Waterfall Hikes in California
17 Curated Trails
This page lists 17 waterfall hikes in California from the Summit Seeker trail database. Summit elevations run from 40 ft (Alamere Falls) to 8,040 ft (Tokopah Falls).
17 of the 17 routes have a distance we can quote from a published source. The shortest is Bridalveil Fall at 0.5 mi; the longest is Alamere Falls at 13.2 mi. Elevation gain ranges from about 50 ft (Lower Yosemite Fall) to 2,700 ft (Upper Yosemite Fall). Together the quoted routes add up to 82.6 miles of hiking. By their own ratings they break down as 3 easy, 2 strenuous, 2 moderate, 2 hard.
13 of the 17 guides name a specific trailhead or parking area; the others give the summit location and route line only.
Figures are as recorded in each trail's own data and are planning estimates (≈ marks a figure estimated from the mapped track); confirm conditions and route length with the land manager before you go.
| Trail | Summit | Route | Distance | Gain | Time | Difficulty | Trailhead |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tokopah Falls | 8,040 ft | — | 3.4 mi round trip | — | — | — | Lodgepole Campground (Marble Fork Bridge) |
| Rainbow Falls | 7,380 ft | — | 5.1 mi round trip | — | — | — | — |
| Panorama Trail | 7,214 ft | Panorama Trail (Glacier Point to Valley) | 8.5 mi one way | 1,255 ft | 3.5 hr | Hard | — |
| Upper Yosemite Fall | 6,526 ft | — | 7.2 mi round trip | 2,700 ft | 6 hr | Strenuous | Sentinel Bridge Parking & Lookout |
| Chilnualna Falls | 6,040 ft | — | 8.2 mi round trip | 2,400 ft | — | Strenuous | Chilnualna Falls Trailhead |
| Vernal Fall | 5,900 ft | Mist Trail to Vernal Fall | 2.4 mi round trip | 1,000 ft | 3 hr | Moderate | Happy Isles Trailhead, Yosemite Valley. Take free shuttle in summer |
| Nevada Fall | 5,900 ft | Nevada Fall via Mist Trail | 5.4 mi round trip | 2,000 ft | 5.5 hr | Hard | Happy Isles Trailhead, Yosemite Valley. Use shuttle in summer |
| Illilouette Fall | 5,810 ft | Panorama Trail | 4 mi round trip | — | — | — | — |
| Wapama Falls | 5,230 ft | — | 5 mi round trip | — | — | — | O'Shaughnessy Dam (Wapama and Rancheria Falls Trailhead) |
| Bridalveil Fall | 4,000 ft | — | 0.5 mi round trip | 80 ft | 30 min | Easy | Bridalveil Fall parking lot, direct access from valley. Very popular |
| Lower Yosemite Fall | 3,975 ft | Lower Yosemite Fall Loop | 1 mi loop | 50 ft | 30 min | Easy | Sentinel Bridge Parking & Lookout |
| McCloud Falls | 3,270 ft | McCloud River Trail | 4 mi round trip | — | — | — | Lower Falls Picnic Area |
| Sturtevant Falls | 2,300 ft | Gabrielino Trail | 3.3 mi round trip | 400 ft | — | Moderate | — |
| Feather Falls | 1,940 ft | — | 8.3 mi round trip | — | — | — | Feather Falls Scenic Trailhead |
| Santa Ynez Falls | 970 ft | Santa Ynez Canyon Trail | 2.5 mi round trip | 250 ft | — | Easy | Vereda De La Montura trailhead |
| McWay Falls | 80 ft | Overlook Trail | 0.6 mi round trip | — | — | — | Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park, Highway 1 |
| Alamere Falls | 40 ft | Coast Trail | 13.2 mi round trip | — | — | — | Palomarin Trailhead |
