Illilouette Fall facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Illilouette Fall |
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Illilouette Fall from Mist Trail
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| Location | Yosemite Valley, Yosemite National Park, California, US |
| Coordinates | 37°42′51″N 119°33′40″W / 37.71413°N 119.56119°W |
| Type | Veiling plunge |
| Total height | 381 feet (116 m) |
| Number of drops | 1 |
| Longest drop | 381 feet (116 m) |
| Total width | 120 feet (37 m) |
| Average width | 85 feet (26 m) |
| Watercourse | Illilouette Creek |
| World height ranking | 733 |
Illilouette Fall is a stunning waterfall located in Yosemite National Park, California. It plunges an impressive 381 feet (116 meters) down a rocky cliff. This powerful waterfall is fed by Illilouette Creek, which eventually joins the famous Merced River. You can find Illilouette Fall in a narrow canyon on the south side of Yosemite Valley. It stands directly across from another well-known waterfall, Vernal Fall.
Seeing Illilouette Fall
Illilouette Fall offers beautiful views, especially from certain spots. You can often see it from popular hiking paths like the Mist Trail and the John Muir Trail. These trails are located near Vernal Fall and provide a good look at Illilouette Fall.
However, during drier months, the waterfall's flow can slow down. Sometimes, it might even seem to disappear from these viewpoints. For the very best look at Illilouette Fall, many people suggest hiking along the Panorama Trail. This trail offers amazing views as it goes down from Glacier Point.
Reaching the Base
There is no official trail that leads directly to the bottom of Illilouette Fall. The canyon around the waterfall is very rugged and full of fast-moving water during the wet season. Because of this, reaching the base of the fall is not encouraged. It can be dangerous. During times of very low water flow, it might be possible to get closer, but it's still a difficult and risky journey.
What's in a Name?
The meaning behind the name "Illilouette" is a bit of a mystery. No one knows for sure what it means or where it came from.
According to Lafayette Bunnell, an early explorer of Yosemite, the Ahwahnechee people had their own name for the waterfall. They called it "Too-lool-lo-we-ak." Bunnell mentioned that the literal translation of this name was not suitable for everyday use. What that translation was, however, has been lost over time. Some people think "Illilouette" might be a changed version of the Ahwahneechee name, but this is not known for certain.
