| Rancheria Creek | |
|---|---|
&sq=Google&lang=en&file=File:Rapids_below_Rancheria_Falls_-_panoramio.jpg) Below Rancheria Falls | |
&sq=Google&lang=en&file=File:Relief_map_of_California.png)  Location of Rancheria Creek in California | |
| Location | |
| Country | United States |
| State | California |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Source | Peeler Lake |
| • location | Sierra Nevada |
| • coordinates | 38°07′22″N 119°28′14″W / 38.12278°N 119.47056°W[1] |
| • elevation | 9,494 ft (2,894 m) |
| Mouth | Tuolumne River |
• location | Hetch Hetchy Reservoir |
• coordinates | 37°57′12″N 119°43′41″W / 37.95333°N 119.72806°W[1] |
• elevation | 3,796 ft (1,157 m) |
| Length | 24.3 mi (39.1 km)[2] |
| Basin size | 74.5 sq mi (193 km2)[2] |
Rancheria Creek is a 24.3-mile (39.1 km)[2] 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.[1]
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 150 feet (46 m) 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]
- ^ a b c "Rancheria Creek". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior. 1981-01-19. Retrieved 2017-01-15.
- ^ a b c United States Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline data. The National Map, accessed February 2, 2024
- ^ Yosemite National Park (PDF) (Map). Cartography by National Park Service. U.S. National Park Service. 2003. Retrieved 2017-01-15.
- ^ USGS Topo Maps for United States (Map). Cartography by United States Geological Survey. ACME Mapper. Retrieved 2017-01-15.