Wapama Falls is a waterfall in Tuolumne County, California at about 1,468 m (4,816 ft) above sea level. It lies in or next to Yosemite National Park, so park hours, fees and rules apply. The nearest town is Yosemite Valley, about 30 km (19 mi) away (Wapama Falls lies NNW of town).
Wapama Falls is the larger of two waterfalls located on Falls Creek on the northern wall of Hetch Hetchy Valley below Hetch Hetchy Dome, in Yosemite National Park. The other waterfall, Tueeulala Falls, is on a separate seasonal distributary of Falls Creek. Wapama Falls flows year-round and during peak flow has been known to inundate the trail bridge crossing its base, making the falls impossible to pass. The falls consist of two primary drops angled roughly 60 degrees to each other, and a broad cascade at its base.From the Wikipedia article “Wapama Falls”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Wapama Falls the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 59° (ENE) at the June solstice and 120° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 301° (WNW) in June to 241° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 75° in summer but only 29° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:03 AM | 90° E | 7:11 PM | 271° W | 52° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:38 AM | 59° ENE | 8:26 PM | 301° WNW | 75° | 14h 48m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:48 AM | 89° E | 6:58 PM | 271° W | 52° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:12 AM | 120° ESE | 4:44 PM | 241° WSW | 29° | 9h 32m |
Azimuth is measured clockwise from true north (90° = east, 270° = west). Computed for 2026; values change by less than a degree from year to year.
Golden hour & blue hour by month
Waterfalls photograph best in soft, even light: overcast days, deep shade, or the hour after sunrise before direct sun hits the water. Bright sun on white water blows highlights and adds harsh contrast.
| Month (15th) | Blue hour starts | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Blue hour ends | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 6:46 AM | 7:14 AM | 7:54 AM | 4:24 PM | 5:04 PM | 5:33 PM | 9h 49m |
| February | 6:23 AM | 6:50 AM | 7:27 AM | 5:02 PM | 5:38 PM | 6:05 PM | 10h 48m |
| March | 6:45 AM | 7:11 AM | 7:46 AM | 6:32 PM | 7:07 PM | 7:33 PM | 11h 56m |
| April | 5:57 AM | 6:24 AM | 7:00 AM | 7:00 PM | 7:35 PM | 8:02 PM | 13h 11m |
| May | 5:20 AM | 5:50 AM | 6:27 AM | 7:26 PM | 8:03 PM | 8:33 PM | 14h 13m |
| June | 5:05 AM | 5:37 AM | 6:16 AM | 7:45 PM | 8:24 PM | 8:55 PM | 14h 47m |
| July | 5:19 AM | 5:49 AM | 6:28 AM | 7:44 PM | 8:22 PM | 8:53 PM | 14h 33m |
| August | 5:47 AM | 6:15 AM | 6:51 AM | 7:18 PM | 7:54 PM | 8:22 PM | 13h 39m |
| September | 6:15 AM | 6:42 AM | 7:16 AM | 6:34 PM | 7:09 PM | 7:35 PM | 12h 27m |
| October | 6:42 AM | 7:08 AM | 7:44 AM | 5:47 PM | 6:23 PM | 6:49 PM | 11h 15m |
| November | 6:13 AM | 6:41 AM | 7:19 AM | 4:10 PM | 4:49 PM | 5:17 PM | 10h 08m |
| December | 6:39 AM | 7:09 AM | 7:50 AM | 4:00 PM | 4:42 PM | 5:11 PM | 9h 33m |
Local time (America/Los Angeles), including daylight saving time. Golden hour runs from about −4° to +6° solar altitude, so the morning golden hour begins during blue hour, before sunrise.
