Bridalveil Fall

Bridalveil Fall (that's right, they omit the "s" from Bridalveil Falls) is one of the iconic waterfalls of

The waterfall is said to be 620ft height and is one of the few waterfalls in the park that flows year-round. Even though its drainage is much smaller than that of Yosemite Falls (which doesn't flow year-round), this waterfall has a more lush and shaded drainage which keeps Bridalveil Creek flowing and thus keeps the waterfall flowing.

We've managed to experience this waterfall in a variety of ways, which we're going to explain below.

Base of Bridalveil Fall: If you want to get up close and personal with this waterfall, this is the way to do it. A 1/4-mile paved walk (wheelchair accessible) leads right to the base of the waterfall. During the Spring snowmelt, the entire base is soaked in mist as the falling water scatters in that self-generated puffing evil wind. In the Winter, there could be ice on the trail, but the falls has lower flow and could be flanked by snow. Towards the late afternoon, you can see a rainbow arcing near the misty base.

The car park for the short walk to its base is at signpost W1, which sits about 1.5 miles downhill from the Tunnel View (the busy lookout point just as you leave the tunnel on Hwy 41).

Tunnel View: As mentioned above, this viewpoint is where you can take your shot at replicating that Gates of Yosemite photograph. Typically, if you're driving to Yosemite Valley from Fresno along Hwy 41, the dramatic scene unfolds just as you leave the tunnel.

It's a good thing they make you slow down as you leave the tunnel so you can both react to the dramatic scene unfolding and still have the wherewithall to turn right into one of the car parks on either side of the road to stop the car and take in the scene. If you've got the Yosemite Road Guide published by the Yosemite Association, this car park is at signpost W2.

Valley View: Similar to the Tunnel View, you still get the Gates of Yosemite subjects. However, this lookout sits on the valley floor alongside the Merced River at signpost V11 near where the Northside Drive junctions with both the Southside Drive as well as Merced Road (leading to both Big Oak Flat Road and the Arch Rock or Western Entrance).

Bridalveil Fall across the Merced River: From this vantage point at signpost V10, you can see the waterfall from across the river. The falls towers of the trees at its base and you can even see the Leaning Tower rock formation to the right of the falls. There's a large pullout area so you can stop the car and check out this scene before continuing further along the Northside Drive to Valley View about 0.8 miles later.

Bridalveil Fall from Southside Drive: You can see the mammoth waterfall juxtaposed with the Leaning Tower from the Southside Drive at signpost V14. Actually there are very long pullouts on both sides of the road so there's ample space and time to just pull over and admire the waterfall and the surrounding granite formations. Moreover, you can look across the valley from here and see Ribbon Falls as well as El Capitan.

Bridalveil Fall from Big Oak Flat Road: There still yet another way to see this waterfall from a very different vantage point. This one involves driving up (or down) the Big Oak Flat Road (Hwy 120) and pulling over at signpost B3 (probably more easily accessed if you're going towards the valley since you'll have to make a left turn to get into the pullout). It's right in front of a tunnel as you're headed away from the valley (or after the 3rd and last tunnel as you're headed towards the valley).

What makes this vantage point different is that you can see along the Merced River and its rugged canyon before the waterfall backing the entire scene.

Additional photos we've got of this falls are shown below.

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Misty view of the waterfall from its base during high flow; you can definitely understand why the falls was called Pohono by Native Americans when you're here.

Bridalveil Creek en route to the base of the waterfall.

Paved walkway to the base of the waterfall

More recent (June 2011) photo from Valley View (notice Ribbon Falls on the far left)

More recent (June 2011) photo from Southside Drive

More recent (June 2011) photo from Tunnel View

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Bottom up sweep of the falls fronted by the Merced River


Semi-circular sweep starting from the Wawona Tunnel, focusing on Silver Strand Falls, then ending at he Gates of Yosemite Valley


Left to right sweep starting with Ribbon Falls then sweeping up from the bottom to the top of Bridalveil Fall

View World of Waterfalls in a larger map

TRIP REPORTS

• June 4, 2011

GUIDEBOOKS / OTHER RESOURCES

NEARBY WATERFALLS

• Ribbon Falls
• Horsetail Falls
• Sentinel Falls
• Yosemite Falls
• Silver Strand Falls
• Widow's Tears
• Cascade Falls
• Wildcat Falls

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