GoodGood   Horsetail Falls Easy


Image 1 of 1;
Click arrow to scroll or click image to enlarge
Location: Yosemite Village, Yosemite National Park, Mariposa County
Stream: Unnamed
Alternate Names: El Capitan Falls

Height: ~1500 ft.
Access:   car   dog  
Distance: n/a
Elevation: 4000 ft.
Season: Feb-Jun
Form:   horsetail
Lat/Long:37.73008, -119.63679
Directions:On Northside Drive, drive east from Yosemite Lodge 2.5 miles to a picnic area on the right. Park in the picnic area and look up to see the falls.

Horsetail Falls, aka El Capitan Falls, drops 1500 ft. off incredible El Capitan. It is best viewed from a picnic area along Northside Drive. Look way up to the top of the big rock to see the waterfall. You will need at least a 200m zoom lens to get a decent photo. Horsetail Falls also has low drainage and disappears by May or June.

The best time of year to see Horsetail Falls is near the end of February. If you are here on a clear night in February, be sure to visit this waterfall at sunset. The sun strikes the rock in such a way that it appears Horsetail Falls is on fire. This would be an incredible sight to see.

2 Miles WSW Yosemite Valley CA (Elev. 3999 ft)

This Afternoon
Mostly sunny, with a high near 61. West southwest wind 10 to 15 mph.
Tonight
Mostly clear, with a low around 45. West northwest wind around 5 mph becoming east northeast after midnight.
Tuesday
Sunny, with a high near 65. North northeast wind 5 to 10 mph becoming west southwest in the morning.
Tuesday Night
Mostly clear, with a low around 48. West wind around 5 mph becoming east northeast in the evening.
Wednesday
Sunny, with a high near 72. East northeast wind 5 to 10 mph becoming west southwest in the morning.
Wednesday Night
Partly cloudy, with a low around 52. West wind 5 to 10 mph becoming light and variable.
Thursday
Mostly sunny, with a high near 74. East northeast wind 5 to 10 mph becoming west southwest in the afternoon.
Thursday Night
Mostly cloudy, with a low around 53. West southwest wind 5 to 10 mph becoming east northeast after midnight.
Friday
Mostly sunny, with a high near 71. East northeast wind 5 to 10 mph becoming west southwest in the afternoon. Winds could gust as high as 15 mph.
Friday Night
Partly cloudy, with a low around 49. West southwest wind 5 to 10 mph becoming east in the evening. Winds could gust as high as 15 mph.
Saturday
Mostly sunny, with a high near 65. East southeast wind 5 to 10 mph becoming west southwest 10 to 15 mph in the afternoon. Winds could gust as high as 20 mph.
Saturday Night
Mostly clear, with a low around 43. West southwest wind 5 to 15 mph becoming east in the evening.
Sunday
Sunny, with a high near 62. East wind 5 to 10 mph becoming west southwest in the afternoon. Winds could gust as high as 15 mph.

Get Google Maps directions to trailhead

Zoom out on map to see all nearby waterfalls:

Other waterfalls nearby:

Ribbon Falls 0.73 miles
Bridalveil Falls 1.07 miles
Sentinel Falls 2.17 miles
Widows Tears 2.28 miles
Silver Strand Falls 2.48 miles
Lower Yosemite Falls 2.59 miles
Upper Yosemite Falls 2.79 miles
Staircase Falls 3.31 miles
Lehamite Falls 3.74 miles
Royal Arch Cascade 3.75 miles
Cascades 4.05 miles
Illilouette Falls 4.15 miles
Tamarack Falls 4.19 miles
Lower Illilouette Falls 4.20 miles
Wildcat Falls 4.28 miles
Vernal Falls 4.94 miles
Silver Apron Falls 5.06 miles
Grouse Creek Falls 5.52 miles
Nevada Falls 5.55 miles
Snow Creek Falls 5.93 miles
Tenaya Falls 6.03 miles
Avalanche Creek Falls 6.13 miles
South Fork Tuolumne Falls 6.25 miles
Foresta Falls 7.04 miles
Lower Foresta Falls 7.40 miles
Little Crane Creek Falls 7.60 miles
Chinquapin Falls 7.71 miles
Little Nellie Falls 7.79 miles
Clark Fork Falls 7.96 miles
Merced River Falls 8.30 miles
Lower Pywiack Cascade 8.44 miles
Pywiack Cascade 8.82 miles
Tioga Pass Falls 8.89 miles
Bunnell Cascade 8.93 miles
Alder Creek Falls 9.71 miles

High Sierra Waterfalls Home Page