Yosemite Creek facts for kids
Yosemite Creek is a 13.2-mile-long (21.2 km) creek found in the beautiful Yosemite National Park in California. It flows through the Sierra Nevada mountains, which are a large mountain range in the western United States.
Where Yosemite Creek Flows
The journey of Yosemite Creek begins high up at the Grant Lakes. These lakes are its source. From there, the creek flows southwest. It then makes a huge drop of 2,425 feet (739 m) over the famous Yosemite Falls. This creates a stunning waterfall that many people come to see.
After the falls, the creek continues to flow into Yosemite Valley. It then turns southeast and joins the Merced River. The Merced River is a larger river that eventually flows into the San Joaquin River.
How Yosemite Falls Was Formed
Today, Yosemite Creek creates the Upper Yosemite Fall as it flows over the edge of Yosemite Valley. But things were different about 130,000 years ago! Back then, Yosemite Creek flowed along an older path, a bit to the west.
It used to tumble down a steep, narrow valley. This old path is now the route of the Yosemite Falls Trail, a popular hiking path. Over time, the creek changed its course to where it flows today, creating the amazing Yosemite Falls we see.
Water in Yosemite Creek
The area that collects water for Yosemite Creek and Yosemite Falls is called its watershed. This watershed covers about 43 square miles (110 km2). Most of this area is made of granite rock.
Long ago, glaciers moved through this area. They scraped away most of the soil, leaving the granite exposed. Because there isn't much soil to hold water, the Yosemite Creek watershed drains very quickly. This means that when the snow melts, the water rushes into the creek quite fast.
