Fallspots

Both in Yosemite National Park, 4 mi apart · 4 mi apart

Lower Yosemite Fall vs Nevada Fall

Two waterfalls in our directory, side by side. Same data we use on the individual pages — height, access, what we know, what we don't.

Lower Yosemite Fall — the 320-foot bottom tier of the three-tier Yosemite Falls system in Yosemite Valley

California

Lower Yosemite Fall

Lower Yosemite Fall is the 320-foot bottom tier of the three-tier Yosemite Falls system in Yosemite Valley. The full Yosemite Falls system (Upper + Middle Cascades + Lower) drops 2,425 feet total — among the tallest waterfalls in North America — but Lower Yosemite Fall alone is 320 ft. The wheelchair-accessible viewing area is the most-photographed spot in Yosemite Valley, an easy 1-mile loop from the Yosemite Lodge.

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Nevada Fall, a waterfall in California

California

Nevada Fall

Nevada Fall is a waterfall in Mariposa County, California. It drops roughly 594 feet. Access details and conditions have not yet been verified in person by Fallspots — the data on this page comes from OpenStreetMap and USGS GNIS.

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SpecLower Yosemite FallNevada Fall
StateCaliforniaCalifornia
Height320 ft594 ft
Type——
Watercourse—Merced River
ParkYosemite National ParkYosemite National Park
County—Mariposa
Elevation1402 m1815 m
Nearest cityYosemite Valley (1 mi)Yosemite Valley (3 mi)
Dogs allowedNoNo

About Lower Yosemite Fall

Yosemite Falls is the highest waterfall in Yosemite National Park, dropping a total of 2,425 feet (739 m) from the top of the upper fall to the base of the lower fall. Located in the Sierra Nevada of California, it is a major attraction in the park, especially in late spring when the water flow is at its peak.

About Nevada Fall

Nevada Fall is a 594-foot-high (181 m) waterfall on the Merced River in Yosemite National Park, California. It is located below the granite dome, Liberty Cap, at the west end of Little Yosemite Valley. The waterfall is widely recognized by its "bent" shape, in which the water free-falls for roughly the first third of its length to a steep slick-rock slope. This mid-fall impact of the water on the cliff face creates a turbulent, whitewater appearance in the fall and produces a great deal of mist which covers a wide radius, which led to its current name.

Where they are

Dashed line shows the straight-line distance (4 mi). Actual drive time depends on the route — neither pin is the parking lot, so use a map app for turn-by-turn.

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Related comparisons

Other side-by-side comparisons featuring Lower Yosemite Fall or Nevada Fall.

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