YOSEMITE FIREFALL2025 GUIDE
Hundreds of photographers gatherin Yosemite Valleyeach year forthenaturalFirefall at Horsetail Fall Everyonetherehas their fingers crossed fortheperfect conditions.Whenit happens,thesunlight streamsthroughthethin sliver of Horsetail Falls,turningitmolten orange. Shutters fire aspeople gasp,cheer,andhug their friendsand neighbors.
Hereiswhat youneed to knowaboutthis otherwisehumble waterfallin2025,andhow to catchitinfullsensationmode.
When to See Yosemite Firefall?
Duringmid- to late-February,the waterfall begins to lightup5 to 15minutesbefore sunset However, youshouldplan to invest several hours to get to therightplaceintime.
Peoplevisit YosemiteNational Parkfromall overthe country forthenaturalFirefall event. Thatmeansthat they are findingtheir spot and settinguptheirtripodsearlierand earlierin the day to getjust theanglethey want In order to navigate theparkingsituationand have enough time towalkout to aplace where youcansee theFirefall,plan to arrive inthe valleyin the late morningorearly afternoon.
Spendthetime relaxingandenjoying the already-majestic Yosemitescenery,and get to know thepeoplearound you.
2025 Permitsand Logistics
Forvisitorswishing to viewtheNaturalFirefall at Horsetail Fall, reservationswillbe required for the followingdatesin February: February8-9 February15-17 February22-23
Ondays when reservationsare required, they’ll beneeded to enter YosemiteNational Park for allvisitors withoutin-parklodgingorcamping accommodations,24 hoursaday. Visitorswith in-parklodgingorcamping reservationsinareas suchas Yosemite Valley, Wawona, Foresta,or Yosemite West do notneed to make a vehicle reservation to enterthepark.
The first50% of vehicle reservations for all requireddatesbecame available(on Recreation. gov)onNovember18,2024.The remaining 50% ofreservationswillbecome availabletwo days prior to the reservationdate For example, on February21 at 8am,day-use reservations for February23willbe available.
WhatshouldIbring to viewtheFirefall at Horsetail Falls?
YosemiteFirefallViewing Conditions
Most of the year,Horsetail Fallsisone of Yosemite’sless-remarkable waterfalls.Although itdropsanimpressive2,130 feet (650m),the small stream at the top of ElCapitan doesn’t have themassive volume of some of themore well-known waterfallslike Yosemite Fallsor Bridalveil Fall. Fed exclusively throughsnowmelt andrun-off,itdriesupinthe summermonths anddisappearsentirely.
However, fora few weeks startingin February, everything comes together to makethishumble waterfallinto anaturalFirefall– Yosemite’s own international celebrity Severalfactors go into creatingthismagnificent spectacle.
1.Theperfectalignment of thesun,the waterfall andtheviewer.
Thesun comesinto positioninmid-to-late Februaryeach year,soif you’re intheright place, that’swhenthemagicwill happen.
2.Enough waterinHorsetail Fall
Thesecond requirement forthe Yosemite firewaterfall effect is havingenough waterin Horsetail Fall.
Checkoutthe Yosemite Falls webcam to geta sense of the water flow inHorsetail Fall before youmakethetrip.Also, plan to keepan eyeon the Yosemite weather forecastinlate January andearly February.
3.Clearskies
Withthesunintherightplace,andenough waterinHorsetail Fall to catchthesun,the Firefallcan stillfail to materializeifcloud cover blocksthesunduringthecriticalminutes of the evening.
Where to ViewFirefall at Horsetail Falls
Thereisonedesignatedlocation to viewthe natural YosemiteFirefallontheeastern edge of ElCapitanonthe valley floor.However, keep inmindthat thousands of peoplearriveeach yearhoping to seeHorsetail Fallglowing,so plan accordingly.
TheElCapitanPicnicAreaisone of themost populardestinations for YosemiteFirefall
•Flashlightorheadlamp.A red LED lightisideal, or you can cover your regular lightwith red saranwrapso youdon’tinterfere toomuchwith others’night visionadaptation.