Milky Way & night sky
From Wapama Falls, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 5.3 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 23° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 3 (rural sky), good enough for detailed Milky Way images.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | -1° | — |
| February | 4:57 AM – 5:17 AM | 0.3 | 13° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:04 AM – 5:34 AM | 1.5 | 19° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:09 AM – 4:49 AM | 2.7 | 23° | SE → S |
| May | 12:08 AM – 3:58 AM | 3.8 | 23° | SE → S |
| June | 10:20 PM – 3:40 AM | 5.3 | 23° | SE → SW |
| July | 10:13 PM – 2:13 AM | 4.0 | 23° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:32 PM – 12:12 AM | 2.7 | 23° | S → SW |
| September | 8:38 PM – 10:08 PM | 1.5 | 20° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:50 PM – 8:10 PM | 0.3 | 13° | SW → SW |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | 1° | — |
| December | Below 10° in darkness | — | -19° | — |
Window when the galactic core is at least 10° high during astronomical darkness on the 15th of each month. Pick nights within a few days of the new moon. Plan exact nights with the Milky Way planner.
Estimated sky darkness: 3 Bortle 3 — Rural sky. Some light domes sit on the horizon, but the Milky Way still looks complex overhead. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.61 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show August as the clearest month (about 15% average cloud cover) and December as the cloudiest (54%). July is the warmest month and December the coldest, which matters for gear, snow access and how long batteries last at night.
Average cloud cover (%)
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| High °F | 60 | 64 | 67 | 72 | 86 | 91 | 96 | 91 | 90 | 82 | 74 | 62 |
| Low °F | -9 | -7 | -4 | -3 | 15 | 24 | 39 | 34 | 23 | 14 | -9 | -12 |
| Precip. (in) | 4.4 | 4.7 | 3.7 | 2.4 | 1.3 | 0.4 | 0.4 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 1.4 | 2.4 | 4.8 |
Monthly climatology for the surrounding 1° grid cell from NASA POWER (MERRA-2). Mountain sites can be colder and cloudier than the cell average.
Photography tips for this waterfall
- Keep a microfiber cloth handy — spray drifts onto the lens, especially at the plunge pool.
- Bracket shutter speeds: 1/8 s, 1/2 s and 2 s give very different water textures and you can choose later.
- A 3-stop ND filter lets you use slow shutter speeds even when the light is bright.
- Shoot a vertical and a horizontal frame; tall falls often work better in portrait orientation.
- Shoot RAW to keep the most latitude for high-contrast sunrise and sunset scenes.
Season: Peak flow is usually in late spring; autumn adds color around the falls, and winter can bring ice formations at colder locations.
Suggested gear: Tripod, Circular polarizer, 3–6 stop ND filter, Lens cloth, Waterproof footwear. Work out exposures with the depth of field, ND filter and NPF rule calculators.
Permits, drones & access
National Park Service rules. Under federal law (54 U.S.C. 100905), still photography in National Park Service areas needs a permit only when it (1) takes place where members of the public are not allowed, (2) uses models, sets or props that are not part of the location's natural or cultural resources or administrative facilities, or (3) would cause the park to incur additional administrative costs to monitor the activity. Ordinary visitor and most landscape photography needs no permit. Commercial filming rules are separate and have changed in recent years — confirm current requirements with the park before a paid shoot.
Drones: Launching, landing or operating unmanned aircraft (drones) is prohibited in National Park Service units under a 2014 Superintendent's closure (36 CFR 1.5), except where a park has issued specific written approval. Flying from outside the boundary over park land can also violate park rules and disturb wildlife.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 25 km of Wapama Falls, closest first.
Waterfall
Waterfall
Mountain PeakWaterfall
Lake
LakeWaterfall
Scenic Viewpoint
CanyonCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Cherry Valley13.4 km (8.3 mi) · reservable
- White Wolf Campground14.9 km (9.2 mi) · reservable
- Dimond O17.8 km (11.1 mi) · reservable
- Hodgdon Meadow Campground21 km (13 mi) · reservable
- Yosemite Creek Campground21 km (13 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Wapama Falls?
What time is golden hour at Wapama Falls?
Where does the sun rise and set at Wapama Falls?
Can you see the Milky Way from Wapama Falls?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Wapama Falls?
How far is Wapama Falls from Yosemite Valley?
Sources
Location data: Wikidata, USGS GNIS / GeoNames, Wikipedia. Sun, moon and Milky Way times are computed by LWPhoto Atlas for 2026. Climate: NASA POWER. Sky darkness is a population-based estimate (Walker's law), not a measurement. See data sources & licenses.