2025 Apr 29: Chilnualna Falls Trailhead, Yosemite National Park (5 of 5)…read more Description: Chilnualna Falls is a series of waterfalls totaling 690 feet (210 m), located on Chilnualna Creek in the southern section of Yosemite National Park. Chilnualna Falls consists of five tiers ranging from 30 to 300 feet (9-91 m) in height. The first tier is 90-120 feet (27-36 m) high. The second is a 30-foot (9 m) high cascade. The third and largest is 300 feet (91 m) high. The fourth is 60 feet (18 m) high. The final tier is a 180-210 foot (54-64 m) high cascade. The trailhead elevation is approximately 4,000 feet (1,200 m), and the trail reaches the main portion of the waterfall at 6,200 feet (1,900 m). The trailhead to the falls is in the northeastern portion of Wawona, at the end of the paved portion of Chilnualna Falls Road. *public info Chilnualna Falls 5 large cascades slide through and over large granite formations above the Wawona basin - water here is fullest in spring and early summer. This strenuous trail allows for you to view the Chilnualna Falls cascades in many locations along the hike and also rewards you with expansive views overlooking Wawona Dome during your uphill climb. It is a strenuous hike, but well worth it - for its views of the falls and Wawona Dome. Directions: From the South Entrance, drive towards the roundabout - continue at 12 o'clock. Take Wawona Road. Drive Past Wawona Hotel. You'll soon come to a bridge. After the bridge - turn right onto Chilnualna Falls Road. Keep driving past houses, school, library & market. There is parking right before you reach the Chilnualna sign. A public toilet is further down the road from the parking area. Hiking Distance: 9.65-miles round trip (CalTopo mileage) I think the links online show 'where the crows fly', so the distance is shorter, plus they may not include the multiple switchbacks. Length-of-Time: 5 to 6 hours if you're not stopping to rest or enjoy the views Elevation Gain: 2,400 ft (732 m) Difficulty: Challenging. This is not for the faint-of-heart. Because of the steep mountainside - there are many switchbacks. You definitely cannot climb straight up the mountain. The paths can be as narrow as one-foot wide on the rugged terrain. A misstep could see someone tumbling down the mountain into the waterfall. Along your hike, you'll go past several sections - man-made steps (some steep and narrow), through the forest, over several streams, and switchbacks (some steep and slippery). Highlights: Stunning waterfalls, beautiful scenery, and peaceful sections. The sounds of the first waterfall can be heard even before you reach the sign to the trail. As you hike up the mountain, some of the waterfalls may sound muffled - but don't give up. The waterfalls are your reward - the sounds of the waterfalls nudge you on. The views are exhilarating. The highlights also include the trees that stood majestic over hundreds of years, and the wonderful smoky cedar scent of Yosemite. Tips: 1) Start early. Preferably before 6:30 am. 2) Wear layered clothing so you can peel off a layer or two on your way up. 3) Bring plenty of water. Dehydration sets in pretty quickly. 4) Pack emergency items just in case. 5) Pack a light lunch. 6) Wear hiking shoes, not walking shoes. Yes, they're different. I wish I could share the sounds and sights of the rushing waterfall with you, but trust me when I say you need to make this hike up Chilnualna Falls - at least once in your life. It's been worth every pain in my muscles to do it at least once a year. Cheers!

This review is for Chilnualna Falls Trail which was a ~7.7 miles round trip that took ~6 hours to…read morecomplete in the snow. Chilnualna Falls Trail was located near the south entrance of Yosemite National Park; away from the busy Yosemite Valley. Lower Chilnualna Fall was a short ~0.2 miles and gets crowded at this particular spot. For the most part, the trail was a steady incline on dirt and rock with snow at higher elevations. In addition, there were a few downed trees over the trail. Overall, stunning views throughout this hike! There was a ~3 minute walk from the parking to the trailhead. Restrooms available at the parking area. Short video of the hike for those interested! https://youtu.be/jACscCHBcOg

We were staying in Oakhurst with some friends over the weekend. After spending a long day in…read moreYosemite Valley the previous day, I wanted to do some more hiking and found this trail less than 10 minutes away. I started at the trailhead near Corlieu Falls, went north towards Red Rock Falls. It was a beautiful hike with some varied terrain going slightly uphill for parts of it. The fall foliage was beautiful, and it was nice to hear the running water all along the way. There is occasional highway noise since this runs parallel to the main road, but I didn't mind it. Went at 730a and didn't see another person for about two hours. Red Rock Falls was peaceful and beautiful. I crossed the stream a bit clumsily and ended up with wet feet, but it was worth it for the photos. I made my way back. Corlieu Falls had a good amount of debris around it, including part of a bridge. Round trip was less than 4 miles, and I got back in time for brunch.

