Yosemite National Park is one of the most beautiful places in the United States. It can also be one of the most crowded places during peak season. When is the best time to visit Yosemite National Park? That ultimately depends on what you want to see and do.
Spring is best for waterfalls and wildflowers. Fall can be a great time for hikes. Winter is absolutely magical after a fresh snowfall. Summer is the best time to explore the high country. Here are our tips for avoiding the crowds no matter when you visit.
Find more fun! Here are the top 10 Things to do in Yosemite with kids!
Your Guide to the Best Time to Visit Yosemite and Avoid Crowds
When do you need reservations to visit Yosemite?
Yosemite National Park recently announced that will require reservations for select dates April through October, 2024 in order to decrease overcrowding in the park.
From April 13 through June 30, a reservation is required from 5am – 4pm on Saturdays, Sundays, as well as May 27and June 19, which are government holidays.
From July 1 through August 16, a reservation is required from 5am – 4pm daily.
From August 17 through October 27, a reservation is required from 5am – 4pm on Saturdays, Sundays, as well as September 2 and October 14, which are government holidays.
Reservations will begin being released on January 5 at 8am and be available in advance. Some afternoon reservations and full-day reservations will be released one week in advance of the date as well.
Reservations are also required in February during “Firefall season” when Horsetail Fall can glow orange when it’s backlit by sunset, which can make it appear to be on fire. These dates are February 10 -11, 17 – 19, and 24 – 25 in 2024.
Yosemite made our list of the best national parks in California. See what other special places made the list.
Avoid Summer Holidays
The first moment I laid eyes on the Yosemite Valley my jaw literally dropped. My heart pounded. Little butterflies bounced around my stomach like pin balls. I was a living, breathing stereotype of excitement. The Valley was far more beautiful than any glossy picture inside a magazine could have ever captured.
Unfortunately, soon as we drove into its heart, I quickly discovered that Yosemite Valley was also very crowded.
My roommate’s idea to head to Yosemite National Park on Memorial Day Weekend was shared with thousands of other like-minded individuals who were clogging the roadways and trails.
When is peak season for Yosemite? Summer, from Memorial Day weekend to Labor Day weekend.
Yosemite Valley, in all of its mind-boggling beauty, is actually quite small. At just eight miles long by one mile wide, it does not leave much room for its four million annual visitors to spread out.
The good news? Yosemite National Park is 1,169 square miles in size and while most visitors are cramming the Valley during the summer months, there are still many opportunities to enjoy Yosemite without the crowds. You just have to know both when to go and where to go.
The Best Time to Visit Yosemite Valley
Each season brings something different to the Yosemite Valley. The best time to visit Yosemite for waterfalls, like the towering and thunderous Yosemite Falls, is late spring and early summer.
Early May, which sits between Spring Break season and summer, is a great time to enjoy the waterfalls with far fewer people. The only real drawback to visiting during this time of year is that some trails and most of the high country will still be inaccessible due to snow.
The crowds can be a bit suffocating for those of us yearning to enjoy a less human-populated nature experience after Memorial Day. Summer crowds, especially in July and August, turn Yosemite Valley into a traffic-snarled city.
On the other side of summer, September and early October are typically snow free, making it a prime time to take to the hiking trails and enjoy fall color-tinged version of the Valley without the crowds.
Check out these easy hikes in Yosemite National Park.
My family visited in late October and at many times, I felt like we had Yosemite Valley to ourselves. Plus the cooler temperatures made hiking more enjoyable. The downside is that the waterfalls are either gone or slowed to a trickle.
Winter in Yosemite Valley brings snow and even an ice rink, making for a picture-perfect cold weather getaway. It is important to pack tire chains because mountain driving can become treacherous without them and you never know when the weatherman might be wrong about a sunny forecast.
So which season do you ultimately choose? It depends on your priorities. My suggestion is to see Yosemite Valley in all of her seasons, rediscovering the park over and over.
