Yosemite Falls

My tips:
1. Start early (before 9 if possible). This hike takes a while, and while there is some shade, there’s lots of exposed parts, too.
2. Bring more water than you think you’ll need. Really. Seriously. Bring lots of water (and some snacks, too).
3. Wear grippy shoes or hiking shoes/​boots. My year-​old Hokas were not up to the job. The loose-​gravel-​over granite acts like ball bearings. You see people like me slipping and sliding. Don’t be me. I didn’t get hurt but I almost did!
4. Don’t rush it. There are so many pretty bits to this trail, and it’s great to get to the top and have the time to eat and relax and canoodle with your loved ones if you’re so lucky. It is (choose one or more): breathtaking, spectacular, overwhelming, beautiful. Unbelievable view from the (this wouldn’t be built today) overlook.
5. If it’s too big a hike for you, you can go about half way. While you’ll miss the incredible famous overlook, the views are fantastic at the half-​way-​ish point.
This is a hike of a lifetime. Highly recommend if you’re up to a strenuous hike.

Let me just say this place is absolutely breathtaking. we hiked back behind the big log where everyone takes photos. We talked and looked at the lower falls. She turned around and I was on my knee with the ring.
Dont miss this spot guys! We didnt hike to the top but the bottom is just as spectacular!
Take the challenge! take me @ ray_​dmc

I feel pretty fortunate to live within a few hours of the tallest waterfall in the whole country, and a dozen waterfalls that are among the tallest in the world. I really can’t put into words the high that comes from sitting at the bottom of one of these waterfalls as the sun comes up. The roar of the water is loud enough to drown out even the loudest thoughts. The sound combined with the strong winds and mists of water make it so that you can feel the waterfall in your blood, the same way you can feel music at a very loud concert.
It wasn’t until my third visit to the waterfall this trip that I noticed that it is quite a bit more blocked off than it used to be. In 2014, I can remember walking across the rock bridge, and then hopping just a few rocks to get to the perfect vantage point. The new path makes it hard to even get to the rock wall, which resulted in a lot less people on the rocks, and a lot more waiting in line for a selfie at the corner of the new fence.
Every single one of the pathways between Yosemite Falls and Yosemite Village is worth exploring. The dirt path between the Falls and the Majestic Hotel (formerly known as the Ahwahnee) is particularly stunning, with at least six kinds of flowers that I’ve never seen anywhere else. There is a certain series of mini-​waterfalls and pools along that trail that is one of my favorite spots in all of Yosemite, just because the pools are so clear, and it is so picturesque with all of the flowers in bloom around the edges.
Since this is probably the most popular waterfall in Yosemite, I highly recommend visiting at the crack of dawn in the middle of the week when it’s less busy, if you can. Being alone at the bottom of this waterfall before the world wakes up is like ten times better than it is later in the day when the park becomes more noisy.
The Upper Yosemite Falls hike was gorgeous, but I was unable to finish the whole thing. The trail is pretty much just switchbacks all the way up, but they aren’t too narrow, and there are turnouts after almost every single one, so it’s easy to pass or let people pass. About halfway up, or maybe not even that, you get to Columbia Point, where you can sit on a rock and experience a view of the valley unlike any other. It is pretty easy to get to this viewpoint, and there are far less tourists here than there are at the base of the waterfall. Even if you can’t do the whole hike, it’s worth it to at least go up to Columbia Point. Just try not to wear slippery shoes, because the trail is pretty slippery.
I think I made it about another mile up past Columbia Point before I started to get really dizzy. I thought about stopping, but then I saw children a few switchbacks up, so I forced myself past a little bit of scrambling and several more switchbacks before I got a headache and noticed my skin was paler than usual. I wanted to keep pushing, but I’ve heard some pretty nasty stories from people who didn’t listen to their altitude sickness, so I ended up turning around. I think it actually took more willpower to turn around within view of the top than it took to get that far.
So my favorite (not) thing about PTSD is that sometimes you never know when some seemingly random thing can trigger flashbacks and panic attacks. Turns out that hearing people slip while going downhill was a major trigger for me, on top of the fact that there are some similar feelings between altitude sickness and panic attacks. So when I noticed this, I let a few people go by, and then this extremely irresponsible person comes along wearing imitation Berks, slipping every… single… step… and laughing as if it’s a game… or as if slipping were inevitable. I think I barely resisted the urge to suggest to him that he take his shoes off and go down barefoot for better traction.
I read an article about how deaths in national parks have been increasing, supposedly because the youngest generation hasn’t been out in nature enough to honor and respect how dangerous it can be. That’s what I was thinking of as I watched this guy slipping for fun at the top of a 2600 foot fall, and as I watched a teenage girl climb onto an extremely precarious rock for a selfie, in an area known for rock-​slides (on a different hike).
Like, you realize that falling off the mountain leads to death, right?