• Warmbootsor other footwear thatisalso comfortable to walk in.
•A foldablecamp chairor an insulatedpad to sitor standon. Food and water.
• Extra warmlayers–gloves,hat, extra jackets,scarfor even a blanket Evenifthedaytime
viewers.It’s alsoone of theclosest viewingspots forviewingHorsetail Fall,soif youdon’thave a long telephoto lens,thiswillprobablybe your bestbet.
YosemiteFirefallHistory
Backin1872, the owners of theMountainHouse Hotelcreatedaspectacle by pushinganactual bonfireofftheedge of thecliff at Glacier Point. Thecascade of red-hotembersfallingdownthe clifflookedlikeaglowing waterfall of light to onlookersbelow. Although thepractice started and stoppedseveraltimes overthe years, by the mid-1900s,thousands of people were coming to Yosemite to watchthe fire fall.
This wastheoriginal YosemiteFirefall. Eventually,inJanuary of 1968thedirector of theNational ParkService,GeorgeHartzog, stoppedthispractice.Thisman-made event was obviouslyinconsistent with Yosemite’smission to protectthepark’snatural wonders.The hugenumber of spectators were trampling the meadows,andthe concessionaires were having to go furtherandfurtherafield to findenough of theirpreferred red firbark to buildthe fires.Not to mentionthe fire hazarditcreated.
Just five years afterthe YosemiteFirefallended in1973,atalentedadventurephotographer namedGalen Rowellaccidentally stumbled acrossanewFirefall-likephenomenon. As he wasdrivingout of the valleyonSouthsideDrive, hespottedasmall waterfall offtheshoulder of ElCapitan that lookedmolteninthesetting sun.Heleapedout of hiscarand ran to takethe photograph–the first widely-circulated color picture of thenaturalFirefallin YosemiteNational Park.
Withtheimage of thefallingbonfire at Glacier Pointa recent memory, of coursethenewnatural phenomenonhasbeendubbed thenatural YosemiteFirefall.
temperaturesare relativelymild, youmay want those warmlayers asthesun starts to set.
•Camera gear forlow-light photography.
•Acamerawitha telephoto lens. Most peoplewillhave a DSLR witha200mmpluslensonit.
•Atripod–preferablyanice, sturdyone to hold that biglens.
•A remote oranothermethod to minimizecamerashakewhen takingthephoto.
•Afriendlyand respectful attitude.
WINTERBEYOND WONDER
Whereelsecan yousnowshoebelowgiant sequoias, explore Gold Rush-era towns and warmupwithhot cocoaanda cozy cabin allin one day?Onlyin Yosemite MariposaCounty. From cooloutdooractivities to affordableaccommodations— to unmatchednaturalbeauty,quaint towns, restaurants, shopsandmuseums—winter here is a wonder,and it’s yours forall time.
Discover YosemiteView Lodge,the closesthotel to Yosemite’s west entrance Enjoy stunningriverviews, cozy rooms, andunbeatableaccess to thepark. Your adventure startshere—book today for20% offthroughMarch31,2025! Termsand conditionsapply.
Yours to explore Exciting Yosemiteadventures await, just ashortdrive away. Tenayaat Yosemite specializesinwinterfun where youcan enjoy iceskating,sledding,hikingandmore. Freeze amomentintime- explorethebeauty of the snowy Sierrathis year.
WhenitComesto
AffordableYosemite
Lodging,Timingis
Everything
Today, manylodgingestablishments areconnectedtocomputer reservation systemsloadedwith algorithms designed to maximize revenue.The Yosemiteregionis somewhat different.Manyhotels and vacation rentalsaresmalland individually owned businesses.
Becausetheseownerswantto keep staffworking year-round,they offersignificantvalueandsavings forvisitorsinterestedinstaying duringquieterperiods.Off-peak or “shoulder”seasonsand mid-week datesgenerally yieldthebestdeals.
