Hetch Hetchy Reservoir

I hiked here twice.
One was in May from dam to Wapama falls. Plenty of water in Wapama falls and extremely pretty. Because of a rock fall, we couldn’t go further. There is not much elevation change, so this is easy.
Second time was in the fall, we hiked to Rancheria falls. Again the reservoir was so pretty, but Wapama falls and Rancheria falls were both empty. On the way back, it rained. However, the scenery was very beautiful under the rain. It was like a black/​white Japanese painting using «sumi» that is used for calligraphy.
²⁰¹⁴⁄₁₅ dought made the water level so low. I hope it will be better next year.

Ever wonder where your San Francisco water comes from???
This is the place. Hetch Hetchy Dam and the very nice and gentle hike is well worth your attention.
Plenty of parking in the lot. Start the hike walking over the dam and through the bore in the mountain. Hike is in and out and you can stop at the Wapama falls which will make it a roughly 5.5 mile hike.
If you really want to torture yourself (I see some of you grinning out there) you can hike all the way to Yosemite from here… some 47 miles…
San Francisco trivia O’Shaughnessy ave in San Fran is named after the engineer who designed the dam

the O’Shaughnessy Dam is impressive. We got a tour from the SF Pub utilities Commission. Informative. Nice day and we hiked through the tunnel. Driving to Hetch Hetchy was lovely except you see the affects of the Rim Fire. WOW! Lots of burned land, you could still smell smoke.
Anyways, interesting to learn about the reservoir and how the water is so pristine it is unfiltered. It goes though 7 counties and gives water to 6 reservoirs, if there isn’t a draught. HEY, there is a draught, so hang tight, conserve water. Visit Hetch hetchy and get an education in dams and water that you never knew!

Love this place. The sunset is beautiful and less crowds than the valley.
Good learning about the history here about John Muir and SF.

Hetch Hetchy Reservoir is a very beautiful site; like all of Yosemite is. We did not do much hiking because by the time we got there we were exhausted from hiking the Poopenaut Valley Trail.
We heard the fishing there was good so we tried to fish right outside of the cave, but no luck. All we seen were little baby fishes. But we did not stay too long.
The Poopenaut Valley Trail few miles from the reservoir) is very intense. It is worth it at the bottom though. Beautiful secluded river. We tried fishing down there as well but no luck — Also did not stay long because we wanted to make sure we would be able to check out the reservoir. But the hike back was no joke! We were told by a ranger AFTER the trip that it is one of the steepest trails in all of Yosemite. I had to stop many times going up. I would recommend this trail just make sure you are prepared for a hard hike back. It is about 1200 feet in just one mile. Straight up the mountain no breaks in climbing.

AMAZING! How have I never been here until now?! I grew up going to Yosemite, but we never ventured over to Hetch Hetchy, recently my husband I and I stayed near the West entrance to Yosemite so we spent a day here at the reservoir.
Beautiful sites and less people than the valley!
Don’t miss Wapama Falls, it’s well worth the hike. We packed a lunch and spent our afternoon hanging out on a big rock with water trickling down into the reservoir near us.
Overall it was beautiful and it is now my new favorite place in Yosemite.

A little off the main highway to Yosemite but well worth the drive. It’s a bit windy and narrow so be patient. Once there, your entrance pass is the same as that at Yosemite, i.e. don’t pay twice. Park in overflow before the dam or day parking after. It’s a short walk and worth the pictures from the dam.

This place is truly a hidden gem. With is remote and out of the way location, a lot fewer visitors come here. It is still technically part of Yosemite but with an hour and a half of semi windy road, this place is a lot more untouched.
Though the drive in can be a bit long, the scenery along the way is great. Beautiful trees, then valleys, views.
— You can use your Yosemite pass to get in.
— There is a lodge area where you can get food or use the bathroom
— There are waterfalls into the reservoir! How beautiful is that?
Overall its a beautiful place with a lot of interesting history. Its worth driving out of the way!

The flooded «other Yosemite Valley» and John Muir’s great heartbreak lie under it’s waters. Spectacular and sad. Attempts to have the reservoir drained have met fierce opposition from the City of San Francisco, which owns the water and the power generated by the Hetch Hetchy project, and the Sierra Club (!) which is headquartered.
The dam required an act of Congress to be built in a National Park; I wonder what congress received in return. As much a history lesson as a traveler’s attraction.

