Illilouette Fall | World Waterfall Database

CONFIRMED
This waterfall has been confirmed by the World Waterfall Database, has been mapped and its height has been approximated but exact measurements have not yet been confirmed.

Illilouette Fall represents several polar extremes among the waterfalls in Yosemite Valley. On one hand, it is the most difficult of the major waterfalls in Yosemite Valley to properly view - requiring a steep 4-mile hike to reach - and as such is without question the least visited of the valley's major waterfalls. Though the falls can be distantly seen from the John Muir Trail between Happy Isles and the Vernal Falls bridge, the angle at which the falls drop makes it nearly invisible outside of the heavy flow season (and even then the profile view is that of a very narrow column of water). Proper up-close views of the falls require a head-on view from the rim of the gorge, where the true nature of the explosive 370-foot tempest can be appreciated as it thunders into the craggy gorge.

On the other hand, Illilouette Creek is the most voluminous tributary of the Merced River in Yosemite and in following the falls flow more consistently than any other waterfall in the valley. We have not yet been able to find trustworthy data documenting the volume of water present in the stream, but operating under the assumption that it's volume is greater than Yosemite Creek, we can assume springtime volume can regularly eclipse 500 cubic feet per second, thanks to the 62-square mile drainage area of Illilouette Creek.

HISTORY AND NAMES

Also Known as: Glacier Fall, South Canyon Fall, Too-lool-lo-we-ak
Illilouette Fall is the Official name of this waterfall

According to Lafayette Bunnell the Indian name for this waterfall was Too-lool-lo-we-ak, but suggested that it's literal interpretation was not appropriate for everyday use (what that translation is seems to have been lost in time). Bunnell proposed the name South Canyon Fall in following but this led to confusion in that the stream was thought to be the South Fork of the Merced River (which in actuality lies much further south). Josiah Whitney proposed the fall be called by its Indian name, which may have been bastardized into Illilouette, to which Bunnell then countered with the name Glacier Fall because the word "Illilouette" isn't an Indian word. In the end Whitney's suggested naming convention won out, but the real meaning of Illilouette remains unknown to this day.

Our thoughts

Illilouette Fall is the one major waterfall in Yosemite Valley which we haven't adequately surveyed, but the glimpses which we have achieved from various locations (the John Muir Trail and Glacier Point namely) have given us a pretty strong impression. Not that we needed convincing that this really is a great waterfall, but pictures don't quite do justice to the scale of the falls, like many of the waterfalls in Yosemite. It's understandable if those operating under time constraints don't seek out this waterfall given the logistics involved in hiking to it, but if you plan on driving to Glacier Point, we would strongly encourage you to undertake the hike down to the falls.

Location and directions

Illilouette Fall is best accessed from Glacier Point in Yosemite National Park. From the parking lot, walk towards the Glacier Point viewpoints and stay to the right, following signs for the Panorama Trail. The viewpoint for the falls is reached after 2 1/4 miles of steady downhill hiking.

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Illilouette Fall is shown in the center. The 10 closest waterfalls within a 8km radius are shown as well (if any). Click any icon or see the list below for more information.

Additional Nearby Waterfalls

Name of Waterfall	Distance
Vernal Fall	1.34 mi / 2.15 km
Silver Apron	1.43 mi / 2.28 km
Nevada Fall	1.69 mi / 2.71 km
Staircase Falls	1.7 mi / 2.73 km
Sentinel Fall	1.88 mi / 3.01 km
Fissure Falls	2.21 mi / 3.54 km
Royal Arch Cascade	2.54 mi / 4.06 km
Lehamite Falls	3.48 mi / 5.57 km
Columbia Cascade	3.52 mi / 5.63 km
Yosemite Falls	3.55 mi / 5.68 km

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Illilouette Fall Mariposa County, California, United States