Winterandearlyspringrates can meanhugesavings compared to peak summer.Asa bonus, the weather,temperatures,and experiencecan besuperiorduring thesetimes vs.hot summer tempsandpackedattractionslike TunnelView. You’ll find aslewof iconicwinterthingstodolikeiceskating at CurryVillageorTenaya Lodgenearthesouthentrance to Yosemite.Or explorecross-country skiandsnowshoe trailsthatlead fromBadger Pass allthe wayto Glacier Point.
Of course, prospectinglikethis requires forwardtravelplanningand flexibility, essential to thetiming game.Andinaninterestingdeal dichotomy,the verybestvalues cansurfaceforlong-lead-time prospectors as wellaslast-minute weekenders.
Vacation ValueBoost: Stay fluid withdateswithin yourtravel window. Rewarding ratesat propertieslocatedjustoutsideof YosemiteNational Parkincluding Tenaya LodgeatYosemite and YosemiteViewLodgecanbe had withday-laterorday-earliercheckins.
SCORE AFFORDABLE LODGING IN YOSEMITE MARIPOSA COUNTY
Budget-FriendlyHotels& Inns
YosemiteMariposa’slandscape isdefined by soaring peaks, thundering waterfalls,fresh forests –and budget-friendly places tostay.Bignational brands like BestWesternjoin dozens of local independentproperties to give travelersa wide rangeofoptions, from tent cabins to four-diamond hotels.
Checkoutnewlyupdatedplaces
likethe Mariposa Lodge(freehighspeed Wifi andHBO)andRiver Rock Inn(freepass to localgym,free highspeedWifi)inthe town of Mariposa. The evergreen budget-friendly BuckMeadowsLodgeevenoffers afreeEVcharging station fore-car travelers.
Anadded bonus to finding your perfect lodging on Yosemite.com isthesite’sspecial offers.Local businessesprovidespecial offers to Yosemite.comand they getposted at no cost,meaningthatthere’seven morebang foryourbuck sincethe businessisn’tpaying to advertise them.
Vacations ValueBoost: Search foralodgingpropertyoffering complimentary breakfasttosave time andmoney getting yououtthe doorandinto YosemiteMariposa Countywonderland.
CommendableCabinsand VacationHomes
Forfamilies, couplestraveling together and anyone who wantsa skoshmore space to stretchout, YosemiteMariposa County vacation rentalsaresome of thebestplaces tostay in Yosemiteona budget. There arehundreds of vacation rentalproperties availableinthe Yosemiteregion. Value, extra space,and anauthentic,more “locallygrown” experienceare keyadvantages.
We alllove scoringthe biggestbangfor ourbuck,and travel is aprime example. Thecalculus of vacation valuestarts with bookingaplacetostayand likeeverything else,there’sanart to thisdeal.
Yosemite Mariposa County lodging choices runthe gamut fromsuper affordableto nationalpark posh with somethingfor every traveler.The keyisleveraging your value ratio. Read on fortipstotilt thebalance in yourfavor.
Cabinand vacation rentalsare abundantinprime countylocations, including Yosemitegateway towns justashortdrivetoYosemite,and eveninside YosemiteNational Park. Thefull-serviceYosemiteBugRustic Mountain Resort offers vacation rentalhomeslikethe Starliteand BuckskinRanch homes that pair perfectlywiththe property’sJune Bug Cafe and YosemiteHealthSpa forthe bestofbothworlds: hotelserviceamenities and vacation home privacy.
Vacation ValueBoost: Mealplanand shopahead of yourtrip to takefull advantageofthe vacation rental’s kitchenfacilities.Save timeand money! Often, vacation rentalsare backed by the expertise of an owner who canofferhost-curatedtipsand recommendations on localmarkets and attractions.
