Bridalveil Fall

Bridalveil Fall rises to 4,000 feet in California. The Bridalveil Fall Trail covers 0.5 miles round trip (out-and-back) with about 50 feet of elevation gain — a gradual walk with modest climbing.

The Route

Along the way the route passes a viewpoint (Bridalveil Fall Viewpoint) near mile 0, a waterfall (Bridalveil Fall) near mile 0.08 — useful checkpoints for judging your pace.

Getting There

The trailhead is at 37.71673, -119.65094 (tap for driving directions). It's roughly 125 miles south of Reno, Nevada. Parking: Bridalveil Fall parking. Fee: $35 park entrance.

When to Go

Late May through October is the main season. Snow and ice linger into spring and return early in fall at this latitude and elevation; in winter this becomes a different, more serious undertaking requiring traction devices and warm layers.

Know Before You Go

The Easy rating comes from the National Park Service difficulty formula, which weighs total distance against elevation gain. Most hikers should budget about 0.5 hours of moving time; add margin for breaks, photos and the descent. Download the GPX track from this page before you go — cell coverage is unreliable in the mountains and a saved route works offline in any GPS app. Conditions change: verify current access, closures and weather with the official land manager before you go. Trail data is sourced from National Park Service - Yosemite.

Looking to link objectives or plan a weekend? Nearby summits include Lower Yosemite Fall, Sentinel Dome & Taft Point and Upper Yosemite Fall — each has its own guide on this site.