Take the hike to the top and BRING WATER!!! I could not believe how many people I spoke to on my way down who didn’t have water. This is not a hike that you can finish in three hours. The elevation gain will become noticeable if you’re not used to being above sea level (me). I took four liters of water and donated one liter to a group of three people heading up. They had one bottle of water between them and they looked terrible.
BRING WATER!!!
Bring food too. Snack as you’re going up and stop once in a while to enjoy the scenery as you get higher up.
This year there was a lot of water and you could hear the falls thundering clearly from all directions. It was beautiful. I was here in Februrary and back again in May which was warmer and brought in the first wave of mosquitoes.
Be aware that May through June is mosquito season so stock up on Deet and cover up despite the heat.
And did I mention to BRING WATER if you’re planning on going to the top?
Be safe and have fun.

I LOVE THIS PLACE!
It’s like magical place lol when your looking the falls your like paralyzed you can’t move your just starting all day. Ugh very nice place.

Yosemite Falls are spectacular this year! After many years of poor water flows, this year the falls is pouring into the valley full force.
The easy, paved trail to the base of the lower falls is a must if you are on your first time in Yosemite.
Beauty and magic, even when it’s crowded…

This was a strenuous hike. The views throughout the hike are incredible. I give this a four star instead of a 5 star because you can not see much of the waterfall at the very top, views of half dome are also blocked. IMHO the million dollar view comes about half way up where you can look out over the valley and see nearly all the valley highlights. Enjoy that view and walk a little further until you can see upper Yosemite falls in its entirety and feel it’s mist. This is probably ½ of the way up. This is where I would turn back if I ever had the energy or inclination to do this hike again.

April 8 – 10,2016. Yosemite weather changes now and then, we had rain and snow shown on forecast. But we were lucky enough not to get wet in rain whenever we got down to sight see, but did have rain showers while driving up the hills and down. We stayed in mariposa and drive to Yosemite entrance is 1hr. The river Merced flowing all the way with full gush is a wonderful experience. Got free entrance to park since we had a 4^th grader traveling in the car (yes 4^th grader pass) or else the entrance is $ 30 per car.
We reached the valley and covered most of the falls from far view and took pictures, walked on the meadows. Took the trial to lower Yosemite which is very easy and took only 20 mins all together. The falls was amazing with so much water, got wet due to the breeze. Take jackets, gloves, when you are near since it gets cold and makes us little wet.
The next day started with bridelveil falls trial, which is very easy and soon you can see the gigantic falls roaring with sound of water. You get wet here too so be prepared. worth going near. Then after that we went to the Yosemite visitor center and got into the Free shuttles which operates to all the stops, we took shuttle to stop 16, the mist trial and walked to mirror lake, the trial is flat and easy but couldn’t make it and came back half the way as we had kids. But just 30 mins up and down I heard. The half down can be seen from far but since it was foggy due to rain, we don’t get a clear view.
We enjoyed the trip with little showers, but worth going…

I went on April 1, 2016. This is the most difficult hike I’ve ever done. My group did it in 5.5 hours roundtrip to the top of the upper falls. 3.5 hours up, 2 hours down. Note that there are many places to slip because of the jagged rocks in the ground. Even though the average grade is 14%, there are so many areas where the climb is ~30%. There are at least 40 switchbacks. You definitely need to bring something to drink. Most people give up at the top of the lower waterfall, but we kept going. Within about 300 ft (ascent) to the falls, there was heavy snow, which helped cool us down for the final stretch. No snow gear needed though.
Start at least 7 hours before sunset for this hike. It will probably suck to hike down in the dark.
If you made it to the top, you’ve hiked ~2400ft to America’s tallest waterfall. And that is something to boast about.

