Wapama Falls
Groveland, California
Address: | Hetch Hetchy Reservoir, California, USA |
GPS: |
37°56'47.3"N 119°47'14.9"W Maps | Directions |
State: | California |
Trail Length: | 4.60 miles |
Trail Type: | Out & Back |
Hike Difficulty: | Intermediate |
Elevation Gain: | 954 feet |
Trails/Routes: | 4.7 mi |
Lakes Rivers Waterfalls Streams Trails Rocks Wildflowers National Park
Backpack and Hike
A 5 mile hike along the shoreline of the Hetch Hetchy reservoir will take you to one of Yosemite's famous waterfalls. The hike to the fall is moderate, takes about 2.5-5 hours to complete and offers views of Tueeulala, mountains and the reservoir.
Wapama Falls currently stands at 1000 ft, but it was an extra 400 ft taller before the dam was built. Once the water raised from the dam, the bottom of Wapama Falls became engulfed into the Hetch Hetchy Reservoir.
This hike is one of the most engaging hikes in Yosemite. Walk over a bridge to cross the O'Shaughnessy Dam, go through a short tunnel, and prepare to get sprayed by the falls. Though the hike is along the reservoir, boating and swimming is not permitted, which adds to the solitude and peacefulness of the hike. There is a bridge at the bottom of Wapama Falls that offers different viewpoints of the falls, the Hetch Hetchy reservoir, and the O'Shaughnessy Dam, but it's possible for the water to get high enough to flow over the bridge after particularly wet winters.
Because of the power of the raging waters, Wapama Falls trail stays closed throughout the winter and early spring. Even once the trail is open, it is still possible the water may be too high, flooding the bridge and making it dangerous and impassable. Later in the season is the best time to visit because the water is low enough to make crossing the bridges and exploring the reservoir safe. The hike to see Wapama Falls is a relatively short trail that offers some of the most amazing views of a part of Yosemite few people take the time to visit.
More Information
Be courteous, informed, and prepared. Read trailhead guidelines, stay on the trail, and don't feed the wildlife.
Read MoreDirections
From Groveland, California
- Head northeast on CA-120 E/Main St toward Back StContinue to follow CA-120 E(13.9 mi)
- Turn left onto Cherry Lake Rd/Forest Rte 1N07 (75 ft)
- Turn right to stay on Cherry Lake Rd/Forest Rte 1N07Continue to follow Forest Rte 1N07(5.3 mi)
- Slight right onto Forest Rte 1S02 (3.4 mi)
- Continue onto Mather Rd (381 ft)
- Continue straight (1.3 mi)
- Continue onto Forest Rte 1S02/Mather Rd (2.6 mi)
- Continue onto Hetch Hetchy Rd (1.6 mi)
- Continue onto Evergreen Rd (0.2 mi)
- Continue onto Hetch Hetchy Rd (2.6 mi)
- Continue onto Evergreen RdDestination will be on the right(4.9 mi)
Park at Hetch Hetchy, cross the dam and go through the tunnel to meet the trailhead.
Trails
Distance ?
4.7 miles Round TripElevation Gain ?
40 feetReal Ascent ?
845 feetReal Descent ?
805 feetAvg Grade (0°)
0%Grade (-50° to 53°)
-118% to 133%Elevation differences are scaled for emphasis. While the numbers are accurate, the cut-away shown here is not to scale.
Other Hiking Trails and Backpacking Trails Nearby
Hetch Hetchy Reservoir
Groveland, California
0.2 miles NELocated thirty minutes outside Yosemite Valley, Hetch Hetchy has the longest hiking season in the park. It's home to the O'Shaughnessy Dam and Wapama Falls. Since...
Backpack, HikeHarden Lake
Big Oak Flat, Yosemite National Park
9.2 miles SEThe hike to Harden Lake at Yosemite is essentially a long walk. Much of the trail is walking down Tioga Road, an old gravel street that has been part of Yosemite since its foundation. The trail is...
