Granite Cascade

Snowmelt cascades down polished granite in Desolation Wilderness

Glen Alpine Falls demonstrates the power of Sierra Nevada snowmelt as it carves channels through solid granite. Located in the Desolation Wilderness near Lake Tahoe, this waterfall flows strongest during spring and early summer when winter's accumulated snow releases its stored energy. The polished granite surfaces, sculpted by countless years of flowing water, create natural water slides and pools that showcase the ongoing geological processes shaping the Sierra Nevada.