After hiking through the gorgeous Mariposa Grove, I took on another one of southern Yosemite’s great hikes: the Chilnualna Falls trail. At a touch under 8 miles, this hike isn’t super long, but climbing above Wawona Valley to the top of a stunning waterfall, this trail punches well above its weight on both views and all around enjoyment!
Miles/Elevation:
7.7 miles
2,201 feet vertical gain
About Yosemite National Park:
Located in the Sierra Nevada Mountains of California, Yosemite National Park is one of the largest and most popular parks in the entire National Park System.
Steeped in history, Yosemite has played a major role in the development of environmentalism and conservation in the United States since the late 1800’s. In 1864, President Lincoln created the Yosemite Grant, which did not make Yosemite a national park, but did set the precedent that would lead to the creation of Yellowstone National Park.
Yosemite was ceded to the State of California and ran by the state for much of the late 1800’s. Eventually, in 1890, Yosemite National Park was created, and stronger protections were put in place to preserve the park.
Beyond the National Park Service, the legendary naturalist John Muir is perhaps best known for his advocacy in favor of preserving Yosemite National Park. A giant in the history of conservation, Muir, who fell in love with the mountains after a serious industrial accident, became arguably the most influential figure in preserving the natural landscapes of the west. His relationship with President Theodore Roosevelt and the expansion of federally protected lands may be the greatest achievement of this era of conservation!
Getting To Yosemite:
Located in Central California, Yosemite is fairly remote, but can be reached from a number of major cities. The closest large city is Fresno, and Fresno’s airport is the best choice if you are flying in. Other cities located within a three hour or so drive with major airports include Los Angeles, San Francisco, Oakland, San Jose, and Sacramento.
From these cities or any others, you’ll then likely need to drive to the park. There is a regional public transit system called YARTS (Yosemite Area Regional Transit System), and can be useful if you are trying to get to Yosemite Valley. However, I generally advocate having your own car when exploring the mountains. It just makes it easier to explore and get around.
Once you’re in Yosemite, there is a transit system that can get you around the park, however it is not running in 2021. Go to the Yosemite NPS website for more information on public transit in Yosemite. When it is running, the public transit can get you to many of the major trailheads in the park.
Getting To The Trailhead:
From Yosemite Valley, follow Wawona Road south towards the Wawona area of the park. Once in Wawona, turn onto Chilnualna Falls Road. Follow Chilnualna Falls Road into the residential areas of Wawona. The road will wind its way through the community, but always stay on Chilnualna Falls Road as it curves, notably at the intersection with Mariposa Ave where you will take a hard right.
Upon reaching the trailhead, which is more or less at the end of the paved road, there is a small amount of parking along the side of the road, but the majority of parking is in a gravel lot on the right.
From the southern entrance of Yosemite, the only difference is a right onto Chilnualna Falls Road instead of a left!
Tips:
- Get an early start or hike on a cool day, it gets hot!
- Explore a bit beyond the upper falls; there’s some cool stuff to see.
The Chilnualna Falls Trail:
The Lower Half:
From the trailhead, you’ll immediately enter the forest and will likely also immediately begin hearing the sounds of falling water. Lower Chilnualna Falls is just a few hundred feet from the trailhead, and makes for a great start to the hike!
The lower falls aren’t nearly as large or spectacular as the upper falls, but for almost no effort, you already get a really nice waterfall to enjoy! For some, this might be their turn around point, but to me, the fun is just beginning!
The trail ascends up the left side of the falls along narrow and often uneven surfaces, so do be careful here if you’re not used to hiking on rough trails. After climbing up the left side of the falls, the trail turns away from the water. For the next half a mile you will be far from Chilnualna Creek, and for most of the hike you will not actually be very close at all to the stream.
Always be sure to follow the 7 Leave No Trace Principles when in the outdoors!
Really right from the beginning of the hike the incline is consistent. You won’t have much for flat walking on this trail, but the path is so well constructed that it’s never super steep, and the elevation does seem to fly by.
The mile after the falls is probably the flattest section of the entire trail, gaining only 400 feet in a mile, but that amount is still noticeable. Through this mile, you will be walking through light filled, airy, pine forest, and while you won’t be right next to the creek, there are a couple of viewpoints where you can catch a glimpse of the water below.
Really on this entire hike the incline isn’t too bad, so for me the biggest challenge was the heat. The trailhead here is only at 4,000 feet of elevation, which really is not very high. I think the high temperature the day I hiked here was around 80 degrees, but even that felt really warm. Expect at least that throughout summer. Plus, the hot California sun, unabated by shade giving trees, makes any temperature feel hot!
The Upper Half:
At about 1.3 miles you’ll get a nice view overlooking Wawona Valley, and shortly thereafter you will hit the switchbacks taking you up to the main falls. The switchbacks start about 1,100 feet above the valley floor, and once you start on them, you’ll have pretty consistent panoramic views!
Yosemite is bear country so make sure you’re bear safe!
One of the main features that dominates the skyline of Wawona is Wawona Dome, and on the switchbacks you will have great views looking directly at this massive granite dome. The dome towers about 3,000 feet above the valley floor, and while it may not have the same elegance of the Yosemite Valley rock features, it’s still a pretty impressive sight!
