Parking
End of paved Foresta Road near Lyell Way, before the road-closed sign; the small pullout fits about two cars. Keep driveways clear and do not drive beyond the sign.
Overview
About Foresta Falls Trail
Why go
- The main cascade sits directly beside the route’s bridge.
- A short road walk reaches a tucked-away waterfall.
Heads up
- The downhill walk becomes an uphill return.
- Pedestrian access beyond the vehicle-closure sign is not officially confirmed.
Map & elevation
The route
Loading the Yosemite map
Full mapElevation4,012–4,327 ft
Plan your hike
Before you go
Parking
Safety
4 active Yosemite alerts
- ClosureDome Fire closes Glacier Point Road and trailsGlacier Point Road is temporarily closed because Dome Fire smoke reduces visibility and to allow firefighting operations; some trails south of the road are also closed.Official details
- CautionMist Trail access limited during October repairsThe Mist Trail between its John Muir Trail junction above the Vernal Fall footbridge and the top of Vernal Fall has limited access through October for repair work.Official details
“After Yosemite’s black oaks lose their leaves, green clumps can remain among the bare branches. Those may be leafy mistletoe, a separate plant living on the tree.”
Yosemite Tour Guide
Yosemite, narrated.
Parkwolf is a GPS audio tour guide for Yosemite National Park. As you drive, it chimes in with what’s ahead: hidden gems, upcoming stops, history, geology, and wildlife, right through your car’s speakers.
See the Yosemite audio tourRecorded for this area
Green Clumps in Bare Oaks0:00 / 0:32
“After Yosemite’s black oaks lose their leaves, green clumps can remain among the bare branches. Those may be leafy mistletoe, a separate plant living on the tree.”
Plays on the road 1.3 mi from the trailhead in the Parkwolf Yosemite Tour Guide.
More stories near here in the app
- Arch Rock Entrance
- The Army's Park Patrols
- The Tree That Rests in Summer
- The Train to El Portal
- 125 audio storiesacross Yosemite’s roads, triggered by GPS as you drive
- Wildlife heatmapsfor Black Bear, Peregrine Falcon, Mule Deer, and 13 more
- Works offlinemaps, 141 trails, 99 places, and audio download before you lose signal
- CarPlay readysimple controls built for the drive
“We just drove through Yosemite and it made our trip listening to this app as we drove through. Like having a tour guide in the car with you.”
Trail guide
Hiking Foresta Falls Trail
A short road walk to the fallsForesta Falls Trail is an easy 1.
Foresta Falls Trail is an easy 1.8-mile out-and-back on an unpaved road from Foresta to the first bridge across Crane Creek. The main cascade is right beside the bridge. Allow about an hour to an hour and a half; the road drops roughly 300 feet on the way down, so save some energy for the uphill return. It is a simple waterfall outing, though this is an informal road walk, not an NPS-maintained trail.
Follow the old roadStart where the pavement ends near Lyell Way.
Start where the pavement ends near Lyell Way. The unpaved road heads downhill, staying near Crane Creek for much of the way before bending away around a meadow and making a switchback. It turns back toward the water as you approach the falls, which may come into view before the bridge. Keep to this road for the route in the map; side paths toward the upper cascades are rougher and are not part of this walk.
At the bridgeThe first bridge over Crane Creek sits beside the lowest and tallest cascade, reported at about…
The first bridge over Crane Creek sits beside the lowest and tallest cascade, reported at about 40 feet. Foresta Falls is a series of cascades along the creek, but much of the upper water is hidden from the road. Spring runoff and early summer usually bring the strongest flow. From the bridge, frame the falling water against the granite ledge; the bridge is the turnaround for this route.
Access and footingPark at the small pullout where pavement ends, before the road-closed sign, and keep…
Park at the small pullout where pavement ends, before the road-closed sign, and keep neighborhood driveways clear. Do not drive beyond the sign. Visitor directions describe walking the road, but official pedestrian access beyond the vehicle closure line is unconfirmed; check posted rules before setting out and respect nearby private homes. Pets are not allowed on this unpaved trail route; service animals are permitted.
Wildlife
Wildlife in Yosemite
732 sightingsBlack BearMost seen around 7 PMSighting map
1,747 sightingsMule DeerMost seen around 6 PMSighting map
332 sightingsCoyoteMost seen around 7 PMSighting map
11 sightingsPeregrine FalconMost seen around 8 AMSighting map
276 sightingsPikaMost seen around 8 AMSighting map
677 sightingsYellow-bellied MarmotMost seen around 8 AMSighting mapSighting maps show where each species has been reported across Yosemite. Wildlife moves, so no sighting is guaranteed.
