Grand Canyon of the Tuolumne Trail

From Tuolumne Meadows, the Tuolumne River drops through a granite gorge nearly 3,000 feet deep, carving waterfall after waterfall on its way toward the Central Valley. Hikers come for the swimming holes cut into slickrock, the roar of whitewater in a canyon most park visitors never see, and — for those willing to go the distance — one of the odder natural spectacles in the Sierra: a waterfall that shoots sideways.

The Trail

The route follows the Tuolumne Wild and Scenic River downstream from the Lembert Dome trailhead, passing Tuolumne Falls, White Cascade, and the Glen Aulin High Sierra Camp before reaching LeConte Falls and Waterwheel Falls, named for the arcs of water that shoot off submerged rock knobs and curl back on themselves. The out-and-back to Waterwheel Falls runs about 18 miles round trip and is rated hard — most hikers treat it as an overnight. Push past the falls and the trail keeps descending toward Pate Valley, a route long-distance backpackers cover as a multi-day, point-to-point trip through some of the least-visited terrain in the park.

When to Go

The canyon is accessible roughly June through October, once Tioga Road clears of snow. Early-season hikers see the waterfalls at full volume but face higher, colder river crossings; later in summer the water drops and crossings ease, though the canyon runs hotter and drier.

Permits and Safety

Any overnight stay requires a Yosemite wilderness permit, and a bear-resistant food canister is mandatory for backcountry camping in the canyon. The granite along the river stays smooth and often wet — stick to established swimming holes well below the falls and stay off the rock at the lip of any drop. Yosemite's waterfalls have a real history of fatal slips and drownings, and this canyon is no exception.