Half Mile Plunge
The difference between Yosemite National Park on a weekday and a weekend? Parking. A Saturday visit to Yosemite Valley meant grabbing any available parking spot and using the frequent shuttle buses to get around the park. The lower Valley is a higher traffic area to begin with -offering river rafting, horseback riding, cycling and fishing as well as camping and lodging. One way to avoid the crowds is to focus on the more challenging trails. An even better idea is to plan your visit for weekdays.
We found a less-trafficked route to Yosemite Falls. One of the Park’s more popular attractions, the Falls drop a dramatic 2420 feet in total -almost half a mile! Water flow is estimated at a powerful 2400 gallons/second (9000 liters/second).
From Yosemite Creek in the high country, water surges over the Upper Fall and through the Middle Cascades before a final plunge over the Lower Fall. From here it roars on into the Merced River, a stampede of water molecules sweeping along anything within its path. The violent rumbling fills the ears and vibrates up the feet in late June. But, in summer? Yosemite Falls fades to a gentle mist that gives no hint of its escalated springtime flow.
It certainly is a tall waterfall, must be spectacular after a heavy rainfall. Thanks for the tips on traffic flows as well.
I think the Yosemite Valley floor with its stupendous waterfalls, dramatic rock walls, Mirror Lake and lush greenery is one of the best places in the world. Sadly so do many thousands of others.
Wow, I would like to experience the violent rumbling that fills the ears and vibrates up the feet.
fantastic!!
Fantastic pictures, there are so many wonderful places on this earth we will never be able to vist, but thanks to people like you we can at least see their beauty.
Beautiful photos and post, Heather!!! I have always wanted to visit Yosemite and you have me all fired up for a trip.
How AWESOME you have experienced this.
Hugs, JJ
Thanks for sharing, nice photography. Well done. I’m trying to conjure up a few vacation ideas. I’ll put this place on the list.
The power of Nature is always astounding.
Cate: With the volume of water rushing past, it was hard to imagine it could ever run dry. When in San Francisco I met a man who told me about his “Yosemite summer” as a sixteen year old. He said that in the dry season campers used to pour campfire ashes from the top of the falls creating a sort of “firefall”.
Mark: Even without all the falls flowing, it is some of America’s most beautiful country. I’d love to see it in the less crowded early fall; although, a week day visit does cut down on the crowd situation.
Rainfield: Music can do the same thing, can’t it? It’s good to feel slightly overwhelmed by nature’s power from time to time.
Thank you, Donald. There are so many worthy destinations. ~Seems like you can’t see one place without stirring curiosity about another!
JJ: You and Jeff would really appreciate Yosemite’s majesty. It’s on the edge of truly unbelievable.
Thanks Mike. I’ll check out your site!
Suzanne: Isn’t it, though? In our present somewhat jaded age, I’m glad there are still things in the world that can astound us.
I sooo want to go back there! I like that you talk about Yosemite.
Keith
[...] 317 feet Vernal Falls is rather short compared to towering Yosmite Falls (2420 feet) and Bridalveil (670 feet), but it packs the power of a heavy lifter, tossing down a river of water [...]