Bridalveil Fall Viewpoint

Bridalveil Fall drops 620 feet from a hanging valley at the west end of Yosemite Valley, and it's one of the easiest waterfalls in the park to reach — a paved half-mile round trip from the parking area near the Wawona Road/Southside Drive junction, with no scrambling required. It's also one of the few falls in Yosemite that runs year-round, fed by a drainage that keeps at least some water moving even after the spring melt fades.

On the Trail

The National Park Service finished a multi-year rehabilitation of this area in 2023, replacing the old cracked pavement with a new boardwalk, updated wayfinding, and rebuilt restrooms and parking. The route is about 0.5 miles round trip with roughly 80 feet of elevation gain, rated easy, and takes most people about 20 minutes. A wheelchair-accessible viewing platform sits roughly halfway up the path; beyond it, the grade steepens on the way to the final viewpoint at the base — still paved, but no longer level.

Best Time to Visit

Flow peaks during snowmelt from roughly late April through June, when spray can drift well past the platform and afternoon sun sometimes throws a rainbow across the mist — expect to get a little wet, and the granite near the base can be slick. By late summer the fall thins substantially and some years slows to a trickle, a much quieter visit than the spring roar.

Good to Know

• Distance: About 0.5 miles round trip on the paved main route, roughly 20 minutes at an easy pace
• Elevation gain: About 80 feet
• Access: Open year-round; parking is just off Wawona Road near the valley's west end