When To Go and other Yosemite National Park, CA General Tips

Favorite Thing: Yosemite is a beautiful, breathtaking park any time of the year, but each season has it's pros and cons. When you decide when you want to go, you must decide what is more important to you: waterfalls, fewer crowds, alpine meadows, Glacier Point views of the valley, weather. To get a more indepth idea of what each season is like, I have posted four General Tips devoted to each of the four seasons of the year. But each season at a glance:
Winter
PROS:
-Least crowded (except around Christmas holiday)
-Outdoor ice skating rink and Badger pass ski area are open.
-Fresh snowfall makes the valley even more gorgeous.
-Lodging prices almost slashed in half from the high season.
CONS:
-Many hiking trails closed
-Snowstorms can close roads
-Tioga Road and Glacier Point closed.
-Waterfalls not running at full strength.

Spring
PROS:
-Waterfalls at full strength
-Warm weather
-Some trails open
CONS:
-Crowds begin to pick up
-Tioga Road and Glacier Point still closed
-Lodging rates increase

Summer
PROS:
-All trails open
-Cables up on Half Dome
-All tours operating
-Tioga Road and Glacier Point open
CONS:
-Very crowded
-Lodging rates are highest
-Waterfalls diminish to almost nothing by August
-Hot days
-Occasional afternoon thunderstorms

Autumn
PROS:
-Warm days, cool nights
-Crowds diminish significantly
-Trails still open until November
-Tioga Road and Glacier Point usually still open til November.
CONS:
-Watefalls almost non-exsistant
-Days get cooler and wetter into November and December
Tioga Road and Glacier Point eventually close

As I said, for more indepth information on each season visit my other four general tips on those seasons.


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Favorite Thing: Winter in Yosemite brings rain at the lower elevations and snow at the higher ones. And while this snow tends to clear out the crowds, it provides some of the most dazzling photographs! Nothing beats a picture of Yosemite Valley from Tunnel View under a fresh blanket of snow. Wake up early and walk the valley as the sun is rising. Listen to ice chunks break off from along Yosemite Falls. The rumbling echos across the entire valley. Sit on a bench and just watch as ice chunks over 100 feet tall break off the cliff wall and fall to the base of the waterfall. Watch coyotes prancing and playing in snow-covered meadows. Ice skate in an outdoor ice rink under the shadow of Half Dome. Downhill ski at Badger Pass, California's oldest ski area.
Remember to always carry chains when you drive into Yosemite in the winter. It's required by law to have them even if you don't need to use them. Sudden snowstorms are not rare and as soon as the snow starts to stick to the roads, chains or snowtires are required. Even if it's raining in the valley, the Wawona highway (highway 49) rises to 6,000 feet and it could easily be snowing there. For road and chain information, check at Yosemite Lodge and the Valley Visitor Center. Both locations post chain requirments for every road in the park.


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Favorite Thing: Snowmelt provides the fuel for the waterfalls. This is the time of year that they begin to churn full force. If waterfalls are your thing, this is your time to visit! The Mist Trail shows off why it's name is appropriate. Snowstorms are still possible, especially at higher elevations through May although most of the snow is usually gone from the Valley by late April. Some trails are still closed due to ice or snow, even rockfall danger, but many are open. Mariposa Grove usually opens in late March or early April barring no late season snowstorms. Crowds also begin to pick up during this season, exploding around the last weekend in May.


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Favorite Thing: Summer in Yosemite brings hoardes of people. Many reports and books tend to exaggerate the traffic problem saying things like "bumper to bumper traffic jams." Yes, it does get slow going at times, but you can usually keep moving. The waterfalls either slow to just a trickle or disappear altogether by late summer. Bridalviel, Vernal, and Nevada Falls are the only yea-round waterfalls in the valley. Room rates are at their peak. And daytime temperatures in Yosemite Valley can often make it into the 90s (Farenheit). The only reason I could think of that you should visit Yosemite in the summer is if it's the only time you can go because of kids being in school. Otherwise go in spring if you want waterfalls or late September into October if you want pleasant weather and still have access to the high country.


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Favorite Thing: Autumn is a beautiful time in Yosemite. The crowds of summer are gone, the weather is still pleasant and warm, the winter rains and snows haven't arrived, and lodging rates are low. The only bad thing about Autumn is, until the first rains of the season come, the waterfalls are minimal if there at all. Autumn storms leave behind low hanging clouds hugging the cliff walls of the valley making for unforgettable picture oppritunities. October is a beautiful time as the weather is still warm and the high country and Glacier Point are still open.


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Favorite Thing: The closest town to the Arch Rock entrance is El Portal. The huge Yosemite View Lodge is located here literally right on the boundry of the park. About 50 miles west lies the mining town of Mariposa. Several hotels, restaurants, and service stations are available here. Further down the highway is the much larger Merced and close by, Modesto. From the south entrance on Highway 41, Fish Camp lies about 2 miles away. The very nice but ultra-expensive Tenaya Lodge is located here. 15 miles further brings you to Oakhurst, a tourist town nestled in a valley in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada. Many hotels and restaurants are available in this town. It also provides access to scenic Bass Lake. About 45 more miles south lies Fresno, the biggest city near Yosemite. From Fresno it's about 2 hours to both Yosemite and Kings Canyon/Sequoia National Parks. Lee Vining lies east of the park and is only accessible in the summer when Tioga Pass is open. A small number of hotels and service stations are available here on U.S. 395, but be warned that gas prices on this side of the Seirras is much more expensive than on the west side. Lee Vining provides access to Yosemite's high country and Toulumne Meadows, but it's a long way to Yosemite Valley from here. The town also provides easy access to Mono Lake, Mammoth Lakes, and Bodie Ghost Town.

Two gas stations are provided inside Yosemite. One at Crane Flats and another at Wawona. Heed the warnings that there is no gas available in Yosemite Valley. Should you run out of gas in the valley, Valley maintenance will kindly refill your tank with an emergency supply, however, they'll charge you twice what you would pay at the other two gas stations in the park, and those two stations are already much more than stations you'll find outside the park. Both stations offer 24 hour pay at the pump service by credit card only. All other transactions are restricted to the station's business hours.


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