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Hiking The Upper Yosemite Falls Trail

7/21/2017

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hiking Upper Yosemite Falls Trail

Upper Yosemite Falls - Fast Facts

STARTING POINT: Camp 4
DISTANCE/TIME: 7.2 miles
ELEVATION GAIN: 2,700 feet
DIFFICULTY LEVEL: Very strenuous
BEST TIME TO HIKE: The best time of year for this hike is early spring to July because typically by August the falls have been reduced to a trickle. 

​The Upper Yosemite Falls trail is our favorite hike in Yosemite National Park...so much so we considered doing it twice during our most recent trip! If you've ever done this hike you might be thinking that's a little insane. Especially in the middle of summer.

​But even though this is a strenuous and steep hike the effort is well worth it. You get some great views of the Yosemite Valley floor even if you only make it up to Columbia Rock and if you persist a little further you will be able to view the bottom of the Upper Falls too. But the effort really pays off if you make it to the top!

See the Upper Yosemite hiking trail and the freaky view from the top!

Starting the hike

For this hike you want to get off the shuttle bus at the Camp 4 stop where the trail begins just behind the Camp 4 campsite. The hike starts out as switchbacks and continues like this for about a mile until you reach Columbia Rock.

​This stretch of the hike can be very crowded (although nowhere near as busy as the Mist Trail) however the majority of hikers will stop at Columbia Rock. The Columbia Rock viewpoint is great to snap a few pictures of the valley floor.
Hiking Upper Yosemite Falls Trail
hiking the upper yosemite falls trail

​Not far from Columbia Rock you will reach the bottom of Upper Yosemite Falls. The trail here flattens out and is sandy.
hiking Upper Yosemite Falls
From the bottom of the falls you will begin to ascend again going up a number of steps but fortunately this stretch of the trail is in the shade.

​You will eventually reach a point on the trail which is almost right beside the falls where a lot of hikers like to take a break. It's also a good spot to cool off in high summer temperatures from the spray of the falls.
hike Yosemite Falls
hiking upper yosemite falls trail

From here the hike gets really tough. It is steep, there are quite a few switchbacks and the trail is rocky. This is where you may want to give up but don't... you're halfway there.
hiking upper yosemite falls
Once you've made it to the top you will be glad you persisted. There are amazing sweeping views of the valley (even though it can be a little frightening for those who are afraid of heights like myself).

​You can sit right on the edge of the cliff but make sure you'careful.
hiking Yosemite Falls trail

​To actually get up close to the top of Upper Yosemite Falls you need to keep going but not much further down some rocky steps until you reach the overlook.
hiking upper yosemite falls trail
hiking upper yosemite falls trail
Hiking upper yosemite falls trail

​Here is the view from the end of the Upper Yosemite Falls trail. You can see where the Lower Falls drops of the side of the mountain.
Hiking upper yosemite falls trail
Before you head back down to the valley floor make sure you go and relax by the river and soak your feet in the refreshing water because it's a long hike back down!
Hiking to Upper Yosemite Falls
hiking upper yosemite falls trail
Yosemite Hiking Resources

Read Next:
Mist Trail to Vernal & Nevada Falls​
How To Hike Half Dome Without Permit​​
Everything You Need To Know About Visiting Yosemite National Park
Best Hiking Trails in the USA


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Hiking Upper Yosemite Falls Trail
Hi, we're Arial & Jamie. Thank you for visiting our blog! We love exploring the USA and attempting to see everything each state has to offer. You can follow our travels and stay connected with us on social media.
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