Backpack, Hike 0.7 miLukens Lake
Tuolumne Meadows, Yosemite National Park
11.5 miles SELukens Lake is a small lake in the White Wolf area of Yosemite National Park. The hike is a short, 1.6 mile walk through a forest to the secluded lake surrounded by trees and a small...
Hike, SwimCrane Flat
Big Oak Flat, Yosemite National Park
13.7 miles SCrane Flat Campground is a meadow and forest between Tuolumne and Merced Groves of Giant Sequoias. The campground is 30 minutes outside Yosemite Valley, has restrooms and picnic...
Backpack, Camp, Hike, SnowshoeGods Bath
Phoenix Lake-Cedar Ridge, CA, California
14.7 miles WGod's Bath swimming hole in the Clavey River is a beautiful and popular location to take a dive in. However, the hike to get there is about one mile of rock climbing. The trailhead begins on...
Hike, Swim 5.7 miTen Lakes
Tuolumne Meadows, Yosemite National Park
14.8 miles EA 6.4 mile hike will lead you to three of the Ten Lakes at Ten Lakes Basin. There are three possible trails to take to see this phenomenon. The shortest begins at Yosemite Creek. The other two...
Backpack, Camp, Hike 2.9 miUpper Yosemite Falls
Yosemite Valley, Yosemite National Park
17.3 miles SEYosemite Falls is the tallest waterfall in North America, standing at 2,425 feet. It's made up of Upper Yosemite Falls, Lower Yosemite Falls, and the middle cascades. Lower Yosemite Falls...
Hike 0.2 miRibbon Falls
Yosemite Valley, Yosemite National Park
17.3 miles SEStanding at 1612 ft tall, Ribbon Falls is one of the tallest waterfalls in Yosemite Valley and the longest single-drop waterfall in North America. It's visible from El Capitan road as you...
Hike 0.8 miLower Yosemite Falls
Yosemite Valley, Yosemite National Park
17.3 miles SEYosemite Falls is 3,967 feet high, making it twice as tall as the Empire State building, ten times as tall as Niagara Falls, and one of Yosemite Valley's biggest attractions. Lower...
HikeHorsetail Falls
Yosemite Valley, Yosemite National Park
17.4 miles SEHorsetail Falls is located near El Capitan Valley in Yosemite. Around mid to late February, the fall gains popularity due to the way the orange glow of the sunset radiates off of it. In order to...
Hike 1.2-1.6 miMay Lake
Yosemite Valley, Yosemite National Park
17.5 miles SEMay lake is a relatively small lake that rests at the base of Mt. Hoffman in Yosemite National Park. One of the park's most scenic lakes, May lake not only gets up close and personal with...
Hike, Swim 0.7 miCook's Meadow Loop
Yosemite Valley, Yosemite National Park
17.5 miles SECook's Meadow Loop is a shorter, smaller hike inside Sentinel Meadow. Cook's Meadow Loop is just under a mile and takes about 45 minutes to complete, depending on how long you stop at each...
Hike 15.9 miValley Loop Trail
Yosemite Valley, Yosemite National Park
17.5 miles SEThe Valley Loop trail at the heart of Yosemite is one of the best ways to discover the park. The entire loop is 11.5 miles long, and there are several places to enter and exit the trail...
Hike 0.2 miBridalveil Falls
Yosemite Valley, Yosemite National Park
17.7 miles SEKnown for being the focal point for one of Ansel Adams' most famous photographs, Bridalveil Falls is one of the first waterfalls you see as you enter Yosemite. The path to get there...
Hike 4.0 miNorth Dome
Yosemite Valley, Yosemite National Park
18.1 miles SENorth Dome is a strenuous 10.4 mile hike that gives visitors a close up view straight at Half Dome from across the valley. It also has a unique view of Clouds Rest peak. Because the hike...
