Upper Yosemite Falls Day Hike

The Nitty Gritty

• Trip Date: May 7, 2021
• Distance: 7.6 miles
• Elevation Gain: 3200 feet
• Level: Hard
• Essentials:  At least 3 liters of water, sturdy shoes, some kind of shade cover, snacks (it is short, but mighty), and common sense.
• All Trails: https://www.alltrails.com/explore/trail/us/california/upper-yosemite-falls-trail?mobileMap=false&ref=sidebar-static-map
• Park Site: https://www.nps.gov/yose/index.htm
• Video: https://youtu.be/n_0wGiwLqCo

The Trip

According to All Trails, the round trip hike to Upper Yosemite Falls is 7.6 miles.  According to the Yosemite trail sign, it is 7 miles.  Regardless of which you heed; it is far from “easy”….  In fact, All Trails classifies it as “hard.”  With 3200 feet of elevation gain, over the span of 3.5 miles, those who do quick math recognize this trail gains about 1000 feet per mile.  For novices, this means little to nothing. They see 3.5 miles and automatically think “I got this.”  We know this because we see many on the trail in street clothes (jeans to be exact), some in sandals, many with one 8 oz bottle of water or less, and most without food.  It’s unfortunate the Yosemite signs do not clarify the true magnitude of this hike as the overambitious and under prepared suffer.

Starting in Yosemite Valley, the trail over a relatively short distance, takes you to the top of Upper Yosemite Falls.  Hiking early in the season, gives you the best chance of 1. Avoiding the grueling heat and 2. Actually seeing a waterfall.  Yes…..  This fall can dry up.  Enjoy the shade at the start, because you will be wishing you had it about 2.5 miles in.  Starting with short switchbacks of granite rock steps, which wind you through a tree grove and above the valley, Columbia Rock is reached in just a mile.  This will be your first glimpse, of many, of Half Dome and the Valley below.  Keep an eye on the parking lot where you likely stored your car, as this is a good gauge on how high you climb.  Be proud of yourself as this parking lot grows smaller and smaller from each vista.  The views from here are breathtaking, and many find this to be their turn around point. Each time I reach this point, I ponder my first “unsuccessful” attempt. In 2014, before becoming a hiker, I attempted this trek with my daughter and two of her High School friends. I can speak of the unprepared and overambitious “tourists” who suffer because, at that time, I was one of them. “It’s 3.5 miles,” we collectively stated, “of course we can do this”. Along this 1 mile climb, we shed layers and ditched them behind boulders as we had no packs in which we could store them…… Unprepared I tell you…..By the time we made it to this lookout, we were beyond wiped out. We wondered, in fact, how we would find the strength to make our way back down. This was, as I mentioned, our turnaround point. We enjoyed the amazing view, consumed what little water we had, and enjoyed taking photos to memorialize our “failure”. To this day, I look at the pictures of the three girls in their tutus (worn in honor of TuTu Tuesday), and smile. At that point in time, I would have told you that I would NEVER make it to the top…. NEVER! I now tell you, I have most certainly been to the top…. Not once, not twice, but three times….. Never say never my friends. For those who now may be skeptical, there is no “failure” in making it to this point. The views are stunning, and given the magnitude of the climb , your reaching this point is nothing short of “success.”

As the trail becomes rockier, your hard work will continue to be rewarded by views of Half Dome and its iconic granite counterparts.  Without this, this trek would feel much like what I imagine endlessly running on a hamster wheel, with no reward, would feel like. Ultimately, at about 2 miles, you will get your first glimpse of the waterfall.  In all actuality, the sounds of the rushing water, the crash as it slams into the granite below, and the echos of both ricocheting off the canyon walls, will be heard before you see it. If you visited while the fall is flowing, your first glimpse will surely take your breath away. If you visited later in the season……  Well…. I ask you why? 

