Grouse Creek Falls

Grouse Creek Falls can be found almost directly across the Merced River from Highway 140 about one-quarter of a mile east of the Arch Rock entrance station in Yosemite National Park. The closest pullouts are found just over a third of a mile further up the valley from the falls, from which it is necessary to walk back along the road until the falls are visible - being especially mindful of the traffic as there is not a sidewalk in this area.Grouse Creek Falls is the first waterfall of significance that is encountered as one enters Yosemite National Park from the Arch Rock entrance along Highway 140. The falls consist of several tiers as its namesake creek steps down into Merced Gorge, but exactly how many tiers is not known because how the falls twist within the narrow, wooded gully results in the majority of the waterfall being obstructed from view from the road. Further making it difficult to view the falls is the fact that there are no pullouts along the highway from which to safely view the falls - it's necessary to park much further up the road and walk back down along the guard rail in order to adequately take pictures. Like most streams in Yosemite, Grouse Creek is cursed with a drainage basin which will result in its volume being greatly diminished by the summer. However, as Grouse Creek's basin was never glaciated, it retains a substantial amount of top soil and by proxy the ability to retain water, so the stream doesn't easily run dry.