Rancheria Creek | |
Map Size: | 250 |
Pushpin Map: | USA California |
Pushpin Map Size: | 250 |
Pushpin Map Caption: | Location of Rancheria Creek in California |
Subdivision Type1: | Country |
Subdivision Name1: | United States |
Subdivision Type2: | State |
Subdivision Name2: | California |
Length: | 24.3miles[1] |
Source1: | Peeler Lake |
Source1 Location: | Sierra Nevada |
Source1 Coordinates: | 38.1228°N -119.4706°W[2] |
Source1 Elevation: | 9494feet |
Mouth: | Tuolumne River |
Mouth Location: | Hetch Hetchy Reservoir |
Mouth Coordinates: | 37.9533°N -119.7281°W |
Mouth Elevation: | 3796feet |
Basin Size: | 74.5mi2 |
Rancheria Creek is a 24.3miles[1] long stream in northern Yosemite National Park mostly in Tuolumne County, California and is a tributary of the Tuolumne River. Draining a large area of the Sierra Nevada, it is the largest tributary of the Tuolumne within Yosemite National Park. The stream is labeled as Kerrick Creek on some early maps.[2]
The creek begins at Peeler Lake at the Sierra Crest, in Mono County, and immediately crosses westward into Tuolumne County. It flows in a southerly direction through Kerrick Meadow and a series of high mountain valleys until reaching Kerrick Canyon, where it turns abruptly west. The Pacific Crest Trail parallels the creek through Kerrick Canyon.[3] At the end of the canyon it receives a major tributary from Stubblefield Canyon and turns southwest, receiving Tilden Creek. Continuing southwest, it flows through rugged and complex granite formations, receives Breeze Creek, then turns west once more for its last few miles. It drops 150feet over Rancheria Falls before emptying into Hetch Hetchy Reservoir, adjacent to Tiltill Creek. Prior to the flooding of Hetch Hetchy Valley in 1923 with the construction of O'Shaughnessy Dam, Rancheria and Tiltill Creeks combined before joining the Tuolumne River on the valley floor.[4]
Notes