This section gets busy as many use it as a resting spot….. Or “thinking spot” as Winnie the Pooh might say. There is still shade, in these parts, and as you get closer to the falls, the mist filling the air brings about glorious reprieve from the heat. Beware, though, with this deliciousness comes wet granite which, for those who don’t know, gets slippery when wet. For many, this will be a turnaround point. Again, turning around here for an approximate 4 mile round trip is NOT failure. Quite honestly, at this point, you have seen the BEST this trek has to offer. Success.

From here, the crowds thin as many of the “tourists” have seen enough and turned back. Beyond this point, there is little tree cover and the trek is fully exposed. As I begin the relentless climb on the switchbacks, with which I have a love/hate relationship, I giggle as I pass by small shrubs and wonder exactly how many people can fit into the tiniest shade spots. If you have ever driven by pastureland and seen a herd of cattle compressed under a single tree, visualize that with people.

The trail steepens, and were it not for these switchbacks, the trek would be more like mountain climbing. Rocks, rocks, and more rocks……. Get comfortable with them because they, along with the steps some of them were made to be, are your ride to the top. Can be an ankle twister. As you leave the base of the waterfall behind, continuing your climb, the views of Half Dome and the valley disappear behind the granite walls as well. With little to see, it can feel like a grind to the top. Take time, though, to appreciate the songs of the birds, the uniqueness of the granite, and the solitude the area can provide.

As you see the switchbacks come to an end, congratulate yourself as here you will find shade, in another tree grove, and have knowledge that the end is near.   Don’t give up here….. You are so close. Winding to the right, the trail takes you up and over the last little ridge and the sound of cheers and “we made it”s will let you know you have arrived.  As you approach the vista, you will be treated with an amazing view of the Valley. It is spectacular, no doubt. Pose for the triumphant photos…. grab a snack…. rest in the shade of the small trees…. Be proud of yourself…. Getting here is no small feat. At an elevation of 6700 feet, altitude sickness and/or struggles is a real possibility.  Flatlanders should be mindful as the thin air makes exercise more difficult, water is essential, and a headache is the first sign of trouble. 

While the views are breathtaking, it is important to note you can no longer see Half Dome, and although you can hear it, there is no view of the Waterfall from this point.  If that is what you came for, your best views were a mile and a half back down the trail. 

Continuing on, it is possible to make your way down, what many would say are a precarious set of granite steps, to the actual top of the waterfall. From here, you can appreciate the magnitude of the river that feeds the falls, and watch as the water topples over the edge to the abyss from which you just came. Many find this terrifying, but I personally think making it all this way and NOT going to this point, would be a travesty. For those with height fears, make use of the railings, lean into the wall (away from the ledge) and DON’T LOOK DOWN. You’ve got this.

While some may continue on to visit Yosemite Point, from which you can see Half Dome and the Valley beyond, for most this is the end of the trail….. Well…. Not quite…. There is no elevator, so…… What goes up, must come down. While generally going down is easier than going up, this is not the case for this trail in my opinion.  When there are steps, they are not the depth of an adult foot, and this requires that tedious care be taken stepping down them. Additionally, the granite rocks and steps are slippery when covered in a fine layer of sand and/or wet. Trekking poles are helpful as you make your way down Yosemite’s slip and slide. Arriving once again at the waterfall, the mist is welcomed and the angle of the afternoon sun will often bless you with a colorful and rewarding rainbow. Enjoy the views, as you continue past Columbia rock and head back down to the Valley below. The work for the day is done.

Although I often refer to this hike as a “one and done” trail, I clearly say so in jest as I have done it now three times.   This go around, I did it with a group of friends, many of whom have never done it. It was fun to experience it with them. Will I do it again?????? Undecided.

If you are looking for views of the valley, go to Columbia Rock and save your energy for another hike.  If you want to see and feel the magnitude of the waterfall (when it is flowing), go up about 2.5 miles and enjoy the moment.  If you are looking for a great workout, and bragging rights, go to the top.  No matter your choice, you will be successful.

Keep on trekkin’ on

 

Previous Next