Waterwheel Falls
California · height not recorded · Yosemite National Park · Last verified 2026-05-15
Today at Waterwheel Falls: clear, null°F.
Right now
Overnight
°F
Clear
Saturday
81°F
Sunny
Today's daylight
Sunrise 5:34 AM · Sunset 8:20 PM · 14h 46m
Snapshot built 3m ago. Sources: NWS HNX.
Waterwheel Falls is a waterfall in Tuolumne County, California. Height has not been officially recorded. Access details and conditions have not yet been verified in person by Fallspots — the data on this page comes from OpenStreetMap and USGS GNIS.
Waterwheel Falls is a waterfall in the Sierra Nevada of California, located in Yosemite National Park. It is the largest of the many waterfalls of the Tuolumne River. Its upper part contains a series of small ledges, each of which creates a small plume as the water is deflected away from the rock face. A regular phenomenon appears at the first and largest of these ledges during the high-water season of early summer. Strong gusts of wind can lift part of the spray and blow it back upward, causing it to reenter the falls above the ledge. This cyclic "waterwheel" gives the falls their name.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Waterwheel Falls (this page) | — | — | — | N | — |
| LeConte Falls | 0 mi | — | — | N | — |
| California Falls | 1 mi | — | — | N | — |
| Upper Cathedral Creek Falls | 2 mi | — | — | N | — |
| Lower Cathedral Creek Falls | 2 mi | — | — | N | — |
| White Cascade | 2 mi | — | — | N | — |
Questions visitors ask about Waterwheel Falls
Answers built from our structured data. If a question isn't here, the fact is unverified — we'd rather omit than guess.
Is Waterwheel Falls in a national or state park?
Yes — Waterwheel Falls is inside Yosemite National Park. See the park page for fees, hours, and current conditions.
Can I bring my dog to Waterwheel 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 Waterwheel Falls from a major city?
Waterwheel Falls is 13 miles from Virginia Lakes (about 19 minutes' drive).
More waterfalls in California
Where it is
37.9272, -119.4588
Sources and live status
Where we got the data, and where to check current conditions before you drive.
Wikipedia
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Waterwheel_Falls
Wikidata (Q38230)
https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q38230
GeoNames (5407495)
https://www.geonames.org/5407495/
Last verified by Fallspots: 2026-05-15
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