LOL This hike was no joke! I would say that this hike is pretty challenging, especially during the winter when there are some parts of the hike near the top of the Falls where there is a lot of snow you’d have to trek through. We did this hike on Valentine’s Day weekend when Yosemite was cold enough have snow.
The entire hike was breathtaking though. There were so many gorgeous views of Half Dome and all of Yosemite Valley. For the first half of the hike, the you’ll hit the Lower Falls. If you’re brave enough to climb higher, you’ll hike all the way up tothe Overlook where you can see the whole Valley. There was also an option to climb to a higher point where you are literally at the top of the falls where the water falls (ha) and cascades down. We were way too tired to go all the way up– this I regret.
The way down was the worst though, especially with the snow. Without snow cleats, you’re pretty much screwed. We pretty much slipped the whole way down. And when we got to the Valley, there were convenience stores selling snow cleats. Lol fail– on our end.
This hike was definitely full of sights to see– it has one of the most beautiful views of Yosemite. I’d say it’s worth another visit. I’d be open to coming back during the Spring when the scenery changes (ie when the snow melts).
By the way, park at Camp 4– that’s where the Trailhead is.

We came here for a small vacation and I had the azalea room 4621. The waterfall was right outside the backyard of the room! The upper fall hike is very strenuous so be sure to carry water and good shoes. I have asthma and was able to do the hike but had to stop often because the hills were intense. It’s a good hike for the spring because the weather is colder. wouldn’t recommend for small children if they tire easily.

Decided to do the upper Yosemite falls trail in early February. The hike was very strenuous with countless switchbacks, but very worth it! There were breathtaking views of Yosemite valley and half dome, as well as many viewpoints of Yosemite falls. The last set of switchbacks was definitely challenging; it was filled with snow and very slippery. Some trails were icy and required more caution. Make sure to start early so that you can make it back before sunset!

I can’t quit you!
We spent 2 days at the Yosemite Lodge at the Falls and while we couldn’t see the actual falls from our room in the Laurel building, the waterfalls dominate any view pretty much anywhere within a 10-​minute walk. I couldn’t stop staring at it! We came in the midst of a pretty major snowstorm in winter, so it was unlikely we were going to kill ourselves getting to the top. We were okay with just the easy trail to the lower falls (which anyone can do) and then continuing on for another 2 miles or so towards Mirror Lake. We ran into very few people (a combination of it being Sunday, in winter, in the midst of really bad weather). Nonetheless, we had a blast and still managed to get amazing photos.

Climbing Upper Yosemite Falls was so worth it! Definitely a challenging hike for me, especially from a technical perspective because I’m not good with rocks (especially going down, I felt like I was going to slip A LOT). You should definitely start the hike before noon to ensure ample time. I started the hike in the afternoon and was racing against the clock to get down before sunset. (You really don’t want to hike in the dark for this one)
Difficulty: ⁸⁄₁₀
It’s a long 7 mile round trip hike because it’s quite steep and rocky. Endless switchbacks, and some areas are very sandy (going down is VERY slippery when there’s just a thick amount of loose sand)
View: I went during Labor Day weekend so the falls were completely dried up. Also went when there were still wildfires going on, so it was smoggy.
Trail: Lots of shade, lots of bugs/​wasps. Bring bug spray. Pretty crowded, but everyone is very courteous to make room and vice versa. Everyone is very encouraging because we all know this is a decently challenging hike. All the hikers are friendly.
Gave it 5 stars because it’s such a fulfilling hike. I felt so accomplished and proud of myself for finishing the hike. Not a good trail for beginners.

Nice, clean room. No waiting to get into the park in the morning. Spend the money. It’s worth it. Beautiful here. Experience transcendent experience. Is this park does not make you humbled nothing will.

This was the hardest hike I have ever done. I was exhausted pretty much the whole way up, and by the time I got down for the day all I wanted to do was sleep. But, in between the tires and exhausted moments were the best views and feeling of accomplishments! I took about a billion photos and don’t think I will ever forget each and every moment we had along the hiking trail! One day I will return and do this hike again with friends and family!

