Hetch Hetchy

Hetch Hetchy is a glacial valley in the northwest corner of Yosemite that was dammed in the early twentieth century to supply San Francisco with water. What is left is a long, deep reservoir between granite walls, with Tueeulala and Wapama Falls pouring in from the north side each spring.

It is the least visited major destination in the park, and it is a genuinely long way from Arnold — around three hours each way, out and around through Sonora, Groveland and Mather. This is a whole day, or better still a piece of a two-day trip.

The classic outing crosses the top of O'Shaughnessy Dam, goes through a rock tunnel, then contours along the north shore to Wapama Falls — about five miles round trip on a rocky, exposed trail with modest climbing. Tueeulala appears first, a thin ribbon that usually dries by early summer; Wapama runs much longer and hits the footbridges with real force in peak melt.

In big snow years the bridges below Wapama can be closed or genuinely dangerous with water washing over them. That is a real hazard, not a formality — check the National Park Service conditions page before planning on reaching the falls.

Hetch Hetchy has its own entrance road with gate hours — it is not open around the clock like the rest of the park, and the gate closes in the evening whether you are back or not. Hours shift by season, so look them up the week you go rather than trusting a number you read once.

Because access is controlled, the road is quieter than any other Yosemite corridor and the reservoir feels remote. There is no lodging, no restaurant and no shop at the reservoir; there is a backpackers' campground for permit holders only. Bring everything with you, including lunch.