Dial forDollars
Yes,this old sawcan still cut costs. Booking through an onlinetravel agencywebsitelikeExpedia costs lodging ownersalot in commissions andcanbeunfriendly to customers. Calling alodgingpropertydirectly oftenoffersupthe clearest path to yourbestrate onhotelrooms. Talking to areservationagentor proprietorcanunlockhidden savings and hoteldealsunavailable online. Gettingthatquiettop-floor corner suite,scoringadjoiningrooms, and locals-onlytraveltipsfor visiting YosemiteMariposaCounty can comeduringthe course of afriendly conversation.
The RewardsofValue Lodging
At the end of the day, the goal of any vacation is to immerse yourselfina specialplaceand experienceitona levelthattransports you. Yosemite MariposaCounty is arecreationrichrealmwithfun runways flying offinevery direction. Be sure you take offsmoothly by reserving some rustic lodgingin Yosemite MariposaCounty.Utilizethe savvy hotelsearch tips and value boosts outlined above to save cash “in your sleep”and have moretoplay with during your trip to Yosemite MariposaCounty!
To explorelodging options,things to do and places to eat,visit Yosemite.com, the #1 tripplanning sitefor vacations to Yosemite NationalParkand historic Mariposa County.Tostayuptodate, follow@ YosemiteNation on socialmediaand subscribe to ournewsletter,“The Wanderer.” Be suretosubscribe to our YouTubechannel forgreat videos on the people and places of YosemiteMariposa County.
FROSTY FUN withKidsinYosemite MariposaCounty
It’s auniversaltruth:kidsloveto playinthe snow.And, when adults playwithkids playing in thesnow, somethingmagicalhappens: we becomekidsonceagain.In YosemiteMariposaCounty,itcan beas spirit-lifting andsimpleas building asnowperson,grooming acustomsledtrack,orwinginga snowangel infreshpowder.
Yosemiteisepic year-round,but there’ssomethingsparkly about winter:skiing,snowshoeing, ancient trees,fraziliceandsoaringscenic peaks.Cabinrentals andall-in resortsmake foranunforgettable wintergetawaywiththefam.
Badger PassSkiArea
Badger Pass SkiArea was establishedin1935asCalifornia’s originalskiresort.One of the Sierra’smostfamily-friendlyslopes, Badger Pass offers downhillskiing, snowboardterrainpark,crosscountryskiing,andtubing.It’s right-sized forfamilies,with five liftsand amajority of beginner and intermediate runsmakingthisa greatplaceforthe kidstolearn to schuss.
YosemiteSnowPlayAreas
Thereare severalchillplacesfor freesnow playinYosemiteMariposa County.Kid-approvedfunzones includethe clearingnearCraneFlat
Campground at thejunction of the Big OakFlatand Tiogaroads.Here, you’lldiscovermultiplesleddinghills andan expansivesnow-playarea. Trytoarriveearly;winterparkingat CraneFlatislimited.
GoatMeadowSnowplayAreanear FishCamp offHighway41istheplug forpuresled ecstasy. Peals of snowjoy-inspiredlaughterechoallaround thisSierra National Forest hill. Goat Meadowisalso apopularstarting pointforshortsnowshoetreks.
EasyWinterHikes
Bundleupand hikeorsnowshoe throughtheMariposaGroveofGiant Sequoias,tuckedjustinsidethe Park’ssouth gate between Wawona andFishCamp on Wawona Road. Prepareto be awestruckas you wanderthroughthis cathedral-like collection of some 500mature titans.
Justa fewmiles north of Mariposa Grove,the Wawona MeadowLoop Trail starts across from the Wawona Hoteland meandersaroundone of thelargestmountainmeadows inthe entireHighSierra.There’splenty of room to veer offtrailandtugthe kids on atoboggan. Mush!
The LowerYosemiteFalls Trailis aneasy,one-mileloopwithmodest elevation gain. Talkabout abig payoff:sense-surroundvistas of frosty LowerYosemiteFalls,the penultimatedropofNorthAmerica’s
tallestwaterfall. Thetrailispaved and maintained year-roundbut watchout forsnowand iceinthe winter.
