Illilouette Falls
Yosemite West, Yosemite National Park
| Address: | Illilouette Falls Bridge, Yosemite Village, CA 95389, USA |
| GPS: |
37°42'48.1"N 119°33'40.1"W Maps | Directions |
| State: | California |
| Trail Length: | 4.00 miles |
| Trail Type: | Out & Back |
| Hike Difficulty: | Beginner |
| Elevation Gain: | 1200 feet |
| Trails/Routes: | 0.4-2.1 mi |
Waterfalls Streams Trails Wildflowers
Hike
Illilouette Falls Trail is a 4 mile hike down to Illilouette Creek, where there is a footbridge, a great view of Illilouette Falls, and several benches for onlookers to stop, rest, and enjoy a snack. The hike begins at Glacier Point, but it actually starts going downhill, making the return trip the more difficult one of the two.
To get an even better view of the falls, some choose to take the Panorama Trail once reaching the creek. This trail is an extra mile long and leads to a slightly dangerous lookout over Illilouette Falls. The Panorama Trail is peaceful, less traveled, and it's not uncommon for hikers to come across deer on their way to the Falls. The first half of the Panorama Trail also provides views of Half Dome and Nevada and Vernal Falls. After reaching the lookout, you can turn around and make your way back to the car, or you can continue on for another three miles to reach the mist trail.
Like most waterfalls in Yosemite Valley, Illilouette Falls flows all year but is at its peak in the spring and summer months. In the fall and winter months, the falls tend to dry up.
More Information
Be courteous, informed, and prepared. Read trailhead guidelines, stay on the trail, and don't feed the wildlife.
Read More
- Plan Ahead and Prepare
- Travel & camp on durable surfaces
- Dispose of waste properly
- Leave what you find
- Minimize campfire impacts
- Respect wildlife
- Be considerate of other visitors
Directions
From Yosemite West, Yosemite National Park
- Head southwest on Northside Dr toward Cook's Meadow LoopToll road(2.9 mi)
- Keep right to stay on Northside DrToll road(2.1 mi)
- Turn left onto Southside DrToll road(0.9 mi)
- Slight right onto CA-41 S/Wawona RdContinue to follow Wawona RdToll road(9.2 mi)
- Turn left onto Glacier Point RdToll roadParts of this road may be closed at certain times or days(15.0 mi)
There is parking just outside the trailhead at Glacier Point.
Trails
Distance ?
2.1 milesElevation Gain ?
-1,387 feetReal Ascent ?
121 feetReal Descent ?
1,508 feetAvg Grade (-7°)
-13%Grade (-37° to 11°)
-76% to 19%Distance ?
0.4 milesElevation Gain ?
326 feetReal Ascent ?
524 feetReal Descent ?
198 feetAvg Grade (9°)
16%Grade (-35° to 36°)
-71% to 73%Elevation differences are scaled for emphasis. While the numbers are accurate, the cut-away shown here is not to scale.
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