About Sentinel Falls
Sentinel Falls is what I’d consider to be one of those second-tier seasonal waterfalls in Yosemite.
What I mean by “second-tier seasonal waterfalls” is that these are more substantial than the ephemeral waterfalls like Horsetail Falls.
However, they’re not in the class of Cascade Falls.
I’d say it’s a little bit below Ribbon Falls in terms of waterflow.
Anyways, I suspect this waterfall got its name from its proximity to the giant monolith towering over it known as Sentinel Rock.
The falls is said to have over 2,000ft in cumulative height as it drops over multiple steps on its way from its source by Pothole Meadows (near the Glacier Point Road) to the valley below.
Speaking of the source, the waterfall is best seen during the peak snowmelt period, which typically happens in the late Spring.
However, over the years, we’ve seen how snow pack levels affect both the timing and the vigor of the falls.
So it’s conceivable that peak flow could happen as early as late March or as late as early June.
We’ve also been here too early when the falls was still frozen in Winter (or merely trickling as the thaw wasn’t extensive yet) as well as too late in Summer when the falls was pretty much dry.
If I had to guess when the best time to see the falls would be given the fluctuations in snow pack levels, I’d reckon the statistics would favor May as the time to see it flow reliably.
Different Ways Of Experiencing Sentinel Falls
As far as viewing Sentinel Falls, the easiest and most obvious location would be the Four-Mile Trailhead on the Southside Drive (see directions below).
That gets you a good look at the stair-stepping characteristic of this waterfall with the Sentinel Rock towering over it.
However, you can also see the falls in a similar context from higher above the trees along the Upper Yosemite Falls Trail as you approach Columbia Point.
For a very unusual and butterflies-in-the-stomach view of Sentinel Falls, you can take the Pohono Trail connecting Sentinel Dome and Taft Point.
That’s where there was an unsigned detour leading to the edge of cliffs with a vertigo-inducing look right down at the multi-tiered waterfall.
The issue with seeing the falls this way was that I had to crawl on my belly and peer over the cliff’s edge down at the cascading waterfall.
Needless to say, this induced intense butterflies in my stomach as there wasn’t much real estate between my body and gravity threatening to plunge me over a thousand feet below!
Finally, there’s a more direct view of Sentinel Falls and Sentinel Rock from across Leidig Meadow along the Northside Drive.
Unfortunately, there are very few (if any) pullouts along the road in that area, but it is possible to park in lots near Camp 4, and then walk on trails towards the open part of the meadow.
This is actually becoming a more common way to see Sentinel Falls with the Firefall Restrictions that the National Park Service is putting into effect since 2022, but during those months, the falls would typically be frozen.
Authorities
Sentinel Falls resides in Yosemite National Park. For information or inquiries about the park as well as current conditions, visit the National Park Service website.
Since this waterfall sits in Yosemite Valley, there are many ways to experience it, and we’ll briefly break down how we’ve been able to experience the Sentinel Falls.
Four-Mile Trailhead
The most obvious place to view this waterfall was at the trailhead for the Four-Mile Trail at signpost V18 along the Southside Drive.
From the pullout here, the area was open enough to be able to see the falls along with Sentinel Rock without too many trees getting in the way.
Upper Yosemite Falls Trail
For a more elevated perspective of Sentinel Falls, that came from the trail to Upper Yosemite Falls, which began near signpost V5 just by Camp 4 on the Northside Drive.
I started to get views across the valley in about a mile into the hike as I approached the Columbia Point Lookout.
Pohono Trail
Finally, I managed to experience this waterfall near its brink along the Pohono Trail.
To get here, I started on the Sentinel Dome and Taft Point trail at signpost G8 on Glacier Point Road, then I found my way to the Pohono Trail, which links both the Taft Point Trail and Sentinel Dome Trail on the other side of Sentinel Dome.
This trail crosses Sentinel Creek, and that was where I found a detour that took me right to the cliff’s edge near the brink of the falls.
It’s definitely NOT for those with acrophobia.
Leidig Meadow
For a different and much quieter view of the waterfall, we went to Leidig Meadow, which was accessed from the Northside Drive west of Yosemite Lodge.
We managed to spot a trail that went into the wooded meadow with sporadic opportunities to get more direct views of Sentinel Falls that most people probably overlook since this trail didn’t seem to be very well-used.
As a matter of fact, we weren’t able to spot any formal car parks or pullouts near this meadow, which probably explained why it was so quiet here.
I actually had to find an informal pullout beside Northside Drive as I went west of Camp 4, and then, I had to walk along the road until I found a trail I could take into the meadow itself (though this has changed with the latest Firefall Restrictions).
For a little geographical context, we generally arrive at the valley from Los Angeles by taking the I-5 north then the Hwy 99 north to Fresno. From there, we take the Hwy 41 north through Coarsegold, Oakhurst, Fish Camp, etc. through the South Entrance of Yosemite and ultimately to the valley via Wawona. This drive would typically take us around 6 hours (without traffic).
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Top down sweep of both Sentinel Rock and Sentinel Falls from Four Mile Trailhead
Bottom up sweep from the relatively unknown Leidig Meadow
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Sentinel Falls Yosemite NP October 5, 2022 8:56 pm - I took this shot so many years ago and not certain this is "Sentinal Falls" in Yosemite NP but I think so. Magical. This was taken roadside from the Valley. ...Read MoreNearest Waterfalls