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Tips for Visiting Yosemite Valley During Peak Season
See a video of Yosemite without crowds
Here are a few tips on how to be less impacted by the crowds:
- Book lodging inside the Valley to take advantage of crowd-free (and infinitely beautiful) sunrises or the quiet pleasure of a moonlit stroll. Wildlife viewing is at its peak during dawn and dusk. Accommodations range from the elegant opulence of the Ahwahnee Hotel to the rustic pleasures of tent camping. Trekaroo has great advice on how to score a campsite in Yosemite during the busy season.
- Avoid driving once you arrive in the Valley. Shuttles are a nice alternative but they can be very crowded during the high season. Bring bikes from home to make your way around the flat valley or rent them from the bike stand at Yosemite Lodge. The more you pedal from the main village areas, the more opportunity you have to enjoy a quieter slice of the valley.
- Take a hike. The further you walk from the main road, the less people you will encounter. Here are the best easy hikes in Yosemite National Park.
- Go for a swim. There are plenty of great places to swim in Yosemite Valley. Yes, you will share the water with fellow park-goers but at least you will be feeling cool and having fun!
- Leave the Valley! Only about 5% of park visitors leave Yosemite Valley to explore what the rest of the park has to offer. That means 95% of visitors are missing out on some of the park’s greatest (and less crowded) treasures.
Avoid the Crowds and Visit the High Sierras
Glacier Point Road Area
If you decide to brave the masses and visit Yosemite during the summer but find a couple of days in Yosemite Valley have left you craving a less populated but equally scenic version of the park, try heading up!
Glacier Point is easily the most popular high elevation spot in the park, due to its sublime views of Yosemite Valley and the Sierras beyond, but easy access from the parking lot makes Glacier Point very popular with the park’s numerous visitors.
Equally beautiful (and remarkably similar) views can be found atop Sentinel Dome, located about a mile before the Glacier Point parking lot. The 2.2 mile roundtrip hike will reward you with incredible views shared with far fewer people. Taft Point is another great option but be especially careful of the steep ledges with little ones.
Explore more of the state. Here are the best things to do in California with kids.
Tioga Pass
Yosemite’s High Country is easily accessed during the summer and early fall via Tioga Pass. Consider a stop at Tuolumne Grove before heading up the pass. This impressive grove of sequoia trees is much less crowded than Mariposa Grove which sits near the southern park entrance.
Once up in the high country, Tuolumne Meadows and Tenaya Lake are easily accessible spots to enjoy the alpine splendor. Climb to the top of Lembert Dome for a special view of Tuolumne Meadows from above.
Tuolumne Meadows is an easy drive from beautiful Mammoth Lakes, CA. Here are our favorite things to do in Mammoth in summer.
Our favorite hike begins on the left side of Tuolumne Meadows just below Pothole Dome (which you can climb for great views as well). It follows the left side of the meadow through the edge of a forest until it reaches the Tuolumne River.
There, you can scramble around on rocks near the water’s edge, watch the water tumble through a series of cascades, or cool off in a sheltered pool. It is pure, High Sierra heaven.
Day hikes to the regions numerous alpine lakes, such as Elizabeth Lake and the Cathedral Lakes, are also great ways to enjoy the high country, just be aware of the altitude and drink plenty of water.
Note: Tioga Pass does close for the season around the beginning of November and does not reopen until sometime in May.
Discover Southern Yosemite
Southern Yosemite offers a distinctly different version of the park than the Valley and High Country. It is a great all-season destination and several vacation rental cabins can be found in this portion of the park, making it an ideal place for multi-generational getaways.
Winter sees the fewest visitors, but is actually a lovely time for a visit. Cozy cabins, fresh snowfall, and nearby skiing at Badger Pass make South Yosemite a nice cold weather getaway.
During the warmer months, the biggest crowds are found in Mariposa Grove, a popular and easily accessible grove of Sequoias but the trails in the area, such as the one to Chilnualna Falls, are significantly quieter than those in Yosemite Valley.
Horseback riding, a ride on the Yosemite Sugar Pine Railroad, and a visit to the Pioneer Yosemite History Center are all fun things to experience in this portion of the park.
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