Einer der Top-​Sehenswürdigkeiten im Yosemite Nationalpark sind die Yosemite Falls. Man findet diese am Anfang des One-​way Northside Drive am Shuttle stop #6. Parkplätze waren um 08.30 Uhr morgens kein Problem, später sicherlich ohne den Shuttle problematisch.
Die dreiteiligen Wasserfälle zählen mit einer Gesamthöhe von 739 m sicherlich zu den höchsten und bekanntesten Wasserfällen der Welt. Der Yosemite Creek fällt ganz oben erstmal 435 tief, um dann nach einigen Stromschnellen und kleineren Wasserfällen bei den Lower Falls 98 m in die Tiefe zu stürzen. Das Wasser mündet dann abschließend im Tal in den Merced River.
Wir haben aufgrund unseres kleinen Zeitbudgets und der Unwilligkeit unserer Kinder nur die Lower Falls besichtigt, die über den Rundweg «Lower Yosemite Fall Trailhead» bequem erreicht werden können. Dieser ist ca. 1 Mile lang und ist nicht sonderlich anstrengend.
Ein stattlicher Wasserstrahl ergoss sich vom Aussichtspunkt ins Tal. Im Sommer führt der Yosemite Creek oftmals wenig oder gar kein Wasser. Von Kletterpartien auf den vorgelagerten Felsen, am besten noch mit Strandschuhen, ist allgemein wegen der Verletzungsgefahr abzuraten.
Wer genügend Zeit und Kondition mitbringt sollte unbedingt die Wanderungen zum Upper Yosemite Fall machen. Hier sollte man viel Zeit mitbringen, auf geeignetes Schuhwerk und ausreichend Wasser und Nahrung achten.
Eines der Highlights unseres Parkbesuchs. Sollte man sich nicht entgehen lassen.

I’ve been to Yosemite 4 times but this was the only time I actually went on a strenuous hike while in the park. I’m a bit out of shape so this hike was really tough on my legs and I had to take a few more breaks than initially planned out. This trail has a TON of switchbacks with only a couple of areas with flat land but a good amount of shade to rest at. Make sure to bring plenty of water and shoes with good grip because the rocks are slippery on the way down.
On the bright side, this trail is absolutely beautiful! Every moment of the hike offers spectacular views of the Yosemite valley. The top view is well worth every step of the hike and if you’re as adventurous as I am, you’ll cannon ball into the creek at the top of the falls. The hike is time consuming so start early. But overall, this is a must do if you are here for more than a day. I give this hike a thumbs up!

One of my favorite places in the world. Growing up in California, I always thought that Yosemite was just a basic national park similar to other parks. However, I really do think Yosemite is worth going if you have never been. Granted, you may not be the type to climb «Half Dome» but you should definitely consider other trails. My boyfriend and I came here for a short two day trip. It took us a majority of the first day to drive to Yosemite. If you are considering living in the Yosemite Village, that is a good option. However, we stayed at a nearby lodge called the Yosemite View Lodge that is about a mile away from the Yosemite Village. We enjoyed it very much– it was much cheaper and the lodge itself was great (chances are your balcony will be right next to the Merced River).
What to do: There are many things to do; I suggest you go to the Tourist Center to ask. If you want a good hike to last the whole day and have the best view; the Upper Yosemite Falls trail is your best bet. It is a pretty hard trail meaning it can get steep but the path is always paved to a certain extent. In addition, you can’t go 20 mins without passing other hikers (hence this is relatively safe). We didn’t finish the trail because we forgot to pack lunch and had to go back down. However, I am definitely coming back to finish this trail next time because it was too beautiful.

My boyfriend and I decided to give Upper Yosemite Falls a go, as a «warm-​up» the day before our hike to Half Dome. Hopping off the shuttle a little after 2P after the shuttle driver said this would be an 8 hour hike made getting to the top in ample time a challenge for me. I knew I did not want to hike down after sunset because I don’t care for hiking in the dark.
We aren’t in the best shape of our lives right now. I for one have two stress fractures and haven’t run in over a month but thank gosh for spin, my quads are still pretty strong so climbing isn’t the worse thing ever. Going up is actually easier than descending for me. We completed Upper Yosemite Falls in exactly 6 hours.
Being late June the falls still had water but they weren’t as glorious as I’m sure they are in Spring. Although the most famous Falls in Yosemite, no doubt — I find Vernal and Nevada to be more impressive for some reason and definitely faster to get to.
I’ve never appreciated dirt trails or granite step free hikes as much as I do after trekking through Yosemite, even in a good hiking boot granite steps for hours on hours on hours starts to tak

