Lower Yosemite Falls
Why See Yosemite Falls? It’s a waterfall so high it has to take a break and rest twice in the course of its descent. It’s a 2,425 foot tumbler, tallest in North America and fifth tallest in the world. Ten times taller than Niagara or Shoshone Falls, nearly twice as tall as the Empire State Building, it’s about the height a 200-story building would be, if somebody ever built one. The lower fall is the shortest section of the fall, but it’s still 320 feet (98 meters) high.
Best Time to Visit: In the spring, when water is roaring off the falls and the breeze it creates at the bridge underneath the falls will blow your hat off.
Worst Time to Visit: In the early fall and late summer, by which time the falls have often dried up altogether. Visit the Yosemite Falls webcam during California daylight hours to see how much water is currently flowing over the falls. Watch the streaming version of the webcam. The webcam only shows the upper falls, but savvy outdoorsmen can infer that if the upper falls are dry, the lower falls will be as well.
Yosemite Nature Notes: Moonbows
On clear spring nights when the moon is full, photographers gather by the score at the lower falls to see the moonlit rainbows that span the water, a phenomenon known as a moonbow, the world’s most romantic portmanteau. Yosemite Nature Notes Episode 15 explores moonbow fever and includes lots of lovely footage of moonbows shimmering in front of waterfalls and starry skies. Even the most kitten-kicking of cynics should watch the first two minutes to see a few examples.
Can’t-Get-Enough-Yosemite-Nature-Notes Dept: You can find the entire YNN series here, though the first thing you should watch after this video is the Making-of-the-Moonbows-Episode episode. Ranger Bob Roney, interviewed in the film, has his own Twitter feed, as does YNN creator Steven Bumgardner. Yosemite Nature Notes itself also has a feed.
Thank you Wikipedia: History of Yosemite
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Raise your hand if you have been to Yosemite at night looking for moonbows? Would you rate the experience as one of your top ten?
I’m writing that sequel . . .
My husband and I visited Yosemite during our honeymoon over thirty years ago — have been back a number of times, including May. It is spectacular — particularly when you get out of the congested, overused trails. No place like it. So happy that there is a series of books set there!
Thank you for the comment, Louise. You are a lucky lady. I enjoy the opportunity to be researching again for my second book. There is so much to discover. How do you get to go so often? Is California a place you visit and then go to Yosemite? We have a son in Arizona, so we have been to the parks closer to that part of the West. For us, Yosemite is off the beaten path. I would enjoy those moonbows at night. Did you have a chance to watch the YouTube links?
I’ve been head down working furiously on my novel…did take a break to watch the video. I want to be there! Have not been back in years. In my past life as a corporate marketing and consultant type, I was able to finagle trips out to CA as part of my job — some of my very favorite memories! If you ever need a close-by refresher for the way that it feels, you can take a drive into the Adirondacks, far up by Lake Placid and beyond — there’s already snow up there — huge pines — and quiet…..Was just up there this weekend with my daughter….
Ooops….that was me about the Adirondacks…my most favorite place in the world right now….
Awesome Louise. We are lucky to have such beauty so close at hand. How far a drive was it from here?
What an amazing video!
Thanks Charl, yes I too was amazed watching that video. If you check out the other link on streaming, the photographer shows their setups on the mountains. Awesome.