Yosemite National Park United States

Upper Yosemite Fall

One of the park's oldest and toughest trails, climbing beside North America's tallest waterfall to the Valley rim.

  • 11.6 km
  • 6–8 hours
  • strenuous
  • Best Apr–Jun

Photo by Mick Haupt on Unsplash

At a glance

Camp 4 to the top of Yosemite Falls

Distance
11.6 km · 7.2 mi
Elevation gain
823 m · 2,700 ft
Highest point
2,046 m · 6,713 ft
Time
6–8 hours
Difficulty
Strenuous
Route
Out and back

Elevation profile

Elevation from 1221 m to 2046 m over 5.7 km; lowest 1221 m, highest 2046 m.1,2001,7002,1000.0 km2.9 km5.7 km
Measured on the map, one way: 5.7 km, about +945 m of climbing, 1,221–2,046 m. © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL); elevation: NASA SRTM via OpenTopoData.

Plan your trip

Best months: Apr–Jun

Permits & fees
No permit needed for this trail; park entry rules still apply.
Getting there
Start near Camp 4 (Valley shuttle stop #7).
Good to know
  • No water on the trail — the park suggests about 4 quarts for the full hike.
  • Columbia Rock (2 mi round trip) makes a good shorter goal.

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Tips from hikers

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Sources

Official figures where published; other numbers are measured on the map and approximate. Conditions and rules change — confirm with the official source before you go.