Only giving this 3 stars because it was literally the HARDEST HIKE I’VE EVER DONE. I’m no avid hiker by ANY MEANS. My dad and boyfriend wanted to do this hike and I dreaded it since the beginning. I’m an active girl but this was just a whole new level of intensity… We woke up early and took the Yosemite bus to camp 4 to begin at around 8am… anyways long story short this was REALLY TOUGH. Going up was extremely tough but in retrospect I think they way down was even tougher.
Worth it? Sure… but I will never be back to do this hike again. I’ve even heard people say half dome isn’t as tough as this!

Love love loved this place! There were so many great views and lots to see! I was Little sad that we got there late and were able to hike up to the upper Falls but we were able to take lots of great pictures on the lower fall. The lower fall part is handicap accessible. It has all paved walkways up to the lower fall. So it’s a great place to stop and see if you or someone you are with has a wheelchair or assisted devices.

Be sure to come during spring season to get some great views of Yosemite Falls. If you come later in the season, the waterfall may dry up, especially since California is in a drought right now! :) We were fortunate enough to catch the waterfall at its peak flowing state in the early part of April, woohoo!
There is a short hike to see Lower Yosemite Falls, many people go on that walk. If you want to see the top of Upper Yosemite Falls, then there is another more difficult hike to get there, but we didn’t have time to do that this time. :)
Parking available on the side of the street as you approach the falls. It can get crowded fast, so arrive early!

Strenuous hike with lots of direct sun but worth it for the view! The beginning of this hike has steep rocky switchbacks that will take you a while. Then it’s a lot of dirt trails– steep but better than rocky trails. You then go downhill for a while and get your first view of the falls– breathtaking! Then you have a lot more uphill to make up for that downhill. The last hour or so is very steep, rocky, and you have to watch your footing. When you get to the top you have to hike a while to the lookout, down a narrow trail on the edge. The view is amazing if you lean over the edge. I recommend hiking back up and to the right to see the bridge and have lunch near the pools at the top and drop off. It’s a large area at the top with a moderate amount of people but everyone is able to spread out so it doesn’t feel too crowded. The hike back down is difficult because it’s very steep, rocky and slippery. It took us almost 9 hours for the round trip (we spent a good amount of time at the top too) — so I recommend starting early. Bring snacks, achange of socks, sunscreen and lots of water. I drank my entire 2 liter Camelbak and was only ¾ of the way back (I’ve been on longer hikes and never finished my Camelbak)!

Mother of hiking god… Some of the reviews here made me laugh, cringe, and realize why I am in so much pain.
To begin, an excerpt from
:
«Difficulty: High. It’s a long, steep climb from the valley floor to the valley rim, and easily rates an 8 out of 10. Consider this question: would you climb the stairs all the way to the top of the Empire State Building? Well, in the course of your hike to Upper Yosemite Falls, you’ll climb the equivalent of just over two Empire State Buildings.»
To put it in context, this was a spontaneous trip and none of us had a clue what the hike entailed (amateur hour, I know). I recently lived in CO and hiked 14-​ers, I’ve been to Tibet and Everest, but the Upper Falls hike made me hurt more than anything else I have done. Quite frankly, I have never experienced pain like this in my life. I wanted to stop several times but was egged on by my fellow hikers. By the time I was really ready to call it quits, I knew I was way too close to the top to give up.
We started at 1pm, made it to the top just over two hours later, explored the falls and all that is redeeming up there, and then took another two hours or so to stumble down. All of our legs were quivering, knees getting weak, and ankles giving out. I am not proud to admit that I did this hike in Nikes; it was a totally unplanned trip (but I never say no to spontaneity!), so this was the best I had. I did see loads of people doing it in jeans and even button-​up shirts, so I felt a little less like a toolbox. The trail was extremely slippery. There are portions with just rock and just sand, and those are doable, but the parts where the rocks get sandy spell trouble; we had so many near-​slips on the way down.
Would I ever do it again, even if I had my hiking boots? No. Maybe Colorado spoiled me, but I just didn’t see anything special enough that would warrant the pain I experienced. If waterfalls are your thing, however, then I imagine this hike to be borderline life-​changing.

