Half Dome

Lower Yosemite Fall Trail

Starts at the Lower Yosemite Fall shuttle bus stop. This easy paved trail provides a good view of the falls with a close-up view of the lower fall. (Note: this waterfall is often dry from August through October.) Since the trailhead falls on the Northside Dr, it's better to see the falls on your way out of the Yosemite Valley.

Lower Yosemite Falls
Distance Elevation Gain Time Difficulty
1 mi (1.6 km) round trip 50 ft (15 m) 30-60 minutes Moderate
Lower Yosemite Falls under the stars
Brocken Inaglory, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Lower Yosemite Falls

The trail starts on the east side of Yosemite Creek. The trail is completely paved and under the trees. The trail has a lot of traffic due to its ease and accessibility. The trail is completely flat until you are about to reach the footbridge.

Lower Yosemite Falls
chensiyuan, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
More Information about Lower Yosemite Falls

Lower Yosemite Fall: The final 320-foot (98 m) drop adjacent to an accessible viewing area, provides the most-used viewing point for the waterfalls. Yosemite Creek emerges from the base of the Lower Fall and flows into the Merced River nearby. Like many areas of Yosemite the plunge pool at the base of the Lower Fall is surrounded by dangerous jumbles of talus made even more treacherous by the high humidity and resulting slippery surfaces.