About 15 miles east of Groveland, in the Stanislaus National Forest, Rainbow Pool is a popular swimming hole with a small cascade; it's signed on the south side of Hwy 120. It has vault toilets and limited parking. The road to the pools may be closed in winter; in this case, park and walk to the waterfall.
Rainbow Pool
Yosemite & the Sierra Nevada
Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
21.02 MILES
Yosemite means "killer" in the Indigenous Miwok language, and in today's parlance it's indeed an impressive, awesome site. Everywhere you look in Yosemite…
24.9 MILES
If you drove, the views from 7214ft Glacier Point might make you feel like you cheated – superstar sights present themselves without your having made…
26.8 MILES
Yosemite's most distinctive natural monument, Half Dome is 87 million years old and has a 93% vertical grade – the sheerest cliff in North America…
21.59 MILES
At nearly 3600ft from base to summit, El Capitan ranks as one of the world’s largest granite monoliths. Its sheer face makes it a world-class destination…
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28.97 MILES
This ‘honey, hit the brakes!’ viewpoint, midway between the May Lake turnoff and Tenaya Lake, is a lunar landscape of glaciated granite with a stunning…
21.39 MILES
At the southwestern end of the valley, Bridalveil Fall tumbles 620ft. The Ahwahneechee people call it Pohono (Spirit of the Puffing Wind), as gusts often…
23.27 MILES
West of Yosemite Village, Yosemite Falls is considered the tallest waterfall in North America, dropping 2425ft (740m) in three tiers. A slick trail leads…
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20.24 MILES
Some of Yosemite's best vistas are granted to those who hike the steep, 1.3-mile trail up to this viewpoint. Inspiration Point used to be a spot along an…
Nearby Yosemite & the Sierra Nevada attractions
10.18 MILES
A dirt road, closed to cars, dips steeply down the smallest, densest and quietest sequoia grove in the park.
16.38 MILES
These falls, pronounced twee-lala, drop more than 1000ft over a sheer granite cliff on the north side of the Hetch Hetchy reservoir.
16.7 MILES
These falls, on the north side of the Hetch Hetchy reservoir, fall more than 1000ft and are a worthy destination for a 5-mile round-trip hike from the O…
19.79 MILES
Just off Hwy 41, immediately east of Wawona Tunnel, is the parking lot for this spectacular viewpoint where you can take in much of the valley floor,…
20.24 MILES
Some of Yosemite's best vistas are granted to those who hike the steep, 1.3-mile trail up to this viewpoint. Inspiration Point used to be a spot along an…
20.46 MILES
Views of El Capitan and Bridalveil Fall can be had from this valley-floor turnout.
20.92 MILES
At 1600 ft, Ribbon Falls, only seen from the west side of El Capitan, is the highest single drop falls in North America. There's no signage and no real…