Probably so simple, but I'm stumped!

[Sooz]

My download folder has disappeared from my dock.  I went to the Finder and tried to put it back in the dock, but all I got is a document, and not the folder that the document goes into. Then, it disappeared as an option from my Finder! How do I get it back in my Finder (where all I had to do before when I accidentally deleted it was to find the Downloads and right click on it and select that it would be back in my dock thingy next to my trash can.

Thanks for any help, hand-holding, and step by step instructions!  Meanwhile, I'm going to try the standby of restarting my iMac.  Might work, can't hurt, right!

UPDATE:  I did the restart and it didn't help.
Then I tried opening the Finder and then clicked on Go---> Home. From there, I dragged the Downloads folder to the left of my Trash icon BUT the Downloads folder just looked plain, no down arrow on the folder like I'm used to seeing.  Anyway, I dragged that plain Downloads folder to the left of my Trash icon but now it just looks like the last document I downloaded.
Then I did a spotlight search and found the Downloads folder with the down arrow on it, and put that in my Finder place. Now I have a plain folder names Downloads and another folder with the down arrow, both in the Finder.
Thanks!
Smiles,
Sooz

[Xairbusdriver]

First, I think it has to be in the right-most area of the Dock. The Dock has three divisions, if you look closely, you will see the two vertical lines that separate each piece. Do you see those lines?

Second, The image representing your Downloads folder may actually still be in the Dock. However, it may just look like a 'stack'* of items. See my first image below. Hovering over the Dock Items may display those items. Do any of your Dock items in that right-hand piece show "Downloads"?

Useful links:

• macOS User Guide
• A more text-based explanation (unknown age)

* You can change this display by control-clicking a Dock Item and choose either Stack or Folder and several other options.

[Dreambird]

Hi Sooz,

You said that Downloads has disappeared from your Finder as an option... have you tried to see if you can get it back into your Finder sidebar from the Finder Preferences? In Finder click on Finder>Preferences and you should get a list like my screenshot. Do you see Downloads and if it's not checked... check it and it should appear in your Finder's sidebar.

I've never tried putting any of the Finder sidebar items in the Dock but Jim's post should help with that... it may be a stack instead of a folder. I think you can make it a folder too but sorry I don't remember how right now but yes, it would be in the right hand side of your Dock which beside the Trash... the Dock has a rather faint line that separates the Trash from the rest of the Dock and it would go in that space.

*edit**
... and yes please excuse my blindness, but Jim's instructions tell you how to turn it into a folder as well! 

[Sooz]

You are the BEST people!!!!!! Thank you so much for your help, and the pictures, too!  I only have one vertical line in my dock and that's between Firefox and the download folder (next to the trash on the far right). 

I think I dood it, by control-clicking a Dock Item and choosing Folder, b/c it was in Stack. Now I'm going to go check it out, since I received something today that necessitated a download! Cross you fingers!

Thank you so much!!!!
Smiles,
Sooz