Chain Cascade

Chain Cascade can be seen distantly from the Glacier Point area in Yosemite National Park, looking past the top the top of Nevada Falls. The base of the falls should be more closely approachable (though situated across the Merced River) by hiking about 2 1/2 miles beyond the top of Nevada Falls along the John Muir Trail.Chain Cascade is an ephemeral waterfall which veils about 1,150 feet down the lofty, rounded cliffs of Little Yosemite Valley between Bunnell Point and the Cascade Cliffs. The stream drains from a small forested basin situated above the 8,000 foot level, and while the total drainage area is quite small there are several meadows which will help retain snow melt and ensure the falls retain some amount of water for several months during the spring, with the flow likely being best in April. While separated by some distance from Yosemite Valley proper, the behavior and significance of this waterfall should compare favorably with several of the other less significant waterfalls in the valley - Sentinel Falls and Silver Strand Falls in particular. However, as the falls are isolated by several miles from the tourist corridor, few people ever take note of the falls while they are flowing at peak.The name Chain Cascade dates back perhaps as far as 1860, however it is a feature that was never commonly recognized on its own. The neighboring Cascade Cliffs however were a much more prominently known feature as a whole, due to the multiple streams of water which descend the alcove immediately southwest of Chain Cascade, and it is presumed that Chain Cascade was additionally a major part of why this feature was named.