A nice and easy walk but make sure to bring water and sunscreen because it gets HOT and there are a…read morelot of areas on this trail that are not shaded so you're just getting beat down by the hot sun. Unfortunately, we had two small kids with us in tow so we didn't make it too far on the trail but I hear there are some nice waterfalls as a visual treat if you finish the trail. The trail itself had some slopes and elevations but nothing too crazy. There isn't a lot of parking available in the designated lot - we were lucky to grab a spot as someone was leaving right when we pulled up, otherwise I don't know where one would park to easily get to the trail head.

This is a great trail if you have dogs! We had a great day trip and walk. There were some beautiful…read morewildflowers. There was shade available but the trail itself was still pretty hot. Probably would pick a different time of the day to do this next time.

Pathetic…read more Advertised as a MEADOW Loop Trail. But - you are always separated from the meadow by about 10' of woods. Any time you can see meadow, it's really golf course. Nothing to see. You're straining to see meadow through the trees. But can't really see the meadow scenery. It's an old road, but it is in poor condition and I found it hard to walk on. The second half of the loop you are really near the road so hear all the vehicles driving by. I found this trail to be a pathetic waste of time and footsteps.

We made it to Angel Falls! This place was easy to hike to…read moregood for kids too. The water is freezing and super clear. It was a hot day so we didn't mind taking a dip. The rocks are very slippery so please be careful. We had a chance to take a dip and dry off too. when in bass lake you need to make it to angel falls.

Great hike! This hike is relatively easy, almost 4 miles (3.8 according to my AppleWatch), it is an…read moreout-and-back trail. There are sooooo many great places to stop along the way and enjoy the water, one spot was the perfect little lagoon with a rope swing. It was slightly busy; hikers, mountain bikers and trail runners but everyone is very friendly and makes way for others. There is a bit of incline right when you start the trail but just hang in there because it is so worth it! Would absolutely do this again! NOTE: There is a small parking area just up the street from the trail head; it cost $10 and they only accept cash.

Perfect location for an impromptu photoshoot/nature time! The parking lot is located at the end of…read morea semi sketchy "share the road" road but is definitely worth the drive. There are a variety of trees here, large and small and there are several trails that you can enjoy. I really wouldn't consider this a hiking location but its great for taking a walk and pictures. NOTE: - the bathrooms here are sick... and also bring your own toilet paper (BYOTP). - No entrance/parking fee!

I wish I'd visited without snow. This is not a great snowy hike…read more My 15-year-old and I visited during snow season. Parked on the corner of 6S47Y and 6S90. Nice walk along the fire roads, but a bit long for the reward. By the time we reached the Shadow of the Giants National Recreational Trail the kid was bored. The recreational trail is hard to following with deep snow, and there's no real indication as to what you're going to see, except for tall trees of course. There's an outhouse bathroom a the beginning of the scenic loop, and I think I saw a picnic table. This would have been a lot more fun if we'd been able to drive to the scenic loop.

Pro tip: Take the shuttle (approximately $15 per person round-trip). You take it from the Main…read moreLodge and they run every 20-30mins from 7amish to 730pmish (as of Aug 2025). You want to get off at Red's Meadow and hike to the falls. It's easy-easy/moderate and is the shortest distance to the falls. Do not take it from Devil's Postpile because it will add 1.5 miles of open sun hike to the falls. Once there, reward yourself with glass of wine and lunch. The water is cool to cold (depending on the time of year) and refreshing. Highly recommended

There's almost a guaranteed rainbow and maybe even a double rainbow if you're lucky at Rainbow…read moreFalls! From the shuttle stop, it's a 1.6 mile exposed hike to the falls, then some stairs to the bottom. We were prepared wearing our swimsuits to take a dip in the frigid water! Totally worth it. So beautiful!

