At 1,570 ft, Horsetail Fall ranks among the tallest waterfalls in the United States — a horsetail waterfall in California. That places it among the ten tallest waterfalls we track, at #5 by height.
It lies in Mariposa, California. The site is on public land managed by Yosemite National Park (NPS).
This is a short hike waterfall: reached by a short trail, generally under about a mile each way. The walk to the main viewpoint runs about 1.5 miles round trip. The nearest town is Yosemite Valley.
When to go: Mid-to-late February (with snowmelt and clear skies). Like most waterfalls, Horsetail Fall runs highest after snowmelt or heavy rain and can thin out in late summer, so it's worth checking recent streamflow and the land manager's conditions page before a long drive.
