Whaterwheel Falls is the largest of the many waterfalls of the Tuolumne River. Its upper part contains a series of small ledges, each of which creates a small plume as the water is deflected away from the rock face. An extraordinary phenomenon appears at the first and largest of these ledges during the high-water season of early summer. Strong gusts of wind can lift part of the spray and blow it back upward, causing it to reenter the falls above the ledge. This cyclic "waterwheel" gives the falls their name. Along the Tuolumne River, 6.7 miles north of Tenaya Lake and 10.2 miles west-southwest of Saddlebag Lake. Elevation: 6,795 feet