Hetch Hetchy Reservoir — Attraction in Sonora

Winter is the slow season for Yosemite NP, even so, for Hetch Hetchy Reservoir. We took cherry lake exit from hwy 120, all the way to the O'Shaughnessy Dam. We only met two cars for over half hour driving. Guess every one was drawn to the fire waterfalls near the horsetail in the valley.

The entrance to the reservoir is free during winter time. The park ranger gave us a numbered card for parking purpose, which you need to return later on. Based on the number we got, I guess there will be less than 100 cars per day. The main parking lot is near the dam. But there is an overflow parking lot before you arrive at the dam.

The dam is a spectacular view. Wapama Falls is easily seen from the dam. Fishing is allowed year-round at Hetch Hetchy, with a valid California fishing license. Pets are allowed in the parking area only, on a leash, but cannot go on the trails or the dam.

You can walk across the dam and there is a tunnel at the end of the other side. Because of its lower elevation, Hetch Hetchy has the park's longest hiking season. It is in mid-February, the temperature is over 55 degree. Warm but not too hot. We took the hiking trail to the Wapama Falls. It is a 5.6 miles round trip, the weather is warm, but not hot.

After the hiking, we took the evergreen road to the Yesomite Valley visitor center, about a hour driving. But the valley was crowded...

If you want to see Yosemite without the crowds, I highly recommend you to go visit the Hetch Hetchy Reservoir. The difference between Hetch Hetchy and the rest of Yosemite National Park is it does not need a reservation to get in, and the road is open from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM. I have visited this lovely spot during all 4 seasons of the year. IMO, both Spring and Winter are the best times to visit. This time around I went there at the start of Autumn, as it was September/26/2021. There are a number of trailheads by reservoir, mostly the trails are easy to find, and are a mix between sun and shade. Hiking to the waterfall is my favorite pastime, but it was so sad since there was no water in any of them because it was the off-season. However it still offered stunning views of the surrounding landscape, with steep granite walls, which are so awe-inspiring in spite of the dry waterfalls. It is 5.5 miles out and back with 954 ft of elevation gain to Wapama Falls in the Spring and I have some panoramic pictures of the falls. There are such unforgettable memories. Hetch Hetchy is the main source of water for the city of San Francisco. It is a quiet place with a lot of history connected to O'Shaughnessy Dam. Overall, there are awesome views and a varied landscape to see. Hetch Hetchy Valley is a treasure worth visiting in...

This is a beautiful area nestled in Yosemite's North East corner. It doesn't get as nearly as many visitors as the Valley Floor or even along Tioga Road, which makes it somewhat of a hidden Gem.

Most of the trail is flat with gradual elevation gain the further back of the reservoir you go. If you can imagine Yosemite Valley, but flooded, you'd be imagining Hetch Hetchy.

There is a population of fairly sized brown Trout in the lake that makes for an excellent day of leisurely fishing.

No swimming or motorized boats are allowed in the reservoir as it provides the Bay Area with their source of drinking water.

There are several waterfalls along the hiking route around the reservoir, including the popular Wapama Falls and Rancheria Falls.

Do note that unlike Yosemite Valley itself, Hetch Hetchy opens and closes on a schedule. It opens at 8AM and closes at 5PM. You're encouraged to be back at your car by 4:30PM since it usually takes 20-30 minutes to get back to the gate from the parking lot.

Update: 04/17/2022 - It just rained the previous day and all of the waterfalls are absolutely engorged. The water level is currently near-full.

If you hike further up toward Venon or Laurel lake, you will run into snow after...