Story:
Wapama Falls, arguably the most powerful water falls in Yosemite, is located in Hetch Hetchy, the reservoir located right inside Yosemite National Park. You can see the falls miles away on the road down to the dam. To get to the falls, you will start from the dam, pass the tunnel and follow the shoreline trail on the north side of the reservoir to it. Along the shoreline trail, you will also encounter a junction where you need to make the right turn there or it will lead you to the lakes above. There is little elevation change on the trail so it is a good hike for families. Once arrived at the falls, you might have the opportunity to enjoy the mists from the falls on the bridges below it. When the falls is at its peak power in the spring, the bridge might be impossible to pass.
My family and I visited the water falls on the third day in our Yosemite trip in early July. The falls was still at its large and I got all soaking wet while walking on the bridges below it. It was quiet a fun hike and really enjoyful.
Wapama Falls Hike
Type: Out-and-back roundtrip hike
Length: 5 miles
Time: 2 - 3 hours
Elevation gain: 500 feet
Difficulty level: Easy
Start / End: the parking lot near the dam
Route:
Trailhead -> Dam -> Tunnel -> Junction -> Tueeulala Falls -> Wapama Falls -> Tueeulala Falls -> Junction -> Tunnel -> Dam -> Trailhead
Landscape features to watch:
Wapama Falls
Tueeulala Falls
Kolana Rock
Hetch Hetchy Dome
O'Shaughnessy Dam
Le Conte Point
GPS track recorded by Garmin Oregon 200 (FW: 3.82 beta / GPS: 4.46)
Photos / Videos taken by Canon Powershot G7
Wapama Falls, arguably the most powerful water falls in Yosemite, is located in Hetch Hetchy, the reservoir located right inside Yosemite National Park. You can see the falls miles away on the road down to the dam. To get to the falls, you will start from the dam, pass the tunnel and follow the shoreline trail on the north side of the reservoir to it. Along the shoreline trail, you will also encounter a junction where you need to make the right turn there or it will lead you to the lakes above. There is little elevation change on the trail so it is a good hike for families. Once arrived at the falls, you might have the opportunity to enjoy the mists from the falls on the bridges below it. When the falls is at its peak power in the spring, the bridge might be impossible to pass.
My family and I visited the water falls on the third day in our Yosemite trip in early July. The falls was still at its large and I got all soaking wet while walking on the bridges below it. It was quiet a fun hike and really enjoyful.
Wapama Falls Hike
Type: Out-and-back roundtrip hike
Length: 5 miles
Time: 2 - 3 hours
Elevation gain: 500 feet
Difficulty level: Easy
Start / End: the parking lot near the dam
Route:
Trailhead -> Dam -> Tunnel -> Junction -> Tueeulala Falls -> Wapama Falls -> Tueeulala Falls -> Junction -> Tunnel -> Dam -> Trailhead
Landscape features to watch:
Wapama Falls
Tueeulala Falls
Kolana Rock
Hetch Hetchy Dome
O'Shaughnessy Dam
Le Conte Point
GPS track recorded by Garmin Oregon 200 (FW: 3.82 beta / GPS: 4.46)
Photos / Videos taken by Canon Powershot G7
Tips:
Read this article from Yosemite National Park before your visit to Hetch Hetchy: http://www.nps.gov/yose/planyourvisit/upload/hetchhetchy-sitebull.pdf
Read this article from Yosemite National Park before your visit to Hetch Hetchy: http://www.nps.gov/yose/planyourvisit/upload/hetchhetchy-sitebull.pdf
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