Hetch Hetchy (H4) in Yosemite National Park

Hetch Hetchy (H4)

This glacial valley once rivaled Yosemite in beauty, but was flooded when the O'Shaughnessy Dam was built.

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Hetch Hetchy (H4) Details

The O'Shaughnessy Dam was completed in 1923 and the valley was flooded to create the Hetch Tetchy Reservoir to supply water to San Francisco. Just above the Valley is the Grand Canyon of the Tuolumne River which flows down from Tuolumne Meadows. Hetch Hetchy was part of this canyon prior to being submerged. You can take a number of day hikes in the Hetch Hetchy area of Yosemite National Park, including a five-mile roundtrip to the 1,100-foot Wapama Falls starting at O'Shaughnessy Dam, and a two-mile hike from the Hetch Hetchy Entrance Station to Lookout Point, where you'll have a great view of the drowned Hetch Hetchy Valley. Roadside marker: H4

Difficulty

Low

Distance

N/A

Estimated time

Region

Hetch Hetchy

Nearby Parks Around Hetch Hetchy (H4)

Compare nearby parks around Hetch Hetchy (H4) when deciding whether to expand the route after this stop.

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Nearby Points of Interest Around Hetch Hetchy (H4)

Use nearby POIs to quickly expand your options beyond Hetch Hetchy (H4) while the map context is still fresh.

0.1 mi away

Hetch Hetchy View (H5)

Provides a viewpoint of the Valley's waterfalls.

0.1 mi away

Hetch Hetchy View

Provides a viewpoint of the Valley's waterfalls.

0.3 mi away

O'Shaughnessy Dam

A curved gravity dam on the Tuolumne River in the Hetch Hetchy Valley of Yosemite National Park.

2.0 mi away

Wapama Falls

The larger of two waterfalls located on the northern wall of Hetch Hetchy Valley.

2.3 mi away

Hetch Hetchy Railroad (HHRR)

A 68-mile standard gauge railroad constructed by the City of San Francisco to support construction of the O'Shaughnessy Dam.