• View of Half Dome and Washington Column in Yosemite Valley

    Yosemite

    National Park California

Horsetail Fall

 
Horsetail Fall flows over the eastern edge of El Capitan in Yosemite Valley. It's a small waterfall that many people don't notice, but it has gained popularity as more and more people have noticed it can glow orange during sunset in mid to late February, in a way reminiscent of the Firefall that occurred historically from Glacier Point.


The most popular place to see Horsetail Fall seemingly afire is El Capitan picnic area, west of Yosemite Lodge and east of El Capitan (see map below). The "firefall" effect generally happens during the second half of February. A clear sky is necessary for the waterfall to glow orange.

Below, you'll find an episode of the park's video podcast, Yosemite Nature Notes, that focuses on Horsetail Fall (Episode 14).

 
 
Map showing El Capitan picnic area

Did You Know?

Vernal and Nevada Falls

In Yosemite Valley, dropping over 594-foot Nevada Fall and then 317-foot Vernal Fall, the Merced River creates what is known as the “Giant Staircase.” Such exemplary stair-step river morphology is characterized by a large variability in river movement and flow, from quiet pools to the dramatic drops of the waterfalls themselves.