Hetch Hetchy Falls

Hetch Hetchy Falls is found in the Hetch Hetchy Valley of Yosemite National Park. From Groveland take Highway 120 east for just over 22 miles, or from the Big Oak Flat entrance station to Yosemite National Park go west for one mile, to Evergreen Road and turn north, following signs pointing to Hetch Hetchy. Follow the road for 10 miles to Camp Mather, then turn right at the T-intersection - still following the signs - for another 6 miles to the parking area at the O'Shaughnessey Dam. The bottom of Wapama Falls and Tueeulala (if it's flowing) can be seen from the dam, but Hetch Hetchy Falls is usually not nearly as visible as it blends in to the cliffs due to its low volume. Close views require a moderately easy hike which begins by crossing the dam and heading through a tunnel blasted through the cliff. About a mile in to the hike, head right at the junction and continue another half-mile to where the trail crosses the stream at a series of slabby waterslides and pools, where the falls can be seen on the cliffs to the left.Hetch Hetchy Falls is an unofficially named, highly seasonal waterfall situated a little more than one-third of a mile to the west of Tueeulala Falls along the north side of Hetch Hetchy Reservoir. The falls drain from a tiny basin permeated with solid granite bedrock, so that the limited precipitation which it does gather tends to run off very quickly. As a result, the roughly 750-foot tall falls only flows relaibly for about one-third of the year, probably peaking in flow in March or April unless an unusually heavy snow pack falls during the preceding winter. Expect the falls to be entirely dry by June. The USGS has incorrectly indicated nearby Tueeulala Falls to occur along the stream which forms this waterfall on the most recent Lake Eleanor 7 1/2" quadrangle. Tueeulala Falls actually occurs on a branch of Falls Creek further to the east, while this waterfall is actually situated further to the west than where the map shows it. Whether this was simply a result of compounding map errors, or just sloppy survey work is not known.Because this waterfall has no official name, it's been most often referred to simply as Hetch Hetchy Falls after the valley. It should be pointed out though that Wapama Falls was at one point known as Hetch Hetchy Falls (in the late 1800s), and while this naming convention is far outdated, it's worth ensuring there is a clear distinction between the two.