Always follow basic trail etiquette when you’re hiking!
As you climb, the views only get better, and as you near the top of the incline, you will catch some glimpse of Chilnualna Falls plummeting to the valley below along some pretty exposed trail! From the pictures I had seen before hiking, I was expecting exposed trail with some big drop offs, and while I was a little disappointed that there wasn’t more of this style of trail, there were some really cool sections: granite steps carved into the bedrock, thousand foot drop offs just inches from your feet, and awesome panoramic views across Wawona!
Click Here To See Yosemite’s Best Difficult Hikes!
Once you get to the exposed sections of trail, you are just below the falls themselves, and soon enough you will reach the precipice where Chilnualna Creek plummets down into the valley below. This area at the top of the falls is really cool. There are massive slabs of granite to explore and hang out on, the edge of which is the top of a massive cliff! The creek vacillates between gentle pools and violent cascades, and again the views are excellent!
Beyond The Falls:
If you wanted, you could call it a day right here at the top of the falls, but I think it’s worth exploring a bit more. Following the trail a bit further, you’ll climb another 200 vertical feet or so through a few small switchbacks. Along the switchbacks, there are some really cool boulders and slabs of granite that provide epic views above the cliffs, and continuing about a quarter mile from the top of the falls, you’ll enter a stunning secluded valley.
Chilnualna Creek enters this valley through a tumbling cascade from the terrain above, and the power and violence of the water here is clearly on display. Granite has been carved into deep channels, and you’ll notice tree trunks strewn about, torn from the ground they grew in.
You should seriously consider hiking the Mist Trail, Yosemite’s best moderate hike!
The ground mostly consists of slabs of Yosemite’s iconic white granite, though some incredibly hardy trees make a living by sending their roots through the cracks in the rock. Across the creek, Wawona Dome ascends another 1,000 feet or so above you, and beyond the Yosemite backcountry beckons those looking for solitude.
The valley above the falls itself is a really incredible place, and you can still find perches from which you can enjoy the views out and over the falls and Wawona! After spending some time exploring this magical Yosemite setting, and having a snack on one of the massive boulders overlooking the valley, I set off for the hike back down.
Hiking Out:
Unfortunately, there is no way to make a loop out of this hike that doesn’t involve nights in the backcountry, so this is a simple out and back. The return trip simply requires you to retrace your steps back the way you came, and since this is only an 8 mile or so hike, it’s a pretty quick descent.
The excellent trail quality will allow you to make good time on the descent, and before long, you’ll make it through the switchbacks and back down to the lower trail. You’ll hear the lower falls before you see them, and with that, you will find yourself approaching the trailhead, done with one of Yosemite’s hidden gems!
Topdown Lifestyle Rating: 8/10
I was torn between an 8 and a 9 for this hike, but at the end of the day, I don’t think this trail has anything spectacular enough to elevate it to a 9. The waterfalls are very nice, the panoramic views are very nice, the trail itself is very nice, but I just don’t feel like there is anything truly special worth writing home about.
However, there was one thing that sort of bummed me out. There is never really a clear look at Chilnualna Falls itself. You climb to the top of it, but never get a clear look at the entire falls. This is a really good hike, and a rare Yosemite trail that isn’t slammed with people, but it’s not quite special. Really good and worth your time, but not world class!
Pros:
- Waterfalls
- Panoramic views
- Fun exploration on granite slabs at the top
- Good trail quality
Cons:
- Lots of sun exposure
- Views are good not great
Alternative Hikes:
The Sentinel Dome and Taft Point Loop
When To Hike The Chilnualna Falls Trail:
Check out our list of Yosemite’s best easy hikes!
Hiking in Yosemite is a three season activity. Winter usually brings quite a bit of snow, and the entire park is liable to experience winter storms. While lower elevation areas of the park may be hikable in winter, I really wouldn’t say Yosemite is a four season hiking destination.
Purely in terms of weather, fall and spring are the best times of year to hike in Yosemite. Summer can get extremely hot, and hiking in 95 degree heat isn’t fun for most people! The one issue with fall is that fire season can either close down areas of the park, or more likely will blanket the park with smoke. In good years, it’s hardly an issue, but some years it’s harmful to even be outside.
It is also worth considering when Yosemite is busiest. This is one of the busiest parks in the country, so be ready for crowds if you visit in peak season, namely summer. Some people are really turned off by the crowds, and I agree if you only visit the valley, but there are always places to get away from the big crowds. This can cause issues with finding campsites in the park though.
Overall, I would say that late spring is probably the best time of year to visit Yosemite. The temperatures are comfortable, rain is rare, and the crowds are lighter than summer. Late autumn is also a great time to visit as spring may still have snow lingering on the trails.
The last thing to consider when planning your visit is that the high elevation roads through the park close for snow. Tioga Pass and Glacier Point Road both close from winter to whenever the snow melts (usually May or June but it varies). Spring will limit where you can go in the park, so if you really want to explore the high country, wait at least until late June!
Links For Further Reading:
Chilnualna Falls Trailhead (U.S. National Park Service)
Chilnualna Falls – Modern Hiker
Chilnualna Falls Trail | Map, Guide – California | AllTrails
