Illilouette Fall

Even with its relatively obscure location, there are a variety of ways to visit this waterfall. So we're highlighting some of these methods below.

Closest view of Illilouette Fall: In order to get that view of the waterfall like you see at the top of this page, you're gonna have to hike for about 4 miles round trip from Glacier Point.

Only 4 miles you say? NBD (no big deal)?

Well, realize that this is going to be an upside down hike losing 1200ft in elevation, which you have to get back as you make your way up back to your car at Glacier Point. The walk goes through an area once burned by fire so you don't get much tree cover either, and you're somewhat at elevation (Glacier Point is around 6600ft I believe). Plus, the vantage point is right at the edge of a sloping cliff so if you're not sure-footed and afraid of heights, you might be stuck with a pretty subpar view of the falls. If you make it down to Illilouette Creek and its footbridge, you won't get to see this waterfall's frontside anymore.

Nonetheless, this trail gives you a taste of the longer Panorama Trail shuttle hike, and doesn't receive many hikers compared to other parts of the park. In fact, two times that we've done this hike, we managed to see deer (one time, it was a whole family of them).

If you have a wide-angle lens, you might be able to compose a photo with both Half Dome and Illilouette Fall in the same shot! This was something I never did until a recent trip in June 2011.

Glacier Point is accessed by car (or by Hiker's Bus; reservations necessary) at the end of Glacier Point Road, which is closed in Winter and most of Spring due to snow (signpost G11). The Hiker's Bus is an especially attractive option if you want to do the entire 8.5-mile Panorama Trail hike which starts at Glacier Point and ends at the Happy Isles Nature Center (a loss of about 3200ft). But if you have two vehicles in your party, it's also possible (though a lot of trouble) to leave a car parked at each end of the hike to do the shuttle hike as well.

John Muir Trail Near the Vernal Fall Footbridge: Thousands of hikers flock to Vernal Fall and the footbridge at the one-mile point of the Happy Isles hike and not even notice Illilouette Fall making an appearance off in the distance to your right a few minutes before you get to the footbridge. You're only getting an sideways view of the waterfall, but you definitely can see its full extent as well as the tumbling Illilouette Creek as it makes its way towards joining the Merced River.

Happy Isles is at signpost V24, which is reachable from Upper Pines Campground (if you're staying there) or from a shuttle bus (Curry Village is the nearest car park; about a mile away).

North Dome: You get similar profile views of the falls from this nearly 10-mile trail (if you're including the side hike to the Indian Rock Arch, which might be the only significant natural arch in the park) as you descend towards the summit of North Dome. The only difference is that you're looking down at the waterfall instead of up from the Vernal Fall-Happy Isles part of the trail.

To get to the trailhead for North Dome, you have to drive on the Summer-only Tioga Road (Road 120) and look for a fairly large car park near signpost T19. This car park yields the shortest hike to get to North Dome.

Sweep from right to left starting at Illilouette Fall and ending at a partial view of the Giant Stairway

View World of Waterfalls in a larger map

TRIP REPORTS

• June 1, 2002
• July 6, 2002
• June 2, 2011

GUIDEBOOKS / OTHER RESOURCES

NEARBY WATERFALLS

• Nevada Falls
• Vernal Fall
• Yosemite Falls

Have You Been To This Waterfall?

Share your experience!

Click here to see visitor comments for this waterfall

Click here to see visitor comments for other waterfalls that we've visited in this region

Click here to go to the Comments Main Page

What Other Visitors Have Said

Click below to see contributions from other visitors to this page...