Yosemite Wilderness Permit — Chilnualna Falls

Chilnualna Falls: what makes it different

Chilnualna Falls is the quiet door into Yosemite's southwest corner. It starts behind the town of Wawona and climbs beside a long cascade. In 2026 it has the largest lottery share (24 people) and the largest week-ahead share (16 people) of the seven Yosemite trailheads on this page, and the Park Service rates demand for this route as low.^1,2

Getting to the start

Recreation.gov places the trailhead in the back of Wawona on Chilnualna Falls Road, and says the trail heads northeast toward the southern peaks and lakes. A December 2018 Sierra News Online writer says to drive Chilnualna Road to its end, just short of the bridge, and look for the signed lot on the right about 100 yards before the pavement stops. A second small lot sits higher on the road and the site has a restroom.^9,11

The Park Service lists a vault toilet at this trailhead. You pick the permit up at the Wawona Visitor Center, which the 2026 table names as the issuing station.¹

Rebecca, writing on Calipidder about a May 2009 weekend, found the entrance line very long and had her permit in hand around 11 a.m. She suggests arriving early to miss the RVs and tour buses.¹⁰

The first leg

The Park Service lists the Chilnualna Falls hike at 9.2 miles round trip with 2,400 feet of gain, and its Buena Vista Range route from the same trailhead at 29 miles round trip with 5,300 feet. Both are rated low demand, and the page calls the area lightly traveled.²

Distances vary by source. Calipidder puts the top of the falls about 4.5 miles in with a little over 2,500 feet of gain. The Outbound listing says roughly 4 miles each way and about 2,300 feet. Sierra News Online measured 8.4 miles round trip to the upper falls and about 9.4 to a creek crossing beyond them, climbing from roughly 4,170 to 6,675 feet.^10,12,11

Terrain and difficulty

Rebecca called the grade so gentle she hardly noticed climbing, on a trail of forest duff that was well built, with one short steep stretch near the start. The Outbound listing calls it moderately strenuous and says it is mostly shaded, with openings that look out over the valley.^10,12

Recreation.gov says it is a steep hike to the top of the falls, and beyond them forest and lakes open up in the southwest part of the park.⁹

Quota at this entry point

• 2026 daily quota at Chilnualna Falls, overnight wilderness, lottery share: 24 people a day. This is the lottery share, drawn 24 weeks ahead, from the Park Service trailhead table.¹
• 2026 daily quota at Chilnualna Falls, overnight wilderness, week-ahead share: 16 people a day. This share opens a week before the trip, from the same table. The table prints no combined total, and Recreation.gov availability for this permit would not load.¹

Rules specific to this entry point

Sierra News Online says dogs are not allowed on this trail. The Park Service adds that its trail systems are closed to pets and bicycles in general.^11,6

Park rules put camps at least 100 feet from water and trails, and require a bear canister in every part of the wilderness. The Park Service says the trailhead map shows the minimum legal camping distance for each trail, and the written rules give no figure for this one, so ask at Wawona before you plan the first camp.³

Where it leads

Recreation.gov lists the trail's lakes as Grouse, Crescent, Royal Arch, Buena Vista and Chilnualna Lakes. Sierra News Online reports a signed junction past the falls where a left branch runs to Buck Camp, Glacier Point and Yosemite Valley, while the right branch stays on the Chilnualna Lakes trail.^9,11

The Park Service describes the Buena Vista Range as a quiet area of large forests, small lakes and panoramic views from Buena Vista Pass.²

What trip reports say

Calipidder, May 30 to 31, 2009: the creek crossing above the falls was impassable, so the group left the trail and camped about a mile past the falls and a quarter mile off trail, beside a big cascade. Snowmelt and thunderstorms raised the creek about 2 feet while they sat in camp, and hail fell on Saturday afternoon.¹⁰

The same report says many walkers stop at a lower, unofficial cascade about a quarter mile in and take it for the falls, and the trailhead is quieter on weekdays.¹⁰

Sierra News Online, December 2018: snow and ice started just below the largest falls, with about a foot of snow near the creek crossing. The writer's group saw no one else all day, found the route followable by cut logs and a faint track, and saw bear tracks.¹¹

Reviewers on the Outbound call it a strong trip for beginners and experienced backpackers, with fresh water. They report bears, marmots, deer and rattlesnakes along the way.¹²

When to go from here

The Wawona window for 2026 reservations runs May 16 to October 14, later at the front than the Valley's April 24 start. The Park Service disagrees with itself about the general start: the wilderness permits page, last updated December 31, 2025, says late April through October, while the reservations page, updated June 22, 2026, says May through October.^1,4,5

Creek crossings are the early season risk here. In 2009 snowmelt and storms made the crossing above the falls impassable, and in December 2018 a foot of snow lay near the crossing a mile beyond the junction.^11,10

Compare with nearby entry points

• Happy Isles to Little Yosemite Valley: Happy Isles to Little Yosemite Valley is rated very high demand with a 15 plus 10 daily quota and a required first night at one campground. Chilnualna Falls is rated low demand with 24 plus 16 and no required camp.^1,7
• Cathedral Lakes: Cathedral Lakes is rated very high demand, has no toilet at the trailhead and sits at roughly 8,500 feet on Tioga Road. Chilnualna Falls starts far lower, behind Wawona.^1,8

Sources

1. Trailhead Information, Yosemite National Park, National Park Service. Read 2026-10-15.
2. Wawona and Glacier Point Backpacking Trails, Yosemite National Park, National Park Service. Read 2026-10-15.
3. Wilderness Regulations, Yosemite National Park, National Park Service. Read 2026-10-15.
4. Wilderness Permits, Yosemite National Park, National Park Service. Read 2026-10-15.
5. Wilderness Permit Reservations, Yosemite National Park, National Park Service. Read 2026-10-15.
6. Harden Lake Trailhead, Yosemite National Park, National Park Service. Read 2026-10-15.
7. Yosemite Valley Trails, Yosemite National Park, National Park Service. Read 2026-10-15.
8. Tuolumne Meadows Backpacking Trails, Yosemite National Park, National Park Service. Read 2026-10-15.
9. Yosemite National Park Wilderness Permits, Chilnualna Falls division, Recreation.gov. Read 2026-10-15.
10. Chilnualna Falls Backpack, Calipidder. Read 2026-10-15.
11. Hiking to Chilnualna Falls and Beyond, Sierra News Online. Read 2026-10-15.
12. Hike to the Top of Chilnualna Falls, The Outbound. Read 2026-10-15.

Safety & planning

Alternatives to a Chilnualna Falls permit