: 11
Historic sites: 9
Springs: 9
Picnic sites: 8
  • Swinging Bridge Picnic Area: 1.1 mi
  • El Capitan Picnic Area: 2.1 mi
  • Cathedral Beach Picnic Area: 2.5 mi
  • Summit Meadow: 6.2 mi
  • Red Bud Picnic Area: 13.4 mi
Nature reserves: 2
Parks: 2
Beaches: 1
Ghost towns: 1

Summits around it

The highest named summits within 10.0 miles of Lower Yosemite Fall. Elevation from each summit’s own record; bearing measured between the two coordinates.

SummitBearingElevationDistance
Mount HoffmannNE 36°3,308 m8.1 mi
The BowmaidenNE 36°3,241 m9.6 mi
Quartzite PeakESE 105°3,182 m9.7 mi
Tenaya PeakENE 58°3,129 m10.0 mi
Clouds RestE 79°3,028 m6.0 mi
Sunrise MountainENE 70°3,026 m8.5 mi
The PinnaclesE 82°2,885 m5.7 mi
Mount Starr KingSE 128°2,767 m5.5 mi

When to go

Light through the year

DateSunriseGolden hourSunset
March equinox07:0318:3619:11
June solstice05:3819:4520:24
September equinox06:4718:2218:57
December solstice07:1116:0316:44

Local time (America/Los_Angeles).

Climate normals

Months averaging 50–80 °F: Apr–Oct.

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Avg °F384145505866737367564437
Precip in7.06.55.53.21.90.50.30.20.41.64.05.6

1991–2020 U.S. Climate Normals, NOAA NCEI — Yosemite Park HQ, under a mile away.

Months at or above the year’s average flow: Apr–Jul — fullest in May, leanest in Oct.

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Mean cfs95.91162105741,2741,20346810840.738.961.181.7

USGS monthly mean discharge at gauge Merced R A Happy Isles Bridge NR Yosemite CA, 3 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.

OpenStreetMapWikipediaWikidata

OpenStreetMap element node/2389657981

More waterfalls in California

Day trips start here

Drive to it

Byway plans a real route around stops like this one.

Private beta · Free to join

Take the scenic way to Lower Yosemite Fall.

Byway plans around your taste, verified places, real weather and opening hours — then opens every leg in Google Maps with one tap.

Private beta · Free to join · No card · Invite when a spot opens