Bridalveil Fall Trail

Bridalveil Fall drops 620 feet at the west end of Yosemite Valley and is one of the few waterfalls in the park that runs year-round. The walk to its base is a paved, 0.5-mile round trip with about 80 feet of elevation gain — an easy 20-to-30-minute outing that's one of the quickest payoffs in the whole park.

Getting there

The trailhead parking area is reached from Wawona Road (Highway 41) or Southside Drive. There's no shuttle stop here, so you'll need your own vehicle, and the lot fills quickly on busy days. There's no drinking water at the trailhead, the base of the fall, or the parking area, so carry what you need. The western trail to the base is paved and wheelchair accessible.

Spring roar, late-summer whisper

Timing changes the experience. In spring and early summer, heavy snowmelt sends spray and wind across the trail — expect to get wet near the base, and the viewing platform can be temporarily off-limits when flow is highest. By late summer and fall, the same fall eases into a lighter, swaying curtain of water. Winter brings ice near the base, so footing gets slick.

• Stay on the paved trail — rocks and boulders above the viewing platform are slippery even when dry, and off-trail scrambling here has caused serious injuries.
• Leashed pets are welcome on the paved route.