Piute Creek (Tuolumne River tributary) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Piute Creek |
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 Location of Piute Creek in California
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| Country | United States |
| State | California |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Main source | Unnamed lake Sierra Nevada 10,302 ft (3,140 m) 38°05′36″N 119°24′04″W / 38.09333°N 119.40111°W |
| River mouth | Tuolumne River Pate Valley 4,344 ft (1,324 m) 37°55′48″N 119°36′03″W / 37.93000°N 119.60083°W |
| Length | 18.87 mi (30.37 km) |
Piute Creek is a stream that flows for about 19 miles (30 kilometers) through the northern part of Yosemite National Park in California. It's a very important stream that feeds into the Tuolumne River. The creek helps drain a wild and rugged area of the Sierra Nevada mountains.
Contents
Journey of Piute Creek
Piute Creek starts its journey high up in the mountains. It begins at a lake that doesn't have a name, located near Burro Pass and Matterhorn Peak.
From Source to Canyon
From its starting point, the creek first flows west, then turns southwest. It enters a place called Slide Canyon. Here, something cool happens: the creek actually flows underground for a short distance! It goes beneath a large pile of fallen rocks, known as "The Slide."
After leaving Slide Canyon, Piute Creek gets bigger. It is joined by two other smaller streams, Camp Creek and Rock Creek. Then, the creek drops steeply as it flows southwest into a lake called Benson Lake.
Through Valleys and Waterfalls
Once Piute Creek leaves the southern end of Benson Lake, it enters a beautiful area known as Pleasant Valley. In this valley, it passes by a few smaller lakes: Saddle Horse, Irwin Bright, and Table Lakes.
After flowing through Pleasant Valley, the creek starts to drop again. It creates a long series of amazing waterfalls that cascade down into the Grand Canyon of the Tuolumne.
Joining the Tuolumne River
Finally, Piute Creek reaches Pate Valley. This is where it meets and joins the larger Tuolumne River. This meeting point is about 5 miles (8 kilometers) upstream from the Hetch Hetchy Reservoir.
Other Names for Piute Creek
Over time, Piute Creek has been known by a couple of other names. People have also called it Cascade Creek and Slide Creek. These names likely came from the waterfalls it forms and the "Slide" area it passes through.