IceSkating
Ice-skatingis aYosemiteValley pastimeunlikeany other.With signatureviews of Half Dome and Glacier Pointonhigh,the outdoor icerink at Curry VillageisaYosemite wintertradition foralmost100 years strong! Grab aspotbya cozy fire pit, perfectfor socializingandmaking s’moreswhile warming toesand fingersafter yourskatingsession. Startingin mid-November,Tenayaat Yosemite’scoveredice-skatingrink isanotherwinter-wonderful option.
Frazil IceAge
Fraziliceisreally afun frozen phenomenonthatoccurswhen icecrystals collectinsupercooled, turbulentwater.ImagineanIcee machineinoverdrive! Yosemite Creek Bridgeisagoodplace to find a flow.Frazil icecanalso be seen at Ribbon Falls, RoyalArchesCascade, Bridalveil Fallsand Salmon Creek. Note forparents:frazilicemay look likesnowpack on top, but there’s the possibility of ice-cold river water belowthe surface.Playitsafeand neverventuretooclose to the flow.
Museum Days
To take abreakfrom the coldand discoverYosemiteMariposaCounty heritage, visit alocalmuseum.The MariposaMuseum &History Center has colorful displays on Gold Rush historyand well-curated exhibits onNative AmericanlifeinYosemite MariposaCountythatinclude indigenous baskets, artifacts and more.
Kids love rocks, right?Checkout the California StateMining &Mineral Museum at the MariposaCounty Fairgrounds.This gemofamuseum features are-createdmining tunneland the Fricot Nugget—a 13.8-poundchunk of crystalline gold!
Wawona’sYosemiteHistory Centercelebratesthe Park’s early pioneerdays via aclusterofhistoric buildings. Getthecameraready when walking over Wawona’s CoveredBridge– dating to the mid-1800s,it’sone of the fewstill standingin California. Kids in need of atime outmaybeescortedto The Powder House, atinybuilding builtwiththick granitewalls that wasusedtostore dynamiteand prisoners(notatthe same time, hopefully).
EXPERIENCE YOSEMITESKI LESSONSAT BADGER PASS
If youare looking foraneasy-going, affordable, uniquely located skiandsnowboardmountaintohoneyourskills, lookno further. TheBadger PassSkiAreaistheultimate winterdestination foran unforgettabletime.Bringthewhole family, anddon’t forget about yourfriends,becausethisspotisnot onlynovicefriendly –itoffersa rangeoflessonsandactivities to accommodate avariety of visitors of allages.Plus,Badger Pass islocatedinside YosemiteNational Park!There’s much to doin Yosemite,especially in thewinter. Yosemitewinteractivitiesbringvisitorsfromall overthe worldto see Yosemite Valleyina wholenew light:covered in soft, glistening, snow.
Sinceopeningin1935, BadgerPassSkiAreahas been afavoriteski destination forgenerations of winter adventurers. Fewercrowds, affordablelifttickets,and adedicatedskilled staffcombineto
Badger Pass SkiLessons
The YosemiteWinterSports School,establishedin1928, teaches bothbeginner’sbasicsand refresher coursesthroughgroupand private classes. Avariety of learn-to-skipackagesareavailable dailyforbothchildrenandadults. Formoreinformation, contactthe YosemiteWinterSportsSchool Desk at (209) 372-8430.
Badger Pass Ski Areais agreat placetolearnthesecrets of snowboarding.Riders will find aterrain park,plentyofroomto practicenew maneuversand up-to-daterentalequipmentand instruction. Beginning,intermediate andadvancedinstruction isavailablefrom qualifiedinstructors whomakelearningand improvementfunandeasy. Snowboardingequipmentrentalsare available at the rentalshop.For more information, call (209)3728430.
makeaday at theBadger Pass SkiAreafun andfulfilling. Open daily9a.m. to 4:00 p.m.frommid-Decemberthrough lateMarch (weatherpermitting),Badger Pass Ski Area is accessible by vehicleorvia freeshuttlebus servicefromall Yosemite Valley lodging.After aday of winterfun in thesnow,enjoy ahot chocolateorheartymealonthedeck of theski area offering amazingviews of YosemiteMariposaCounty.Indoor seating is also available.With five lifts,spacious groomed runs andquick access to theslopes,BadgerPass Ski Area hasbeenthelearning ground forgenerations of skiers. As 85 percentofthe slopes available arebeginner to intermediate level,includingseveral runs thatare perfectforthe first-timeskier,thisresort is the perfect placetotakethe family foralow-key holiday. Plus,lift ticketsand skiequipmentrentals areavailableon-site.
