5 things to do in the only part of Yosemite where reservations won’t be needed to enter
Hetch Hetchy is the only part of Yosemite National Park where day-use visitors can enter later this spring and summer without a day-use reservation.
Day-use visitors to all other parts of the park starting May 21 will need an online reservation to get into Yosemite.
Hetch Hetchy is at a lower elevation than other Yosemite destinations, making it a favorite for seekers of spring and early summer wildflowers.
It features several large waterfalls that flow down sheer granite cliffs, much like in Yosemite Valley, except the water cascades into the Hetch Hetchy Reservoir – what was Hetch Hetchy Valley prior to Congress in 1913 authorizing its damming.
Park officials said the name of this quiet corner of the park is “probably derived from the Miwok word, hatchhatchie, which means ‘edible grasses.’” Native Americans lived in Hetch Hetchy Valley for more than 6,000 years.
Parking and limited access
Hetch Hetchy Road to the reservoir is only open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. this year. It’s accessed via Evergreen Road just outside the park, near the Big Oak Flat Entrance Station along Highway 120.
The Hetch Hetchy parking lot, located next to O’Shaughnessy Dam, is an hour and 15 minutes from Yosemite Valley.
When it fills, rangers will close the gate until parking spaces become available later, said Yosemite spokesperson Jamie Richards, who didn’t have the number of spaces available there.
There is no access to Hetch Hetchy trailheads when the road is closed, but overnight wilderness permits are still being issued for backpackers in this area.
Here is a list of some of the most popular things to do in Hetch Hetchy:
1. Hike to Wapama Fall
Wapama Fall is the quintessential Hetch Hetchy destination, reached via a 5-mile round-trip hike (2.5 to 4 hours) that follows the shoreline of the reservoir with moderate up and downhill hiking.
The trail takes hikers to the base of the thunderous 1,400-foot waterfall that reaches peak flow in May. Water sometimes gushes over the footbridges at its base.
To begin the hike, cross O’Shaughnessy Dam and pass through the tunnel. There’s a bathroom in the parking lot near the trailhead.
2. Shorten or extend it, to Tueeulala or Rancheria falls
The trail passes two other waterfalls – including Tueeulala Fall, best visible in spring – on the way to Wapama. The trail doesn’t come as close to Tueeulala Fall as it does Wapama, where you can feel the spray of rushing water.
Hikers can continue past Wapama to Rancheria Falls for a long 13-mile round-trip day hike, or as an overnight backpack trip with a wilderness permit.
3. Check out the dam that John Muir tried to stop
Wapama and Tueeulala falls can also be seen from O’Shaughnessy Dam, located at the trailhead parking lot.
Conservationist John Muir, founder of the Sierra Club, tried to stop the construction of the dam, but the needs of San Francisco residents facing a water and power shortage prevailed.
Congress authorized the construction of O’Shaughnessy Dam with the passage of the Raker Act in 1913. Muir died of illness the following year.
The first phase of construction on the dam, named after its chief engineer, was completed in 1923. The final phase was finished in 1938.
Environmental groups have tried unsuccessfully in the years since to get the dam removed and Hetch Hetchy Valley restored.
The 117-billion-gallon reservoir supplies drinking water to 2.4 million Bay Area residents and industrial users. For this reason, swimming and boating in the reservoir isn’t allowed. The reservoir is eight miles long, the largest body of water in Yosemite, and also provides hydroelectric power at two plants downstream.
4. See Hetch Hetchy from above via Lookout Point
A more expansive view of the reservoir is available from Lookout Point.
The 2-mile round-trip hike to the viewpoint starts at Hetch Hetchy Entrance Station and involves moderate uphill hiking.
Like in Yosemite Valley, the vertical granite cliffs to be admired from this outcropping were carved by glaciers.
5. Get a centennial celebration drink at Evergreen Lodge
Cool off from Hetch Hetchy hiking with drinks and food at Evergreen Lodge, located in the small, nearby community of Mather.
The lodge isn’t on Hetch Hetchy Road, so visitors can still reach it when that road closes overnight.
Evergreen Lodge, built in 1921 to serve workers building O’Shaughnessy Dam, is celebrating its 100th birthday this year with a “Roaring ’20s” theme.
Visitors can cheers to history with a specialty cocktail named after the wildlife, including the Honey Black Bear, with rum and blackberries, or the Yellow Bellied Marmot – a swirl of mezcal and brown ale.
Visitors can also catch a shuttle from the lodge into Yosemite Valley. Day-use reservations aren’t needed for those utilizing a commercial tour operator, including Yosemite Area Regional Transportation System (YARTS) buses.
This story was originally published April 15, 2021 at 12:54 PM with the headline "5 things to do in the only part of Yosemite where reservations won’t be needed to enter."