Mother of hiking god… Some of the reviews here made me laugh, cringe, and realize why I am in so much pain.
To begin, an excerpt from
:
Difficulty: High. It’s a long, steep climb from the valley floor to the valley rim, and easily rates an 8 out of 10. Consider this question: would you climb the stairs all the way to the top of the Empire State Building? Well, in the course of your hike to Upper Yosemite Falls, you’ll climb the equivalent of just over two Empire State Buildings.
To put it in context, this was a spontaneous trip and none of us had a clue what the hike entailed (amateur hour, I know). I recently lived in CO and hiked 14-​ers, I’ve been to Tibet and Everest, but the Upper Falls hike made me hurt more than anything else I have done. Quite frankly, I have never experienced pain like this in my life. I wanted to stop several times but was egged on by my fellow hikers. By the time I was really ready to call it quits, I knew I was way too close to the top to give up.
We started at 1pm, made it to the top just over two hours later, explored the falls and all that is redeeming up there, and then took another two hours or so to stumble down. All of our legs were quivering, knees getting weak, and ankles giving out. I am not proud to admit that I did this hike in Nikes; it was a totally unplanned trip (but I never say no to spontaneity!), so this was the best I had. I did see loads of people doing it in jeans and even button-​up shirts, so I felt a little less like a toolbox. The trail was extremely slippery. There are portions with just rock and just sand, and those are doable, but the parts where the rocks get sandy spell trouble; we had so many near-​slips on the way down.
Would I ever do it again, even if I had my hiking boots? No. Maybe Colorado spoiled me, but I just didn’t see anything special enough that would warrant the pain I experienced. If waterfalls are your thing, however, then I imagine this hike to be borderline life-​changing.

I was here in November, during Thanksgiving week. Not a bad trade-​off for cooler conditions and considerably less people. Out of all the areas I explored while at Yosemite, this area was the most populated (besides the Sequoia Grove). The falls were pretty dry, and because of that tons of people were scampering in the bed of the Lower Falls. If I come back, I’ll probably also check out Upper Falls. Despite not being in the best condition, at least I’m relatively slender and can walk for miles without much trouble. So I’m already in better physical condition than the average American.
Since I was mostly on the Lower Falls, I used up a lot of my energy jumping around and climbing up rocks in the bed. I had originally intended in continuing to the Upper Falls that day, but after spending so much time cavorting along the bed of the lower, I was pretty drained. I hadn’t brought enough food from my campsite, and definitely not enough to expend so much energy climbing. It seems like most people were at the Lower Falls, and I didn’t see too many attempting the trek to the Upper one. This was probably because it really was a dry season. From what I’ve read of other reviews, it seems worth it… But maybe only in the summer or spring, when your trek is actually rewarded with seeing the falls flow down.

I bow to the Gods for creating this masterpiece. One of the greatest spots on earth. Period. Not to be missed if you find yourself in the Western Hemisphere.

One of the most iconic scenery in Yosemite.
Around trailhead to Upper Yosemite Falls, there are many «normal» visitors who are sightseeing. More ascending, less fat people, better scenery. Worth going up.

Mosquitos love Yosemite falls make sure you prepare yourself for their attack prior to visiting. If not you will be gifted with tiny welts from the Yosemite mosquitoes and their juicy bite.
Yosemite falls is a must do for any visitor to the valley. It’s a short hike to the base and a great photo opp. It did make me sad that last time I was there the falls looked like they were drying up already, and it was only June.
Yosemite isn’t the same without the falls, hope you get to see them while they are still flowing. The loss of the water flow so early in the season is a reminder of the horrible drought conditions California is currently in. #actonclimate.

