Vernal Fall
California · 318-foot drop · Yosemite National Park · Last verified 2026-05-15
Today at Vernal Fall: clear, 57°F.
Right now
Overnight
57°F
Clear
Friday
79°F
Sunny
Today's daylight
Sunrise 5:44 AM · Sunset 8:21 PM · 14h 37m
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Snapshot built 4m ago. Sources: NWS HNX.
Vernal 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.
Vernal Fall sits in Mariposa County, California. It drops along Merced River. The falls are inside Yosemite National Park, a US National Park. The base sits at roughly 5,117 feet of elevation. Drive time is about 3 minutes from Yosemite Valley. A trail — Mist Trail — runs within 50 meters of the marked location. No public parking is recorded within 2 km, so a longer approach is likely. This is one of the more frequently visited falls in the state by our popularity model. Source records come from OpenStreetMap and USGS GNIS.
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.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vernal Fall (this page) | — | 318 ft | — | N | — |
| Vernal Fall | 0 mi | — | — | N | — |
| Silver Apron | 0 mi | — | — | N | — |
| Nevada Fall | 1 mi | 594 ft | — | N | — |
| Illilouette Fall | 1 mi | 370 ft | moderate · 4 mi | N | $35 |
| Staircase Falls | 2 mi | 1,017 ft | — | N | — |
Side-by-side comparisons
Vernal Fall compared head-to-head with other documented falls — height, access, fees, dogs, swimmability in one row each.
Related waterfalls
On the same watercourse (Merced River)
- Nevada Fall594 ft
Similar height (~318 ft)
- Munson Creek Falls319 ft
- Great Falls320 ft
- Lower Yosemite Fall320 ft
- Wilson Glacier Falls315 ft
- Falling Water Cascades328 ft
Questions visitors ask about Vernal Fall
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 Vernal Fall?
Vernal Fall is 318 feet (97 m) tall. Source heights disagree by source — see the discrepancy box on the page.
Is Vernal Fall in a national or state park?
Yes — Vernal Fall is inside Yosemite National Park. See the park page for fees, hours, and current conditions.
Can I bring my dog to Vernal Fall?
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 Vernal Fall from a major city?
Vernal Fall is 2 miles from Yosemite Valley (about 3 minutes' drive).
More waterfalls in California
Where it is
37.7276, -119.5437
Sources and live status
Where we got the data, and where to check current conditions before you drive.
Wikipedia
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vernal_Fall
Wikidata (Q2620166)
https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q2620166
GeoNames (5405998)
https://www.geonames.org/5405998/
Last verified by Fallspots: 2026-05-15
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