Royal Arch Cascade | World Waterfall Database

CATALOGED
This waterfall has been surveyed, mapped and measured in person by the World Waterfall Database.

Royal Arch Cascade is a short lived waterfall on the north wall of Yosemite Valley. The falls drain from a basin of less than a square mile immedidately west of North Dome, funneling into one or several (depending on the time of year) threads of water which stream down the solid granite face immediately to the left of the huge exfoliated formation known as The Royal Arches. The basin which Royal Arch Creek drains is composed largely of solid granite bedrock with little to no soil to retain groundwater, so the falls flow well during the melt season and after occasional heavy rain storms, but once the annual snowpack has melted and precipitation stops, the falls will quickly shrivel and dry up leaving a dark streak down the cliff as a reminder of its location.

Seasonal Discharge
This waterfall occurs along a stream that is known to vary greatly in volume and as a result may not flow consistently year round or may dry out completely during certain periods.

HISTORY AND NAMES

Also Known as: Sho-ko-ya
Royal Arch Cascade is the Official name of this waterfall

Royal Arch Cascade gets its name from the adjacent Royal Arches, which were cristened such by a member of the Mariposa Battalion when they discovered Yosemite Valley. The Native American name of the falls was apparently Sho-ko-ya, which means "the basket fall", a reference to the fact that the falls drain from behind North Dome, which was originally known as Basket Dome or "To-ko-ya".

Our thoughts

When we last surveyed Royal Arch Cascades in early June of 2004, it was flowing but just barely. The falls could not be seen against the cliff from Northside Drive but were sort of visible from the parking lot at the Ahwahnee Hotel. When hiking to the base, the falls become evident at low water, but unless the stream is flowing heavy enough that it can be seen from the main park roads, this will most likely be a waterfall only of interest to the dedicated.

Location and directions

Royal Arch Cascade is best seen from Ahwahnee Meadows within Yosemite Valley in Yosemite National Park. The base of the falls can also be approached easily on foot by following the trail from the Ahwahnee Hotel to Mirror Lake, which crosses below the falls about five minutes from the parking lot at the hotel.

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Royal Arch Cascade 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
Lehamite Falls	0.96 mi / 1.54 km
Staircase Falls	1.11 mi / 1.78 km
Yosemite Falls	1.48 mi / 2.37 km
Columbia Cascade	2.07 mi / 3.32 km
Vernal Fall	2.15 mi / 3.44 km
Snow Creek Falls	2.19 mi / 3.51 km
Sentinel Fall	2.22 mi / 3.55 km
Silver Apron	2.32 mi / 3.71 km
Upper Snow Creek Falls	2.4 mi / 3.84 km
Tenaya Falls	2.45 mi / 3.92 km

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Photography tips

The best views of the falls are from Ahwahnee Meadow and from the trail between the Ahwahnee Hotel and Mirror Lake as it crosses Royal Arch Creek. A wide angle lens is useful for shooting from the base and in both cases a moderate zoom (up to 150mm) may be useful as well. The falls face south and use of a polarizer is highly recommended, especially when the streamflow is low enough that the water is difficult to pick out from the water stains on the cliff.

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Royal Arch Cascade Mariposa County, California, United States