Bridalveil Fall Day Hike

Yosemite National Park

Bridalveil Fall is one of the popular destinations for visitors to Yosemite Valley. The ¼-mile walk up a paved trail to a viewpoint near the base of the fall only takes a few minutes, but the trail has a rather steep grade. Bridalveil Fall plunges 620 feet from the rim of the valley. It can be viewed from a distance along roads leading into the valley. The best displays are in the spring during the peak of snow melt.

Bridlveil Fall Trailhead

Parking at the Bridalveil Fall trailhead can often be more challenging than the walk up to the fall. Even though recently expanded, the parking lot often fills during busy times and drivers seeking vacant spots face a dilemma. If you exit the lot, you have to make a long loop through the valley before wending your way back. But if you sit waiting for a spot, you block others who are trying to exit.

One solution is to arrive early in the day. Another very good solution is to park along the Southside Drive a little farther from the trailhead and use a convenient side-trail to walk back to the trailhead. That only adds about ½-mile to your walk. Use caution opening traffic-side car doors along Southside Drive. There is no shuttle service to Bridalveil Fall.

Newly renovated restrooms are available at the parking area, but no drinking water.

Bridlveil Fall Trail

From a trailhead parking lot follow a wide paved trail to the northeast, soon veering to the right toward the falls. Fortunately, the steep portions of the trail are brief and visitors soon arrive at a rather small viewing area. Consequently, some people clamber over boulders to perches with better viewing positions; however, because of the danger on slippery rocks, the practice is strongly discouraged. In the spring the spray from the fall can be enough to keep visitors back from the viewing areas.