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Location: Hetch Hetchy Reservoir, Yosemite National Park, Tuolumne County
Stream: Falls Creek
Alternate Names:

Height: ~1300 ft.
Access:   hike   nodog  
Distance: 4.6 miles (RT)
Elevation: 3800 ft. (+300 ft.)
Season: Apr-Jun
Form:   tiered
Lat/Long:37.96609, -119.76604
Directions:Drive to Hetch Hetchy Reservoir, one mile west of Big Oak Flat park entrance. The reservoir is 16 miles along Hetch Hetchy Rd.

Wapama Falls is the jewel of Hetch Hetchy Reservoir, and a must see visit in the spring. Try not to neglect going to Hetch Hetchy while on your visit to Yosemite Valley.

It is an easy 2.5 mile hike along the reservoir to Wapama Falls. Just a little past Tueeulala Falls, Wapama Falls is more powerful and impressive. It is a 1300 ft. long cascade, which rages in the spring-time. We got very wet just crossing the bridge over Falls Creek, where Wapama Falls flows over (instead of under) in some places. Then we climbed up on the rocks to have lunch with a great view of both waterfalls. If Wapama Falls is really raging strong in the spring, it will be impossible to cross the bridge (and possibly deadly if you try it), but this will only be the case at the height of snow melt.

I have seen Wapama Falls listed at a height of 1700 ft. But is actually around 1300 ft. tall. The higher figure probably originates from before the O'Shaughnessy Dam was built. At that time, Wapama Falls would have been about 400 ft. higher than it is today.

There is one more waterfall in the Hetch Hetchy Reservoir area, 30 ft. Rancheria Falls. It is a long 4 miles past Wapama Falls, with a 1200 ft. elevation gain. We did not make the long trip out to see it when we were here.

Get Google Maps directions to trailhead

Zoom out on map to see all nearby waterfalls:

Other waterfalls nearby:

Tueeulala Falls 0.38 miles
Hetch Hetchy Falls 0.61 miles
Lower Falls Creek Falls 1.46 miles
Tiltill Creek Falls 2.22 miles
Far Lower Rancheria Falls 2.51 miles
Lower Rancheria Falls 2.67 miles
Rancheria Falls 3.03 miles
Upper Frog Creek Falls 3.28 miles
Middle Frog Creek Falls 3.63 miles
Frog Creek Falls 3.69 miles
Upper Eleanor Creek Falls 3.96 miles
Eleanor Creek Falls 4.12 miles
Far Upper Eleanor Creek Falls 4.67 miles
Bartlett Creek Falls 4.70 miles
Middle Falls Creek Falls 5.08 miles
Branigan Lake Falls 5.29 miles
Kibbie Creek Falls 5.66 miles
Falls Creek Falls 5.71 miles
Upper Morrison Creek Falls 7.84 miles
Morrison Creek Falls 8.21 miles
Preston Falls 8.28 miles
East Fork Cherry Creek Falls 9.20 miles
Kibbie Ridge Falls 9.21 miles
Upper Cherry Creek Canyon Falls 9.34 miles
Far Lower Cherry Creek Canyon Falls 9.47 miles
Lower Cherry Creek Canyon Falls 9.48 miles
Middle Cherry Creek Canyon Falls 9.56 miles
Cherry Bomb Falls 9.63 miles
Lower Piute Creek Falls 9.78 miles
Far Lower Piute Creek Falls 9.95 miles
Lower West Cherry Creek Falls 9.96 miles

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