Fall, 2009 and Spring, 2013

Nevada Fall has been in the news recently, as a young man fell while taking a selfie near the top of this waterfall. It’s a tragic reminder of the need to be very careful when hiking these trails.

Nevada is a Spanish word meaning “snowy.” The Native American name was Yo-wy-we, for the twisting nature of this fall. Fed by the Merced River, it free falls for about the first third, then hits a steep slick-rock slope for the final two-thirds.

It is possible to hike to the top of Nevada Fall by following the Mist Trail another 1.5 miles from Vernal Fall. If you want a longer hike, with different scenery, you can take the John Muir Trail which starts in Yosemite Park and passes by Nevada Fall before continuing 215 miles through Southern California. This trail traverses the Ansel Adams Wilderness, King’s Canyon National Park, and Sequoia National Park, on its way to Mount Whitney.

Like most of Yosemite’s waterfalls, the flow in fall is a trickle compared to that in the spring.