Staircase Falls
California · 1,017-foot drop · Yosemite National Park · Last verified 2026-05-15
Right now
Overnight
49°F
Clear
Friday
78°F
Sunny
Snapshot built 3d ago. Sources: NWS HNX.
Staircase Falls is a waterfall in Mariposa County, California. It drops roughly 1,017 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.
Staircase Falls is a series of waterfalls located on the southern side of Yosemite Valley in Yosemite National Park, California. The falls descend a total of 1,300 feet (400 m) into Yosemite Valley over a series of steps. Staircase Falls is relatively ephemeral and is usually dry by the end of June. The falls are located immediately behind Camp Curry on cliffs below Glacier Point.
Compare to nearby falls
If this one isn't the right fit, here's how it stacks up against the closest documented falls. Every column is filterable on the site — not buried in 13,000 reviews.
| Waterfall | Distance | Height | Trail | Dogs | Fee |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Staircase Falls (this page) | — | 1,017 ft | — | N | — |
| Royal Arch Cascade | 1 mi | 1,247 ft | — | N | — |
| Sentinel Fall | 1 mi | 1,936 ft | — | N | — |
| Vernal Fall | 2 mi | — | — | N | — |
| Illilouette Fall | 2 mi | 1,250 ft | — | N | — |
| Lower Yosemite Fall | 2 mi | 2,425 ft | — | N | — |
Related waterfalls
Similar height (~1017 ft)
- Shoestring Falls984 ft
- Green Lake Falls981 ft
- Tueeulala Falls915 ft
- Berdeen Falls899 ft
- Depot Creek Falls886 ft
Questions visitors ask about Staircase Falls
Answers built from our structured data. If a question isn't here, the fact is unverified — we'd rather omit than guess.
How tall is Staircase Falls?
Staircase Falls is 1,017 feet (310 m) tall. Height is sourced from OSM.
Is Staircase Falls in a national or state park?
Yes — Staircase Falls is inside Yosemite National Park. See the park page for fees, hours, and current conditions.
Can I bring my dog to Staircase Falls?
No — dogs are not allowed on trails here. Most National Park trails prohibit pets to protect wildlife. Service animals are an exception per ADA.
How far is Staircase Falls from a major city?
Staircase Falls is 1 miles from Yosemite Valley (about 1 minutes' drive).
More waterfalls in California
Where it is
37.7350, -119.5749
Sources and live status
Where we got the data, and where to check current conditions before you drive.
Wikipedia
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Staircase_Falls
Wikidata (Q37584)
https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q37584
GeoNames (5398515)
https://www.geonames.org/5398515/
Last verified by Fallspots: 2026-05-15
Been there?
Marina and Theo verify pages one road trip at a time. If you've been to Staircase Falls recently, your local knowledge improves the page for everyone. Pick the kind of contribution that fits — every email lands in our inbox and gets read (and credited when we publish).
Add a tip
Something we should know — best time, parking trick, that hidden viewpoint.
Share a photo
Have a CC-licensed image on Wikimedia or Flickr? Send the link.
Report a fix
Wrong height, closed trail, broken link — tell us what we got wrong.
We don't collect your email. Replies go directly to hello@fallspots.com.