TheBadgerPupsProgram forchildren ages four to sixis designed to accommodate theneedsofpreschool students and introduce them to downhillskiing.The Pups program includesgroup ski lessons and rentalequipment.
Beginnercross-country skiers find the25miles(40 km) of themachine-settrack at Badger Pass Ski Area agreat wayto start, and 90 milesofmarkedtrailsleave plenty of room for explorationand improvement. Founded in1970, Yosemite’s Cross-Country SkiSchool is managedbyPSIA-certified instructorswho teachall skilevels andalso leadski toursinto the YosemitebackcountryandovernightexcursionstoGlacier Point.Skiersmay rentstriding,skating and Telemark equipment at theschool. Formoreinformationand equipment-specific rates, call(209) 372-8444.
Cross-CountrySki to Glacier PointSkiHut
Snowshoeorcross-countryskion intermediate groomed terrainthroughYosemite’smagnificent snow-country to therustic andbeautiful stone-and-logGlacier PointSki Hut. Located10.5milesbeyond Badger Pass SkiArea alongGlacier PointRoad,the skihut offers an unmatched viewoverlooking YosemiteValley, Half Domeand the YosemiteHighCountry.
Cross-Country SkiRentals and Lessons in Yosemite
YosemiteSki Lessons forKids
BadgerPass Snowboarding Lessons
WINTER WITHINREACH
Snowflakes tumblingthrough standsof giant sequoias.Rushingriversmagically turning to ice, waterfalls“igniting” before your eyes.Familypics at the topofa Yosemiteskirun.Cozytimesarounda fire pit afteranice-skatingsession.
Winter’sgot alot goingonin Yosemite MariposaCounty,andit’s withineasy reach. To helpinspireyourwinter getaway, we’veput together athree-day, two-night budget itinerarythatdelivers peals of joyful glee from families as well asadventure-lovinggroups of friends.
First Step: LockinWinter Lodging Values
Winterisidealfor lodging valueswhen youcan discoversome of the lowest ratesofthe year –eveninYosemite Valley. Everyone’sfavorite camp,Curry Village, offers year-round lodging in cabins,heatedtentcabins and Stoneman Cottage,therusticmotelattheheart of thehistoricYosemiteVillage. There’sno better valueforsleepingso close to the peaks and waterfalls thatframe Yosemite Valley. And forafull-servicestay, room ratesatYosemiteValleyLodgefollowthe drop inwinter.
Winterhoteldealsgoevendeeper outsidethe ParkboundariesinYosemite
Mariposa County’scharminggateway communities. In El Portal, Yosemite Resorts offers severalproperties, including YosemiteViewLodgeand Cedar Lodge,that have special winter dealsandclose access to Yosemite Valley. Tenaya at YosemiteinFishCamp alsoofferswinterrates andeasyaccess to theMariposa Grove,Badger Passand avariety of on-sitewinteractivities. ThetownofMariposa is aglowingember of winterfun,with affordablehotels like theQuality Inn YosemiteValleyGateway, TheMonarchHotel, YosemiteMinersInn, Mother Lode Lodge,and more. Adding to thehubbubarethenumerousbudget restaurants,bespokebars,andlocal shopping in town.
YosemiteNational Park isa picture-perfectwinterrealmwith breathtakingsceneryandnumerous indoor/outdoor activities.What’s even better?Onceyou’ve covered theentrancefee($35/vehicle, valid for7consecutivedays),almost everythingisfree.