2011−06−22^nd thru 26^th: first time to this part of Yosemite. The road to the dam offered impressive views of the heavy flowing waterfalls dropping into the reservoir. We camped the first night @ Backpackers Camp. With my brother, we ate & drank well in preparation for 3 nights in the backcountry. We enjoyed a scenic sunset by hiking from our site up to the helipad which offers the best view of the reservoir, falls and surrounding countryside.
Ready for the first day on the trail!!!
Permit in hand for Rancheria we departed from the parking lot and made our way down to Oshanessey Dam. Hard to keep a pace with so much beauty around that demands lots of photos. As we made our way toward the tunnel we started to hear talk that the trail was closed @ Wapama Falls due to dangerous and heavy flow sweeping over the bridge. We continued on and discussed options. Finally at the decision point we met up with a group of backpackers that had tried to cross the bridge and turned back. There were 5 of them and they had all huddled together but even so, the force was so great it pushed them to the railing. They had to drop to their knees and crawl back in order to not get knocked off and into the rapids flowing to the reservoir. I like to learn from others and so this made the decision easy; to abandon our permit plans and start the switchbacks up the valley wall.
I have continued my review under the listing of «Laurel Lake and Lake Vernon Trail»

+ Beautiful reservoir
+ apparently the best section along the hetch hetchy loop
+ minimal mosquitoes
+ well paved trail
+ along the way to Wapama (sp?) Falls, which are awesome to take a dip in
— don’t take this trail with a 30−40lb pack, unless you are fit! I made this mistake and was pretty miserable.

In all my trips to Yosemite, I had never before made the trip out to Hetch Hetchy. This year, though, the late spring snows meant that Tioga Pass and Glacier Point Road were still closed, eliminating most of our planned hiking. We decided to use the time to explore Hetch Hetchy.
I am so glad we did.
It is GORGEOUS out here! However, in order to really appreciate this place, you need to do some hiking. The Wapama Falls Trail is fairly easy and really gives you a chance to get to know this beautiful place. If you simply show up to see the dam and take in the view… well, it’s probably not worth the drive.
This hike was one of my favorite ever. Flowers were everywhere, and every corner exposed a new view of the reservoir and the dome. We saw a bear and her cubs! But the real highlight of the hike is the waterfalls. You will pass Tueeulala Falls first, and this is just a magical place. These falls cascade gently over a wide stretch of granite, creating a whole area of smooth-​flowing water surrounded by wildflowers. I could have stayed here all day. But carry on and you will reach the real prize… Wapama Falls. These falls are fierce, and the bridges are situated in such a way that you will feel like you are right in the waterfall (oh, and you WILL get soaked!).
Of course, everything I am describing is only available in the spring. If you come any later, Hetch Hetchy just may seem like a dry, hot reservoir. But if you happen to be in Yosemite early in the season, do not miss a chance to come out here!

After a couple days exploring the Yosemite Valley, the girlfriend & I decided to stop by the other less popular valley before heading home. Hetch Hetchy is a stark contrast to Yosemite, & thankfully so in 1 way.
It’s a lot less green & lot more rocky. Of course, that’s because the valley floor is now covered with water.
There’s the engineering marvel that is the O’Shaughnessy Dam. Hate it or not, it’s still impressive from a construction point of view.
The trails around the reservoir are a leisurely stroll. Even filled with water, Hetch Hetchy displays a rugged charm.
From the parking lot near the dam to the trails, it’s a lot less crowded than Yosemite. There’s a constant sense of peace & tranquility unbroken by the presence of too many other people.
Hetch Hetchy has a beauty all its own. For the girlfriend & I, it was also a welcome decompression from the madding crowds of Yosemite.

OMG! If you are going to Yosemite Valley, YOU must go to Hetch Hetchy.
It is stunningly amazing.
We did the hike to Wapama Falls — 100% worth it, our favorite hike — Better than the mist trail, better than the upper Yosemite falls trail!
You get to hike along the reservoir the whole time and have panoramic views of the area. We had just gone and some snow had fallen, what a sight!
Also it is relatively mild incline so it is very enjoyable and not strenuous.

Hetch Hetchy Reservoir was formed by the O’Shaughnessy Dam in Hetch Hetchy Valley on the Tuolumne River. After a years-​long battle against the dam, led by John Muir, the dam was approved under the administration of Woodrow Wilson in 1913 and was completed in 1923. It is owned by the City and County of San Francisco as a means of drinking water supply.
Although swimming and boating is forbidden here, you can fish from the lake shore and enjoy a nice scenic walk along the water. My visit was part of a stay at the nearby Camp Tawonga, and was quite an unexpected treat. As a result, I think draining Hetch Hetchy and restoring it to it’s original beauty would be a good thing.

Oh yes, like many other Unilocalers on here, I have returned from Hetch Hetchy and Yosemite carrying a bundle of useless facts, ready for my next pub quiz. Do I know the depth of the Hetch Hetchy Resevoir and the reasons why it was created in the first place? Why, yes, yes I do.
Hetch Hetchy was described the exact counterpart to Yosemite. The terrain appears to this Unilocaler’s eye, much different, more exposed, less verdant, but perhaps this is due to the changes inflicted less than a century ago. After the earthquake of 1906, there was an immediate need to provide water, and Hetch Hetchy, over a course of 20 years was flooded and dammed (damned to hell? I just thought about that… funny! Anyway, the dam is known as the O’Shaugnessy, after it’s chief engineer). John Muir campaigned to preserve this valley, but lost the good fight. What he lost, we gained in some expansive water storage. Looking at the space, I marvel at the engineering accomplishments, mourn the loss of what appeared to be another stunning valley, and appreciate the source of my freshwater.
I would definitely recommend running from one side of the dam to the other in a version of ‘before’ and ‘after’.
In addition, there are some trails and wilderness hikes you can explore off of the Hetch Hetchy resevoir. The shortest hike being up to Wawonna Falls (which sadly, we didn’t even make due to time constraints), which is easy enough for most to do.
Warning: don’t take your pooch. Bears love an afternoon snack.

