Fallspots

Both in Yosemite National Park, 3 mi apart · 3 mi apart

Lower Yosemite Fall vs Ribbon 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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Ribbon Fall, a waterfall in California

California

Ribbon Fall

Ribbon Fall is a waterfall in Mariposa County, California. It drops roughly 1,612 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 FallRibbon Fall
StateCaliforniaCalifornia
Height320 ft1,612 ft
Type——
Watercourse——
ParkYosemite National ParkYosemite National Park
County—Mariposa
Elevation1402 m2157 m
Nearest cityYosemite Valley (1 mi)Yosemite Valley (4 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 Ribbon Fall

Ribbon Fall, located in Yosemite National Park in California, flows off a cliff on the west side of El Capitan and is the longest single-drop waterfall in North America. The fall is fed by melting winter snow and the peak amount of water flow is during the months of May to June; while therefore dry for much of the year, the fall is a spectacular 1,612 feet in the spring. In exceptional years, an ice cone develops at its base during the winter months similar to that which usually forms beneath Upper Yosemite Fall. This deposit can reach a depth of 200 feet, versus 322 feet for the greatest depth of the ice cone beneath the Upper Fall and Lower Fall.

Where they are

Dashed line shows the straight-line distance (3 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 Ribbon Fall.

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