Yosemite Visitor Swept Over Nearly 600-Foot Waterfall in Terrifying River Tragedy

A visit to Yosemite National Park turned tragic after a young man was swept over the edge of a nearly 600-foot waterfall while another park visitor desperately tried to save him.

The man has been identified as 22-year-old Josue Baires Alfaro, according to the Mariposa County Sheriff’s Office. Officials said he died after falling into the Merced River and being carried over Nevada Fall on Saturday, June 20.

Nevada Fall is one of Yosemite’s most dramatic waterfalls, dropping 594 feet in a powerful cascade along the Merced River. It sits downstream from Vernal Fall, another popular waterfall in the park, making the area one of Yosemite’s busiest spots for hikers and sightseers.

The National Park Service confirmed it is investigating the incident but has released only limited details.

“The National Park Service is investigating an incident involving a 23-year-old male at Nevada Fall in Yosemite National Park on June 20, 2026,” a Yosemite spokesperson said in a statement. “Emergency personnel responded to the incident, which remains under investigation. No additional information is available at this time.”

The sheriff’s office later confirmed that Alfaro had died after being swept over the fall. Authorities have not released his hometown or explained exactly how he entered the water.

Witness accounts, however, paint a terrifying picture of what happened above the waterfall.

Freesia Gaul, a 20-year-old park visitor and former lifeguard, told SFGATE that she saw Alfaro in the river and jumped in to try to help him. She said the water above the fall may have looked calm and inviting on the surface, but underneath, the current was dangerously strong.

Gaul said she quickly realized how powerful the river was.

“Once you get swept in, you can’t stand up,” she told the outlet. “You’re fighting a mountain and you’re just one swimmer.”

According to her account, the rescue attempt nearly turned deadly for her, too. A bystander was able to extend a walking stick, which Gaul grabbed before she could also be carried away.

Alfaro, however, was swept over the edge.

Afterward, Gaul said she stayed with Alfaro’s family as they waited for search and rescue crews to respond.

Earlier online reports from Yosemite visitors described emergency activity near Nevada Fall over the weekend, including helicopter and ground crews in the area. Some hikers also claimed they saw what appeared to be recovery efforts the following day, but officials have not confirmed every detail from those social media posts.

The tragedy has renewed warnings about Yosemite’s dangerous rivers and waterfalls, especially during high-flow conditions. Signs in the area warn visitors to stay out of the water, including one blunt message near the falls warning that going over the edge can be fatal.

Nevada Fall is also located below Emerald Pool, where swimming is prohibited because of the risk of being pulled downstream toward the waterfall.

Yosemite is known for its stunning scenery, towering granite cliffs, massive sequoias and famous waterfalls, but park officials have long warned that its waterways can be deceptively dangerous.

For Alfaro’s family and those who witnessed the incident, the beauty of the park turned into heartbreak in a matter of moments.

The National Park Service investigation remains ongoing.