Hiking Upper Yosemite Falls In Winter

Upper Yosemite Falls trail is very popular in winter, and is my favourite hike of all time. Views are stunning along the way and at the top of Upper Falls. The views on this trail exceeded expectations and I highly recommend it for anyone who has 1 full day to hike. All of my photos were taken using iPhone/camera, so you can get these shots on your hike too!

A California road trip is never really complete without a visit to Yosemite, so don’t avoid it just because it’s winter. Do also check this article to see how you can plan an epic 2-day Yosemite itinerary, and where to stay in Yosemite. In addition, here are things to do in Yosemite during winter, and a winter itinerary to help you plan the perfect trip.

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Upper Yosemite Falls Trail Overview

Difficulty: Hard (but so worth it)
Duration: 6-8 hours including several breaks (3-4 hours up, 2 hours down) 
Distance: 7.2 miles/11.6 km round trip
Elevation: 2,700ft/820m 
Views: Upper Falls, mountains (including Half Dome), valley floor

About Yosemite Falls

Yosemite Falls is one of the many waterfalls in Yosemite, visible from even the valley floor. The best time to see the falls is in spring when the snow starts to melt, with the peak flow in May/June. You can check the live stream of Yosemite Falls to see what it looks like in real time. 

The Yosemite Falls is very popular and this post will show you why. There are 3 parts to it: Lower Falls, Middle Cascades, and Upper Falls (in order of elevation). Choose the trail that is best for your physical capabilities, and even the view from Lower Falls is amazing. However, you do not have to be super fit to do Upper Falls, it just takes a longer time – maybe the full 8 hours estimated.

Starting the trail

We set off from Upper Pines campground in the morning, when it was about 37F/3C. My first tip would be to wear layers on the hike. You want to be able to remove layers when your body warms up and the temperature increased throughout the day.

We walked 20-30 minutes from the campground to the trailhead because we wanted to enjoy the view from the valley floor. Interestingly we saw a coyote along the way, just playing in the snow.

I was very excited for the hike while I looked up at the snow-covered cliffs. The Yosemite Falls Trail starts at Camp 4 near shuttle stop #7. 

The first views of the valley

We kept stopping to take pictures when we saw views of both the valley floor and the rocky cliffs. At this point we have climbed a series of switchbacks for about 30-45 minutes. It was quite tiring but it is worth it to see the scenery changing at increasing altitudes.  

The first official lookout point is Columbia Rock, where we stopped for a snack break. From this lookout, you can see Half Dome in the distance. According to Yosemite National Park’s brochure, a round trip hike to Columbia Rock would take 2-3 hours, with an elevation gain of 1000ft/300m.

Encountering snow on the trail

Walking further, Upper Falls started to come into view. It was my first time coming so close to such a tall waterfall, and you could even see that an ice cone has gathered at the base. Along this part of the trail, there was snow gathered along the sides of the trail.

Further ahead, we came across a narrow path that was completely covered in snow such that we could not see the trail. We were quite nervous to cross it, and went ahead slowly while walking where the existing footprints are. From this point on, there was snow covering almost the rest of the trail. Tip: Bring or buy crampons/snow spikes if you want to have an easier time on the snow. 

We then encountered more switchbacks, which was a real butt kicker. It is actually really difficult to hike in snow when the trail has steep slopes. This time we were right next to a granite cliff face, and I could even touch it! Whenever I look up, I am so in awe of how big these things in nature are. 

Reaching Upper Falls

Finally, after 3 hours of hiking we came to the top of the cliff where the ground was flat. This meant that the trail would shortly lead us to the edge of the cliff. Another option for more adventurous people is to proceed ahead to Yosemite Point, which will add another 1 hour to your hike. Personally, I was really tired and content with this view. (I mean, can it get better than this?)

You can see people laying down with snacks and drinks, the whole vibe is so chill. It felt nice to be one of the people who get to enjoy this view. You can even go much closer to Upper Falls by taking a narrow path down. I was scared because at some point there were no barriers, so I went back up to the resting area.

The feeling of seeing the magnificent view after a difficult hike is priceless. I was so happy to lie down at the edge of the cliff, enjoying the cool breeze and panoramic mountain views.

Enjoying lunch with a view

At this point it was time for lunch, and we brought camping food. This was quite fun because it was my first time cooking on the top of a cliff. We brought a camp stove and some metal containers to boil water. Some guys in our group proceeded to Yosemite Point, so we waited 1.5 hours while eating and drying our wet socks in the sun.

For more ideas on things to bring to Yosemite, check out this article.

Descending with sunset views

After a long break with food and a feeling of achievement, we began our descend. It was much easier than going up. Half the time we pretended to ski on the now compressed snow, and slid around downhill.

We also saw the golden glow on Half Dome, and stopped several times for pictures. Later on, the sunset took my breath away as pink clouds covered the mountains in the distance. We managed to get down just as daylight ended. I was hungry and tired, but my heart was so full.

I highly recommend this hike to anyone who is looking for sick Yosemite views. It would be easier when there is no snow along the trail, but the snow-covered mountain view makes it worth it. That makes the experience so much more unique in winter.

Make sure that you’re prepared with the appropriate winter hiking gear. This includes layers, water, safety and emergency essentials.

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If you are looking for more inspiration for winter, take a look at this blog post about my favorite places in California, or this one where I went hiking in Jeju (South Korea). I also have some road trip packing tips here. Thank you for reading!

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