Wildcat Falls

Wildcat Falls is encountered just over 2 1/2 miles north of the Arch Rock entrance station to Yosemite National Park along Highway 140. The second and third tier of the falls can easily be seen from the road when heading east into Yosemite Valley (due to its orientation it will not be nearly as easy to see when exiting the valley). Parking can be found at the picnic area between Wildcat and Cascade Creeks. The base of Wildcat Falls can be easily accessed by following a short path adjacent to the Wildcat Creek bridge. Additionally, nearly the entire series of falls can be seen from viewpoints along the Wawona Road near The Rostrum and Elephant Rock, about a mile south (west) from the western portal of the Wawona Tunnel.Wildcat Falls is the first waterfall encountered on the north wall of Merced Gorge as one enters Yosemite National Park from El Portal and the Arch Rock entrance along Highway 140. Wildcat Creek drains an area of about a square mile between Cascade Creek and Big Meadow, dropping into the Merced Gorge in five-tiered fall totaling about 730 feet in height. The uppermost tier is the largest, falling about 200 feet as a horsetail type fall which splits into two streams at times, but it cannot be seen from the valley floor. The next two steps are each about 150 feet in height, the first falling in a clean horsetail type fall, and the second first plunging and then cascading down a series of steps. The final three steps are successive smaller cascading type drops, all but the final hidden from view due to the thick surrounding foliage. The last drop can be a easily approached from the road below, which cascades 49 feet into a shaded alcove and cannot be seen concurrently with any of the upper tiers.
Due to the small drainage area that Wildcat Creek possesses, the falls will run consistently for the spring months but rarely flow beyond the beginning of July. This low volume has also allowed thick brush to encroach on parts of the falls, restricting views from many areas. While the falls can be easily seen from Highway 140 when entering the park from El Portal, only a portion of the falls can be seen at any given time, and at no point or position is the entire waterfall visible.