Quaking Aspen Falls

Quaking Aspen Falls is a waterfall in California, at a modelled elevation of 2,401 m. Tuolumne Peak stands 3,309 m to the east-northeast, 5.0 miles off. The nearest named place is Yosemite National Park, a nature reserve 1.6 miles away. Tioga Road/Big Oak Flat Road runs past it.
The story
Quaking Aspen Falls (also called Tioga Pass Falls) is a 75-foot, multi-stranded waterfall off Tioga Pass Road in Yosemite National Park. Although the falls typically dry up by August, the stream flows year-round both above and below the falls.
From Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0.
Wikidata Q38271, referenced by the OpenStreetMap record.
How to reach it
- On the Tioga Road/Big Oak Flat Road, National
Overlooks nearby
- View on Tenaya Lake · 5 mi
- Lembert Dome · 12 mi
- Viewpoint for Giant Sequoias · 14 mi
- Disappearing Meadows · 16 mi
Named places within 25 miles
- Mount Hoffmann: 3.2 mi
- Double Rock: 3.7 mi
- The Bowmaiden: 4.3 mi
- Indian Rock: 4.6 mi
- Colby Mountain: 4.7 mi
- Lehamite Falls: 5.9 mi
- Snow Creek Falls: 6.0 mi
- Pywiack Cascade: 6.1 mi
- Tenaya Creek Waterslide: 6.2 mi
- Upper Yosemite Fall: 6.4 mi
- Castle Cliffs: 6.3 mi
- Diving Board: 7.4 mi
- Glacier Point: 8.0 mi
- Panorama Cliff: 8.9 mi
- Bunnell Cliff: 9.4 mi
- Indian Village: 6.8 mi
- Ansel Adams residence: 6.8 mi
- Yosemite Exploration Center: 6.9 mi
- Yosemite Museum & Library: 6.9 mi
- Yosemite Conservation Heritage Center: 7.4 mi
- Iron Spring: 7.2 mi
- Black Spring: 10.1 mi
- Moss Spring: 10.4 mi
- Fern Spring: 10.5 mi
- Soda Springs: 11.3 mi
- Indian Arch: 4.9 mi
- Valley View Parking: 10.5 mi
- Valley View Yosemite (Sunset Spot): 10.6 mi
- Tunnel Tree: 14.0 mi
- Merced Grove: 16.2 mi
- World Heritage Site: 6.9 mi
- John Muir: 7.0 mi
- Women's Club Building: 7.6 mi
- Foster Curry Cabin: 7.7 mi
- Soda Springs Cabin: 11.3 mi
- Swinging Bridge Picnic Area: 7.8 mi
- El Capitan Picnic Area: 8.7 mi
- Cathedral Beach Picnic Area: 9.1 mi
- Summit Meadow: 12.8 mi
- Carlon Day Use Area: 16.1 mi
- Bennettville: 18.0 mi
- Dunderberg Mill: 24.9 mi
- Yosemite National Park: 1.6 mi
- Benson Lake Beach: 12.2 mi
- El Portal Park: 16.8 mi
Summits around it
The highest named summits within 8.5 miles of Quaking Aspen Falls. Elevation from each summit’s own record; bearing measured between the two coordinates.
| Summit | Bearing | Elevation | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tuolumne Peak | ENE 67° | 3,309 m | 5.0 mi |
| Mount Hoffmann | E 90° | 3,308 m | 3.2 mi |
| The Bowmaiden | ENE 74° | 3,241 m | 4.3 mi |
| Tresidder Peak | E 98° | 3,231 m | 8.1 mi |
| Columbia Finger | ESE 103° | 3,158 m | 8.2 mi |
| Tenaya Peak | E 100° | 3,129 m | 7.0 mi |
| Mariuolumne Dome | E 83° | 3,039.5 m | 8.1 mi |
| Clouds Rest | SE 141° | 3,028 m | 7.0 mi |
When to go
Light through the year
| Date | Sunrise | Golden hour | Sunset |
|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox | 07:03 | 18:36 | 19:10 |
| June solstice | 05:37 | 19:45 | 20:24 |
| September equinox | 06:47 | 18:22 | 18:57 |
| December solstice | 07:11 | 16:02 | 16:43 |
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, 7 mi away.
Months at or above the year’s average flow: Apr–Jul — fullest in May, leanest in Sep.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mean cfs | 149 | 215 | 332 | 876 | 1,639 | 1,613 | 616 | 128 | 42.5 | 81.8 | 93.0 | 121 |
USGS monthly mean discharge at gauge Tuolumne R A Grand Cyn OF Tuolumne AB Hetch Hetchy, 7 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.
OpenStreetMapWikipediaWikidataOpenStreetMap element node/4065347760
Day trips start here
- Sierra Nevada · 8 mi
- Yosemite National Park · 8 mi
Take the scenic way to Quaking Aspen Falls.
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