Devoting afullwinter’sday to YosemiteValleyisnatural. Itbegins withthebreathtakingviewfrom TunnelView:snowy domes and peaks,ice-crustedgranitewalls, and year-roundwaterfalls. As you tourthe ValleytoseeElCapitan, Bridalveil Fall, Half Dome and more, be suretomakeyour waytothe YosemiteValleyWelcome Center–recently renovatedfor an even more inviting experience.
Also worth astopisthe Yosemite Museum, ahistoricbuildingwith
SnowsportsinYosemiteMariposa County canrun from free toboggan hillsandsnowshoetrails,allthe way to budget-friendlyskiing. Today’s the daytotakethatride! California’soriginalandmost affordableskiresort, Badger Pass SkiAreaisYosemiteNational Park’s downhilland cross-countryski hub. LocatedjustoffGlacier PointRoad with apeakelevation of 8,000 feet, thefam-friendly Badger Pass was establishedin1935andis aprimo place to learn to ski orboard.
Manysnowthrillsarefreeofcharge (with million-dollar views). Apopular hikingtrail offGlacier PointRoad duringthe sunseasons, Dewey Point flipstheseasonalscriptto becomeoneofYosemite’smost rewardingsnowshoehikes during thewinter. The7.5-mile roundtrip takes youtotheedge of Yosemite Valleyand back.
Southern Yosemiteisanother place forfree-rangeplay. Bundleupand takeawintry hikeorsnowshoe through theMariposa Groveof
even morehistory inside featuring displays thatrangefromNative Americanartifacts to JohnMuir’stin cup! Rotating exhibits of fine artare presentedaswell,andadmission to the YosemiteMuseumis free.
Theperfectplacefor lunchin the Valleyisrightnextdoor in Yosemite Village. Inexpensivedining options abound at cafeteria-style Degnan’s Kitchen alongwithplenty of indoor seating options. If you’re packing your ownlunch, feelfree to buya cold orhotbeveragehereoratthe nearby VillageStore to complete the picnic.
Winterdaylightistight,so gameplan your returntobasecamp before dusk to enjoythe sunset glow, particularly if your Yosemite MariposaCounty accommodations areoutside the Park
GiantSequoias. Tuckedjustinside YosemiteNational Park’s South Gate,discover this cathedral-like collection of some 500mature titans.Snowy sequoiaboughs are an only-in-wintersight beautiful to behold.
Justa fewmiles north of Mariposa Grove, the WawonaMeadowLoop Trail startsacross from the Wawona Hoteland loopsaroundone of the biggest mountainmeadows in the entireHigh Sierra.With Wawona’s golf course closedduring thewinter, there’s even moreroom to crunch your wayoff-trailand square up for afriendly snowball competition with an evergreen backstop.
Withaday of gravity-bending snow playunder yourbelt, headback to your happyplacefor refreshments. Celebrate yourlastnightintown with budget-worthydinner options from family-friendly to fun fortwo. InMariposa, checkout local hero HappyBurger forsome of the best in town.
Vacation getawaydaysalways arrivetoo soon, but there’satleast one thingsavvytravelersagree on: the fun doesn’thave to end at checkout! Keep your parkasatthe readyjustincasethere’sa perfect meadowfor afarewell snowangel or ariversideclearingonHighway 140 forabundled-up picnic by the Merced. Taking your time driving home to enjoythe sights is aperfect example of howYosemiteMariposa County offers expansive– butnot expensive– recreation.
•Bookaheadfor allwintergetaways.CurryVillage lodging units dosellout quicklysoit’sbesttoplanayear and aday in advance (when reservations open)ifyou’re planning to visit during Christmas, NewYear’s,or President’s Week. •Practice“LeaveNoTrace”snowplay! Pack everythingout that youbring withyou,includingdamaged gearand trash. •Bring asmallsnowshoveltocreate custom sledruns, especially ifthere’ssnowinthe forecast.Familyteam building!