Are you sick of having toes? How about knees? Legs in general? Then the 2,900 ft. descent from Yosemite’s Upper Fall should take care of all of those for you. Nothing quite like 3.5 miles of granite trail to make you really feel alive, or want to be dead. ;-)
Fortunately, the hike is absolutely, entirely, without-​a-​doubt worth it. I’ve even done it more than once. In any hiking guide, the Upper Falls hike is noted for being a 6 – 10 hour strenuous hike. If you’re short on time and in decent climbing shape, a two hour ascent is possible. Either way, I wouldn’t start any later than noon.
The fun part of the Falls hike is the diversity of folks making the pilgrimage, and the higher you get, the more friendly people become, perhaps because we’re all realizing that we’ll depend on each other if a knee blows out and someone has to call a ranger. After the first set of switchbacks, the views are gorgeous, so keep going at least to Columbia Rock before turning around. Bring a light backpack with a camera, water bottle, snack, a light windbreaker for the misty part, and a map so you can figure out where the heck you’re going if you decide to keep looking around on top of the Valley. Please don’t wear flip-​flops while hiking the tallest waterfall in North America. I can’t believe how many people screw that part up.
For the acrophobe, prepare to freak the hell out at the Upper Falls overlook, where I personally white-​knuckle the guard rail within an inch of my life. Once you acclimate, though, the sweeping vistas of the Valley make for a primo spot to grub on trail mix and contemplate your existence.
That’s what it’s all about, after all. Enjoy.

After tackling half dome last summer, I was inching to come back to Yosemite. After the challenge of half dome, I thought doing upper Yosemite falls was going to be much easier. In a sense it is, but it also has it’s hard parts.
Upper Yosemite falls is just a gigantic stair stepper that never ends. For 4 – 5 miles, you are constantly climbing with no areas of flat land, at least till you get to the top. People say you are climbing the height of two empire state buildings. The pay off is an amazing view of half dome and a creepy look down at the falls. I would highly recommend doing the extra 1 mile and going to Yosemite point. The view of half dome is break taking from there.
Be careful going down, parts of the hike are slippery because of the mist from the trail. Take your time, there were a couple of times I thought I would eat it and fall down. Trekking poles would make it easier on the knees. I didn’t have any and i felt really sore the day after.
My tips: bring lots of water (a camel back is always a good bet with long hikes), plan for at least 5 – 6 hours of hiking time, bring good hiking shoes with grip, and bring lunch and enjoy it while taking in the beautiful Yosemite valley. On a hot day, bring sunscreen. I got sunburned pretty bad.
Overall a beautiful hike.

My wife planned a hike for us here. I think she may have been trying to kill me. Oh wait, no, we haven’t bought the life insurance yet, so maybe not. (*)
We planned about an hour for this hike, to make it up to Colombia Rock, and maybe push ourselves to go just another half mile further, to the view of the Upper Fall. Boy, did we ever miscalculate how much time we would need!
First — we parked at the Lodge at the Falls parking lot, and crossed the street. The first warning sign was that there was a split — one for Lower Falls, one for Upper Falls. And everyone, and I mean EVERYONE, was heading toward Lower Falls. No worry, I thought — we can do this, I thought. So we follow the «trail» for about 5 – 6 minutes — which isn’t really a trail, but a small asphalt lane. After a few minutes, I start to wonder if we’d taken the wrong path, because we were basically walking on level ground along the road, and walking farther and farther away from where the falls would be.
Then we come upon the next parking lot — would’ve been nice if we’d known to park here, could’ve saved all that extra walking and time! Now we see some HUGE boulders, and we start the real ascent.
And this is where I start to grumble, just a little bit. The back and forth switchbacks were kind of fun at first, but after about 30 (**) of them, I was getting tired and really winded. After about 60 (**) of them, I was starting to wonder why we were doing this. After about 90 (**) of them, I started to question if my wife really did love me, because if she did, why would she put me through this?
Oh, but at one point we hit a clear area, and we looked down, and I had two realizations: 1) Holy moly, we are up REALLY high, and 2) WOW THIS IS A BEAUTIFUL VIEW!
At this point, my daughter decides she can’t go on any further, and so I stay with her while my wife and son go on. A short while after that my daughter and I decide to go down first and let my wife and son continue on their trek, and you can read the next part of our adventure in the review for the Ahwahnee Bar.
(*) Note: I’m just kidding. She wasn’t trying to kill me. She totally loves me. Just maybe underestimated the difficulty of the trail.
(**) Numbers have been greatly exaggerated, I feel. But it really did feel like that many.