History & travel
The Yosemite
John Muir · 2003
Muir's own account of the valley, including his famous descriptions of Yosemite Fall and the Merced's Nevada and Vernal falls.
United States · Sierra Nevada, California
Bridalveil Fall
Often the first waterfall visitors see entering Yosemite Valley, its free-falling water is light enough that shifting winds sway it visibly from side to side, which the Ahwahneechee people read as the veil of a spirit. A short paved trail reaches the base mist zone.
UNESCO World HeritageYosemite's most reliably year-round waterfall Essentials guide
Checked September 2026 by David Bussell
Bridalveil Fall drops 189 metres (620 ft) on the Bridalveil Creek, inside Yosemite National Park. It is a horsetail-type fall, and the nearest base for a visit is Yosemite Valley, with FAT the closest airport. Access to the main viewpoint is rated easy.
As a horsetail waterfall, water stays in contact with the rock as it falls.
What you can do here
A walk-in-and-look waterfall
No commercial adventures run at Bridalveil Fall itself — the experience is the approach and the view. Guided day trips from Yosemite Valley are the easiest way to combine it with the area around it.
Also good forHikingPhotography
When to go
Spring snowmelt gives fullest flow; runs year-round unlike many Yosemite falls, though much reduced by autumn.
Entry: Park entry $35 USD per vehicle
Getting there
- Base town Yosemite Valley
- Airport FAT
- Country United States
- Region Sierra Nevada, California, United States, North America
- Access Easy — a short walk or roadside viewpoint
How it compares
This waterfall
Bridalveil Fall
United States
Height189 mWidth—
Most similar
Ellenborough Falls
Australia
Height160 mWidth—
Also a horsetail waterfall and of similar height
Largest curtain
Victoria Falls
Zimbabwe · Zambia
Height108 mWidth1,708 m
Largest single sheet of falling water
Tallest on earth
Angel Falls
Venezuela
Height979 mWidth—
Widest on earth
Khone Phapheng Falls
Laos
Height21 mWidth10,783 m
Measured across the whole multi-channel system
108 m
160 m
189 m
330 m
979 m
Victoria FallsEllenborough FallsBridalveil FallEiffel TowerAngel Falls
Khone Phapheng Falls
10,783 m
Victoria Falls
1,708 m
Angel Falls is 5.2× taller than Bridalveil Fall. It drops 1.8× further than Victoria Falls (108 m). We don't have a reliable crest width for Bridalveil Fall yet, so it is left off the width chart. Tallest · widest lists.
Watch and read
Videos from Bridalveil Fall
1:13
10:01
Chosen from YouTube; videos belong to their creators and play from YouTube's privacy-enhanced player.
Books worth packing
Walking guide
Hiking Waterfalls Yosemite National Park
Suzanne Swedo · 2019
Trail-by-trail guide devoted entirely to Yosemite's waterfalls, with maps, distances and best seasons for each fall.
Moon Yosemite, Sequoia & Kings Canyon: Hiking…Ann Marie Brown
Guidebook
Moon Yosemite, Sequoia & Kings Canyon: Hiking, Camping, Waterfalls & Big Trees
Ann Marie Brown · 2024
Current park guide with trail descriptions for the Mist Trail, Upper Yosemite Fall and Bridalveil, plus lodging and permits.
Lonely Planet Yosemite, Sequoia & Kings Canyon…Lonely Planet
Guidebook
Lonely Planet Yosemite, Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks
Lonely Planet · 2024
Latest Lonely Planet park guide covering Yosemite Valley's waterfall hikes, shuttles, camping and when the falls run highest.
On the map
37.7167, -119.6478
Quick answers
Where is Bridalveil Fall?
Bridalveil Fall is in United States (Sierra Nevada, California), inside Yosemite National Park. The nearest base is Yosemite Valley and the closest airport is FAT. Its coordinates are 37.7167, -119.6478.
How tall is Bridalveil Fall?
Bridalveil Fall drops 189 metres (620 feet). It is a horsetail-type waterfall on the Bridalveil Creek.
When is the best time to visit Bridalveil Fall?
Peak flow is April to June. Spring snowmelt gives fullest flow; runs year-round unlike many Yosemite falls, though much reduced by autumn.
What can you do at Bridalveil Fall?
Beyond the viewpoints: hiking and photography. Access to the main viewpoint is rated easy — a short walk or roadside viewpoint.
Is Bridalveil Fall a UNESCO World Heritage Site?
Yes. Bridalveil Fall lies within a UNESCO World Heritage Site — Yosemite National Park. Expect park fees, marked trails and rules on where you can walk, swim and fly drones.
How do you get to Bridalveil Fall?
The usual base is Yosemite Valley, and the closest airport is FAT. A short walk or roadside viewpoint from there. Park entry $35 USD per vehicle.
Nearby
Closest to Bridalveil Fall
Full guide Yosemite Falls
United States · 739 m · 6 km away
Tallest waterfall in Yosemite, and among the tallest in North America
UNESCO Vernal Fall
United States · 97 m · 8 km away
One of Yosemite's most-hiked destinations
Swimming
UNESCO Nevada Fall
United States · 181 m · 10 km away
Upper anchor of Yosemite's famous Mist Trail
Snow Creek Falls
United States · 12 km away
Snow Creek Falls is a long series of cascades located in Yosemite National Park toward the eastern extent of…