Sentinel Fall
About
Sentinel Fall is a waterfall in Yosemite National Park, within the Yosemite Wilderness, about 1.6 miles from Yosemite Valley. The land is managed by the National Park Service, and the fall sits at roughly 5,600 feet. Late spring and early fall are the most comfortable times to visit. Typical averages from a nearby weather station show May highs around 70°F and October highs around 71°F, while July and August average highs near 89°F. That station sits well below the fall, so temperatures at the waterfall run cooler. The Sentinel Creek Area and Sentinel Boulders climbing areas are both within half a mile. The Four Mile Trailhead is about 0.7 miles away, and Lower Pines Campground is about 2 miles off.
Waterfall Facts
Elevation
5,613 ft
Land manager
National Park Service
Elevation from USGS 3D Elevation Program terrain data (about 10 m resolution).
Location
Sentinel Fall
California
Name and location: U.S. Geological Survey, Geographic Names Information System (GNIS). Elevation: USGS 3D Elevation Program. View the GNIS record.
Facts about this place
When to go
Best time to go: Apr–Jun. The mildest months here, with typical highs of 63–80°F and lows of 38–51°F.
Typical monthly averages (not a forecast) from the Yosemite Park Hq, CA weather station, 1.8 mi away. High / low in °F.
- Jan48° high29° low
- Feb51° high30° low
- Mar57° high33° low
- Apr63° high38° low
- May70° high45° low
- Jun80° high51° low
- Jul89° high57° low
- Aug89° high57° low
- Sep83° high51° low
- Oct71° high41° low
- Nov56° high32° low
- Dec46° high28° low
The station sits about 1,600 ft lower than this spot, so expect it to run cooler up here.
Where it is
- Yosemite Wilderness · Wilderness
- Yosemite National Park · National Park Service
- Nearest town
- Yosemite Valley, California · 1.6 mi
- Managed by
- National Park Service
Conditions
Active alerts for Yosemite National Park as of Oct 9, 2026:
Glacier Point Road is closed due to the Dome Fire until 10/10 at 7 am
Park Closure · posted Oct 9, 2026
Source: NPS Alerts API
Nearby
Sentinel Creek AreaRock climbingPhoto: Dan Harrelson, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)0.3 mi
Sentinel BouldersRock climbingPhoto: msprague, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)0.5 mi
Four Mile TrailheadHiking0.7 mi
Valley Shuttle Stop 11: Four Mile TrailheadHiking0.7 mi
Lower Pines CampgroundCampingPhoto: Recreation.gov (RIDB) / public domain2 mi
North Pines CampgroundCampingPhoto: Recreation.gov (RIDB) / public domain2.1 mi
Merced RiverCanoeingPhoto: Kylir Horton from Eagle Mountain, Utah, United States, CC BY 2.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)4.9 mi- Illilouette CreekCanoeing5.7 mi
Source: Roamze catalog (indexable pages within 10 miles, PostGIS distance)
Is Sentinel Fall open right now?
No closures listed
The National Park Service lists no closures for Yosemite National Park.
As of · Source: NPS · Yosemite National Park. Agencies don't list every closure — check before you go.
Best time to visit Sentinel Fall
Best months: March–June and September–November. Best months have typical highs of 55–85 °F, lows of 30 °F or warmer (32 °F where the station doesn't record snow), at most one snowy day and no more than 12 wet days.
Jan
48° / 29°
9 wet
Feb
51° / 30°
9 wet
Mar
57° / 33°
10 wet
Apr
63° / 38°
8 wet
May
70° / 45°
6 wet
Jun
80° / 51°
3 wet
Jul
89° / 57°
1 wet
Aug
89° / 57°
1 wet
Sep
83° / 51°
2 wet
Oct
71° / 41°
3 wet
Nov
56° / 32°
6 wet
Dec
46° / 28°
8 wet
Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Yosemite Park Hq, CA, 1.8 mi away at 4,018 ft. The station sits about 1,600 ft lower than this place, so expect it a little cooler here. This station doesn't record snowfall. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.