Backpack, Hike 4.6 miFour Mile Trail
Yosemite National Park
18.4 miles SEFour Mile Trail is a moderate hike that offers the best views of some of Yosemite's most famous landmarks, including Yosemite Falls, Half Dome, Clouds Rest, North Dome, El Capitan, and the Royal...
Hike 2.1 miSnow Creek Falls
Yosemite Valley, Yosemite National Park
18.6 miles SESnow Creek is one of the more difficult waterfalls to find in the valley, but in the spring and summer months, the elusive waterfall can be seen from the Mirror Lake Trail, a 5 mile loop around...
Backpack, HikeMirror Lake
Yosemite Valley, Yosemite National Park
18.9 miles SEMirror Lake is a seasonal lake situated in a secluded corner of the beautiful Yosemite Valley. The lake sits at the base of Half Dome and allows a different perspective of the famous monolith....
Backpack, Hike, Swim 1.2 miTaft Point
Yosemite Valley, Yosemite National Park
19.0 miles SEThe hike to Taft Point is often paired with the hike to Sentinel Dome. There is a 5 mile loop that connects the two and offers breathtaking views of the valley along the south rim. The trailhead...
Hike 0.3 miGlacier Point
Yosemite National Park
19.1 miles SELocated in Yosemite National Park, Glacier Point gives a birds-eye-view of the park you can't find anywhere else. It can be accessed by both hiking and driving through the park, though the roads...
HikeNearby Campsites
Crane Flat
Big Oak Flat, Yosemite National Park
13.7 miles SCrane Flat Campground is a meadow and forest between Tuolumne and Merced Groves of Giant Sequoias. The campground is 30 minutes outside Yosemite Valley, has restrooms and picnic...
Backpack, Camp, Hike, Snowshoe 5.7 miTen Lakes
Tuolumne Meadows, Yosemite National Park
14.8 miles EA 6.4 mile hike will lead you to three of the Ten Lakes at Ten Lakes Basin. There are three possible trails to take to see this phenomenon. The shortest begins at Yosemite Creek. The other two...
Backpack, Camp, HikeMerced River
Yosemite Valley, Yosemite National Park
18.0 miles SEThe main fork of Merced River at Yosemite National Park is a perfect place to fish, swim, raft, and even pan for gold. The river circles around the center of Yosemite Valley, and almost every...
Camp, Swim, Whitewater 6.0 miGlen Aulin
Wawona, California
20.2 miles EThis is an 11 mile hike along the Tuolumne River to Glen Aulin. There is a view to take in at every turn on this hike, whether it's the Tuolumne River, Tuolumne Fall, Soda Springs,...
Backpack, Camp, HikeGlen Aulin
Glen Aulin, California
20.2 miles EThis trail is a popular route to take in the Yosemite High Country because it is a good introductory hike into the backcountry. At the end of the hike there are several waterfalls as well as a...
Backpack, Camp, Hike, SwimTuolumne Meadows
Tuolumne County, California
24.6 miles EA beautiful alpine meadow found in the upper Sierra Nevada Mountains. Open during the summer, this meadow offers excellent views of nearby granite domes and mountains. There is a roadway through...
Camp, HikeBriceburg Recreation Area
Midpines, California
26.5 miles SWCamp, Kayak, and Swim near Midpines, California
Camp, Kayak, Swim 4.0 miSaddlebag Lake
Lee Vining, California
28.1 miles EA man-made lake found in the Inyo forest, resting at about 10,008 feet above sea level, Saddlebag Lake is located just outside the Tioga Pass entrance to Yosemite National Park. This lake has some of...
Camp, Canoe, HikeCrystal Lake
Mammoth Lakes, California
48.7 miles SEUnlike many hikes in the Sierra's, Crystal lake can be done as a day hike and as the perfect way to get away for a bit. As hikers make their way to the lake, they will see the monolith Crystal...
Camp, Hike