*********The Sweetest Water I’ve Tasted********
Area facts:
Construction: 1915 – 1938
Dam Height: 430″
Dam Base: 298″ Thick
Reservoir Depth: 306 Miles
Reservoir Length: 8 Miles
Area Covered: 1972 Acres
Capacity: 117 Billion gallons
Supply Volume: 400 Million Gallons A Day
Supplies water to 2.4 Million People in 32 San Francisco Bay communities.
Hetch Hetchy Valley became an eight-​mile-​long reservoir in the early 1930’s when O’Shaughnessy Dam was completed and the waters of the Tuolumne river impounded. Yet, we can still today imagine how the pre-​dam valley appeared while hiking along its northern wall. Even with its floor flooded, the valley is something to behold.
Hetch Hetchy’s Wapama Falls spills 1,200 feet over a granite precipice. The falls are spawned by Falls Creek, a tributary of the Tuolumne River. At the end of the hike is the majestic Rancheria Falls, providing a little water music for an inspiringly situated trail camp.
Linking the waterfalls is a path along the north side of Hetch Hetchy Reservoir. It’s a fairly low elevation pathway and, therefore, makes an enticing early season Sierra jaunt. In the spring, Hetch Hetchy’s falls are at their most vigorous.
You have to go through this dam to go back country hike to the following trails:
Wapama Falls: Moderate Hike
2.5 Miles to Falls-​5 miles R/​T
Rancheria Falls-​Moderate Hike
6.7 Miles one way 13.5 Miles R/​T. Start at Smith Meadow Trail head.
Poopenaut Valley– Strenuous Hike
1.5 Miles One way. 3 Miles R/​T
Smith peak– Moderate to Strenuous 13 Miles R/​T Hike
This is my third trip (passage) here. Two in the summer to go up to Rancheria Falls and during winter this month to Smith Peak, Tiltill Valley 7.9 Miles one way and Beehive 6.5 miles one way.
April is still considered Winter in this side of the world. Elevation of 5800 – 6000 placed us in a 2 feet snow covered hike.
I left with about 6 Nalgene bottles with me filled with the sweet tasting treat. A reminder of what I’m missing and nature in it’s natural beauty can offer us.

Went here during July 4^th weekend. We ended up here because the traffic into the main Yosemite entrance was horrendous so we decided to break from the crowd. I’m glad we did as Hetch Hetchy has spectacular views. (
) The name «Hetch Hetchy» actually comes from the Native American Sierra Miwok language, and is a grass with edible seeds that grows in the valley.
The O’Shaughnessy dam was equally breathtaking and had an impressive stream plummeting down to the valley below. We took the hike to Wapama Falls which crosses over O’Shaughnessy dam, through a tunnel (
), and over easy elevating trails to Wapama Falls. It is about 2.5 miles to Wapama Falls with 300 feet vertical so easily a casual hike.
Once you reach Wapama Falls, you can bask in the mist from the falls to cool down or hike over the bridges. Fortunately it was low water so we were able to find a shade under one of the bridges downstream from the waterfall and eat lunch.
Overall a scenic casual hike and if you live in the bay area and always wanted to know where your drinking water comes from, this is the place to visit as it serves 2.4 million Californians in San Francisco, San Mateo, and Alameda Counties with exactly that.

This is a lesser known resort area very close to Yosemite, about 16 miles off Highway 120.
Just to warn you that the drive in and out does involve some hair-​raising moments with steep drops. Fun but scary for a Brit driving on the ‘wrong’ side of the road!
There is limited parking but there wasn’t a problem as we were visiting out of peak season.
The big lake is created by the Hetchy dam, which is an amazing piece of engineering. You can walk along the top of the dam and see the spillway.
To get to anything scenic, you need to take a hike.
Interesting detour but not as great as Yosemite.

Come see where your water comes from, Bay Area People! It’s a gorgeous place… I didn’t even know that this was right in Yosemite National Park/​Stanislaus National Park until this past weekend.
There are gorgeous water falls, one of which is Wapama Falls, where we hiked to. Right now (May) there are wildflowers everywhere, butterflies of all kinds, and very mild weather.
The trails are pretty well marked, and not too difficult. The view is breathtaking. If you’re ever up in this area, take a look at where your water comes from. You may be more inclined to drink it. Fremont’s water is rated at #11 best tap water in the U.S. Not bad, Hetch Hetchy!