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

Superb little picnic and frolic spot near Wawona - ideal for young families…read more Visited a couple of times when we were staying at the Redwoods (vacation rental) nearby. The walk from the parking lot is an easy half-mile through the trees, and then you have to make your way to the swinging bridge and down to the water and the rocks. Walking across the swinging bridge (which we did one at a time) was my favorite experience, followed by swimming in the water below. The early am visit was much more pleasant, later in the day it gets hot and there isn't much shade down near the water. We all had a blast, and will surely return!

Parking is free was lots of empty spot .Hike is like a mile depends on your speed was fun we get…read moreto see the river water flow, bird chipping, butterflies and also lizards the swinging bridge was nice took lots of pictures .Fun for all ages. Must visit place!!

We came here during the government shutdown. Shuttle services was still operating although the…read moreVisitor Center was closed. We had stayed in Oakhurst for the night, so this was a stop before going to Yosemite Valley. We had to park at the Mariposa Grove Welcome Plaza where the Visitor Center was and took the free shuttle to get to the start of all the trails. We saw some deer on the way! The giant sequoia trees were a magnificent sight to see, and the trails were nice and defined.

Mariposa Grove of Giant Sequoias is absolutely stunning--a truly magical place filled with…read morebreathtaking trees. There's a large parking lot and a visitor center with very friendly, helpful staff who gave us great information before we headed out. From there, we took the shuttle up to the walking path (note: if you're handicap, you can actually drive up directly). There are restrooms both at the visitor center and up by the trees, plus a convenient water fill station with fresh snow water from the area. The walking path itself is easy to follow, and every turn offers incredible views of these majestic giants. An unforgettable experience and a must-see in Yosemite!

Dave is AMAZING! We had the best day with him on our private tour of Yosemite. He is so fun,…read moreknowledgeable, a great conversationalist and made the day fabulous. I had the best time and felt like we got to really see Yosemite and get to know the park. I would 100% recommend booking with him and his company. Hands down the BEST!!

I cannot say enough about David and the two days he spent with us in the park. It was our first…read moretrip to Yosemite and David planned two great days that really gave us a feel for the incredible natural beauty that surrounds you in the Valley. While you can only see so much in two days, his skillful guiding made the most of that time covering the multiple waterfalls in the valley, the Sequoia Grove, Hatch Hatchy and many others. He is a self taught naturalist and gave us just the right mix of park history and insights into the floral and fauna. He also balanced our hiking so it was challenging enough to keep me interested but not to difficult that Thelma could not enjoy it as well. He was also terrific about assisting her through some of the more difficult and rocky sections so she was never uncomfortable. His planning was simply impeccable and more than worth every penny as we could never have enjoyed as much as we did on our own. There is just no substitute for having a professional guide a Dave was as professional as it gets. Simply cannot thank him enough and more highly recommend him to anyone who wants an extraordinary experience.

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.

Had a great experience with David, caught some fish, learned a lot and had interesting talks.read more

David took my husband and I on a wonderful fishing and hiking excursion! He is knowledgeable, kind…read moreand professional. We learned a lot about fishing techniques, and saw some amazing views!

An excellent place to volunteer!…read more This is a review of Coexist with Wildlife Day, which was awesome: a bio blitz, some volunteer work and tacos from a food truck with a band. Also free Otter Pops!

I really enjoyed visiting the River Pky. We gathered for a meeting and for some attendees, it was…read moretheir first visit and the atmosphere was amazing for all. I have been back just to enjoy the grounds. So pretty!

Our tour guides were absolutely amazing (John and Mia) and they were very knowledgeable and helped…read moreanswer all of our questions (about Yosemite in general, specific famous features on our hike, and even random questions about birds and plant life). The hike is as advertised (in terms of ratings and what features you will see). They always put safety first and even offered to help carry our back packs when we got tired or were crossing a small stream! They treated us like close family/friends, were encouraging us along the way, and adapted to our pace and schedule. Our group ranged from age 6 to adult and we couldn't have made it to the end of the hike without them! Book them for your tours and have fun on your Yosemite Vacation!

Will definitely be booking again with John and Y Explore!!! Honestly when we booked the guided half…read moredome hike I went into it thinking we were just utilizing the purchased permits as hadn't won the lottery ourselves but as the day progressed I became more and more grateful for the wisdom and knowledge of our guide. From breathing techniques and tips for ascending and descending the cables to the order of of our group and perfectly timed rest breaks this was worth every penny as we had not only a successful summit but an overwhelming positive experience! Hubby and I are excited to travel again to more destination with Y Explore in the near future!

Raptor walk trail along the south side of the King's River is amazing! You'll see egrets, herons,…read moreducks, turkeys and many more. Nice benches to sit on and relax at the riverside.

Pani was our guide for our visit to Kings Canyon and Sequoia National Parks in June of 2025. It was…read moreour first visit to the area, and we wanted a guide to help us experience the parks in the most fun and educational way, so we could get the most out of our time. Pani was incredibly communicative and was flexible with us when we decided to split our visit across two days instead of just one. Pani was easy to talk with, knowledgeable about the parks, and passionate about the history and ecology. We learned so much on our adventure, and Pani was always willing to take pics for us everywhere we went. Thank you Pani for making our vacation so special and memorable!

An awesome family tour of Sequoia National Park enriched with an excellent tour guide, Pani of…read moremountain trekking adventures! We all learned so much about the history and geology of this vast Park. Having a knowledgeable tour guide really eliminates any stress of searching for features you want to see! Our party of 10 agreed we had the best park trip ever with Pani guiding us through the exceptional features of Sequoia national park. We are spoiled now and highly recommend mountain trekking adventures for anyone going to the Sequoia national Park or Kings Canyon national parks.