Royal Arch Cascade, 380-meter waterfall in Yosemite Valley, United States.

Royal Arch Cascade descends the north wall of Yosemite Valley as multiple thin streams of water flowing alongside massive granite formations. The waterfall creates delicate threads that follow the rocky surface as they drop down the steep cliff.

The waterfall takes its name from the Royal Arches, the concentric semicircular setbacks in the cliff face directly opposite Glacier Point, which stand immediately beside the falls. The sources record no naming date, expedition or battalion behind the name.

Native people of the region called this waterfall Sho-ko-ya, which refers to its basket-like appearance. This name connects it to the nearby North Dome, known to them as To-ko-ya or Basket Dome.

The cascade is usually dry by June, so the window to see water is spring into early summer, not late autumn or winter. It lies on the north wall of Yosemite Valley, within walking distance of the Ahwahnee Hotel, and the gentle flow at its base makes that spot a popular place to photograph the falls.

The cascade has no plunge pool, so its flow stays gentle and the base of the falls is a popular photo spot. It sits on the north wall of Yosemite Valley, within walking distance of the Ahwahnee Hotel, and is usually dry by June.