Both in Yosemite National Park, 6 mi apart · 6 mi apart
Ribbon Fall vs Vernal 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.
California
Ribbon FallRibbon 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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California
Vernal FallVernal Fall is a waterfall in Mariposa County, California. It drops roughly 318 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.
See the full page →| Spec | Ribbon Fall | Vernal Fall |
|---|---|---|
| State | California | California |
| Height | 1,612 ft | 318 ft |
| Type | — | — |
| Watercourse | — | Merced River |
| Park | Yosemite National Park | Yosemite National Park |
| County | Mariposa | Mariposa |
| Elevation | 2157 m | 1560 m |
| Nearest city | Yosemite Valley (4 mi) | Yosemite Valley (2 mi) |
| Dogs allowed | No | No |
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.
About Vernal Fall
Vernal Fall is a 317-foot (96.6 m) waterfall on the Merced River just downstream of Nevada Fall in Yosemite National Park, California. Like its upstream neighbor, Vernal Fall is clearly visible at a distance, from Glacier Point, as well as close up, along the Mist Trail. The waterfall flows all year long, although by the end of summer it is substantially reduced in volume and can split into multiple strands, rather than a single curtain of water.
Where they are
Dashed line shows the straight-line distance (6 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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