GoodGood   Horsetail Falls Easy


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Location: Yosemite Village, Yosemite National Park, Mariposa County
Stream: Unnamed
Alternate Names: El Capitan Falls

Height: ~1500 ft.
Access:   car   dog  
Distance: n/a
Elevation: 4000 ft.
Season: Feb-Jun
Form:   horsetail
Lat/Long:37.73008, -119.63679
Directions:On Northside Drive, drive east from Yosemite Lodge 2.5 miles to a picnic area on the right. Park in the picnic area and look up to see the falls.

Horsetail Falls, aka El Capitan Falls, drops 1500 ft. off incredible El Capitan. It is best viewed from a picnic area along Northside Drive. Look way up to the top of the big rock to see the waterfall. You will need at least a 200m zoom lens to get a decent photo. Horsetail Falls also has low drainage and disappears by May or June.

The best time of year to see Horsetail Falls is near the end of February. If you are here on a clear night in February, be sure to visit this waterfall at sunset. The sun strikes the rock in such a way that it appears Horsetail Falls is on fire. This would be an incredible sight to see.

2 Miles WSW Yosemite Valley CA (Elev. 3999 ft)

Today
A 10 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms after 2pm. Mostly cloudy, then gradually becoming sunny, with a high near 69. East northeast wind 5 to 10 mph becoming west southwest in the morning. Winds could gust as high as 15 mph.
Tonight
A 10 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms before 8pm. Mostly clear, with a low around 49. Northwest wind around 5 mph becoming east northeast after midnight.
Saturday
Partly sunny, then gradually becoming sunny, with a high near 71. East northeast wind 5 to 10 mph becoming west southwest in the morning.
Saturday Night
Mostly clear, with a low around 51. West wind 5 to 10 mph becoming east northeast after midnight.
Sunday
Sunny, with a high near 75. East northeast wind 5 to 10 mph becoming west southwest in the afternoon.
Sunday Night
Clear, with a low around 52. West wind 5 to 10 mph becoming east northeast in the evening.
Monday
Sunny, with a high near 73. East northeast wind 5 to 10 mph becoming west southwest in the afternoon. Winds could gust as high as 15 mph.
Monday Night
Mostly clear, with a low around 50. Southwest wind 5 to 10 mph becoming east in the evening. Winds could gust as high as 15 mph.
Tuesday
Sunny, with a high near 68. Southeast wind 5 to 10 mph becoming west southwest in the morning. Winds could gust as high as 15 mph.
Tuesday Night
Partly cloudy, with a low around 47. West southwest wind 5 to 10 mph becoming east in the evening. Winds could gust as high as 15 mph.
Wednesday
A 20 percent chance of rain. Mostly sunny, with a high near 62. South southeast wind 5 to 10 mph becoming west southwest in the morning.
Wednesday Night
A 20 percent chance of rain. Partly cloudy, with a low around 43. West wind 5 to 10 mph becoming east in the evening.
Thursday
A 20 percent chance of rain. Partly sunny, with a high near 58. South wind 5 to 10 mph becoming west southwest in the morning. Winds could gust as high as 15 mph.

Get Google Maps directions to trailhead

Zoom out on map to see all nearby waterfalls:

Other waterfalls nearby:

Ribbon Falls 0.73 miles
Bridalveil Falls 1.07 miles
Sentinel Falls 2.17 miles
Widows Tears 2.28 miles
Silver Strand Falls 2.48 miles
Lower Yosemite Falls 2.59 miles
Upper Yosemite Falls 2.79 miles
Staircase Falls 3.31 miles
Lehamite Falls 3.74 miles
Royal Arch Cascade 3.75 miles
Cascades 4.05 miles
Illilouette Falls 4.15 miles
Tamarack Falls 4.19 miles
Wildcat Falls 4.28 miles
Vernal Falls 4.94 miles
Silver Apron Falls 5.06 miles
Grouse Creek Falls 5.52 miles
Nevada Falls 5.55 miles
Snow Creek Falls 5.93 miles
Tenaya Falls 6.03 miles
Avalanche Creek Falls 6.13 miles
South Fork Tuolumne Falls 6.25 miles
Foresta Falls 7.04 miles
Lower Foresta Falls 7.40 miles
Little Crane Creek Falls 7.60 miles
Chinquapin Falls 7.71 miles
Little Nellie Falls 7.79 miles
Clark Fork Falls 7.96 miles
Merced River Falls 8.30 miles
Lower Pywiack Cascade 8.44 miles
Pywiack Cascade 8.82 miles
Tioga Pass Falls 8.89 miles
Bunnell Cascade 8.93 miles
Alder Creek Falls 9.71 miles

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