Yosemite: waterfalls and warnings

Yosemite is doing two opposite things at once this week: the valley’s biggest waterfalls are surging with spring runoff, and the higher country is heading into another round of winter weather. The National Park Service says Yosemite Falls, Vernal Fall, Nevada Fall, and Bridalveil Fall are all flowing high right now. (nps.gov) That happens every spring because snow stored in the Sierra Nevada starts melting and turns the park’s cliffs into temporary plumbing. Even with snowpack below average on March 1 — 65% of average in the Tuolumne River basin and 71% in the Merced River basin — there is still enough runoff to make the main falls roar in April. (nps.gov) Bridalveil Fall is the easiest close-up look at that runoff. It drops 620 feet, the paved walk is just 0.5 mile round trip from the main parking area, and the Park Service warns that spring spray can be so strong that visitors may have trouble reaching the end of the trail. (nps.gov) Vernal Fall and Nevada Fall are the louder, steeper version of the same story. The Mist Trail reaches the top of Vernal Fall in 2.4 miles round trip with 1,000 feet of climbing, then continues to the top of Nevada Fall in 5.4 miles round trip with 2,000 feet of climbing, and the Park Service says spring brings slippery footing, heavy spray, and more than 600 granite steps on the Vernal section alone. (nps.gov) The catch is that water that looks inviting in photos is exactly what gets people in trouble. The Park Service says rocks near rivers and waterfalls are slippery even when dry, and it specifically warns that Emerald Pool and Silver Apron above Vernal Fall are illegal and dangerous places to swim because the current is extremely hazardous. (nps.gov; nps.gov) Now zoom out from the valley floor to the rest of the park, because the forecast changes fast with elevation. The National Weather Service forecast for Yosemite National Park outside the valley calls for rain and snow on Friday, moderate snow accumulations from Friday night into Saturday, and heavy snow accumulations Saturday night into Sunday. (weather.gov) Wind is part of the problem, not just snow. That same National Weather Service forecast says gusts could reach around 35 miles per hour on Thursday night, and the San Joaquin Valley forecast office was showing a Winter Storm Watch on its advisory map Thursday morning, April 9, 2026. (weather.gov; weather.gov) A winter storm watch is the government’s way of saying the ingredients for a serious storm are lining up, even if the exact totals can still move around. The National Weather Service says watches are issued when conditions are favorable for a significant winter storm, including heavy snow and blowing snow, and warns that strong winds can create poor visibility and whiteout travel. (weather.gov) So the Yosemite pitch for this weekend is unusually simple: valley waterfalls for the camera, mountain weather for the emergency checklist. In the same park, one trail can be a 20-minute paved walk to Bridalveil Fall, while another area a few thousand feet higher can flip into snow, wind, and chain-control driving in a matter of hours. (nps.gov; weather.gov) If you go, the safest version of the trip is the least dramatic one: check Yosemite’s current conditions page before you leave, stay on paved or signed trails near the falls, and treat every wet rock like polished ice. Yosemite’s waterfalls are strongest in spring for the same reason its weather is least forgiving then: the park is still half winter, even when the valley looks like postcard season. (nps.gov; nps.gov)