I didn't swim here, and that's a tragedy. Oh, it was a conscious choice. My hiking partner sure…read moredid, but I had just made the 6-plus mile hike up 1500 feet and was ready for a snack, which turned into a photo stop, which turned into some great shots of the scenery, the lake, the ski hut, and the incredible granite cliffs through the haze of wildfire smoke. So I still had a great visit, but I didn't swim. Not that I didn't swim in any alpine lakes on this trip. Don't worry, I made up for it the next morning. But if I go to Ostrander again, you best believe we're going to stand on the shore, take a deep breath, and jump in those icy waters. It's so so refreshing! It's life! It's living! It's being IN nature and letting the water surround you, and for a brief moment being a part of that ecosystem. There are two trailheads that make the most sense to reach here. Ostrander Lake is the obvious choice, but you could start from Buena Vista and it wouldn't add a ton of distance. But since Glacier Point Road is on a shuttle, it probably doesn't really matter if you just hop on and head up to the Ostrander Lake Trailhead proper. The trail is very lovely. It starts at 7000ft and wanders through some meadowy terrain for a while, and then you get to the little creek and trail fork. From there, you're going to go up. The views are stellar. But let's just talk about this lake some more, shall we? This is not Yosemite Falls. This is not Half Dome, or El Cap. This is very much an off the beaten path adventure, and while I was on the entire hike I only saw maybe a half dozen other parties. At the lake, there was a family there when we arrived, but after a short time, we had the entire thing to ourselves. It was getting a little later in the day (maybe 4pm) and we were pressing on a little to find a place to camp. You can reach the lake as a day hike, but I think it makes a spectacular backpaking destination. Cross-country skiers love this lake, too. In the winter, you can ski in and rent the ski cabin. It's very spartan, but does have a wood fire stove, and fresh water (that needs to be filtered) that comes in from the lake. I don't ski, but I do wonder if you could reach it snow shoeing. They say that it's not for the faint of heart, but just think of that adventure! To come to the snowy, iced over lake and stay in the old stone cabin, look out the windows from the warmth of an historic building, over the vast Yosemite wilderness. Let's put that on the hope and dream list, ya? And then let's take the steps (literally and figuratively) to make it happen! My summer visit, though, was really special. The scenery here is incredible, and you can look up at the massive granite cliffs that surround the back half of the lake and just be boggled at the scale of it all. I'm so glad I took the time to get out of the valley and see this obscure but gorgeous scene. I just wish I would have gone swimming. Let's add it to the list!

Cannot recommend enough! It was a long one and pieces of the hike did require a bit of effort with…read morethe elevation gain but, worth every step. Highly recommend during the late spring or early summer. The flowers are stunning that time of year.

A nice, short hike for those who want to have something to do before or after checking into the…read morehotel for your Yosemite trip. The trail is uphill for about 20-25 minutes at a moderate pace, before going downhill slightly. There you will find "Glass Rock" where there is a lot of natural rock seating for you to enjoy the lake view. If you time it right, you can enjoy the sunset here, but make sure to bring a headlamp to assist with the return trip since it will be pretty dark by then. The hike uphill is grueling enough to make you squirm a little bit, but rewarding with a great view and seating. This area is really remote, with only a few road-side parking spots. To spot the "trailhead" look for the trail right next to the cut up logs. The trail is in average condition. Hopefully people can take better care of it by carrying out their own trash and adhere to "no trace" exploring. It seems someone also built a fire pit here too (not sure if that is legal).

Finding a place to park for this hike was a struggle! We failed the last time we visited but…read moremanaged to figure it out this time. We parked at Yosemite Valley Trailhead Parking, took a short walk to Happy Isles and where the restrooms were, then took the free shuttle, got off after one stop at Mirror lake! And going back to the parking lot, we took the shuttle one stop again and it was a short walk back to the parking lot. This hike reminds me of the Little Yosemite hike in Sunol, CA in the Bay Area! It's paved for most of it and there's restrooms at the beginning and about midpoint of the hike. The fall foliage was beautiful, but the lake wasn't full since its fall. There was still some water in it since it rained and snowed not too long ago.

I had not done my research and was taken aback that mirror lake was completely empty when we came…read morein late September 2025. I was hoping to show my husband the lake for the first time to get the beautiful reflection but not this time. It was still fun to walk around in the lake bed and hike the surrounding trail and picnic here, but a real bummer not to get the reflection.