Best times to see Yosemite’s ‘firefall.’ Waterfall glows for a limited time in February
A thin ephemeral waterfall in Yosemite National Park that’s barely noticed by many visitors to the popular Yosemite Valley becomes the California park’s star attraction each February.
Horsetail Fall over the eastern edge of El Capitan can glow golden or orange at sunset from mid- to late-February when its water is flowing and skies are clear.
Illumination from the setting sun causes this phenomenon, what’s become known as the firefall.
For older visitors, it can be reminiscent of another grand nightly spectacle of the same name that ended in 1968: The pushing of burning coals over Glacier Point into Yosemite Valley below.
“Horsetail Fall is an amazing natural phenomenon if you see it under the right circumstances: when there’s enough water, when the light’s right,” photographer Michael Frye said in an episode of Yosemite Nature Notes. “This thin ribbon of water just glowing neon orange with the cliff in the shade behind it so it just seems like it has its own sort of light, that there’s nothing else creating it.”
Yosemite officials warned that “even some haze or minor cloudiness can greatly diminish or eliminate the effect.”
Fingers crossed for favorable February conditions!
Best times to view Yosemite’s firefall
Hundreds of people have descended on Yosemite Valley daily during firefall season in recent years in hopes of catching a glimpse of the 1,000-foot glowing waterfall. Visitors should plan time for parking and walking to a viewing location – and expect it to be crowded with visitors and cameras.
No parking permits or reservations are needed to see it.
Photographer Aaron Meyers calculated some ideal firefall viewing times, posted on his website.
He estimates the best time to see the glowing fall in 2020 will be Feb. 12 through Feb. 28 – ranging from 5:20-something p.m. to 5:40ish p.m. – with Feb. 22 expected to be the best evening.
Where to park and see the firefall
A popular spot to see Horsetail Fall is around the El Capitan Picnic Area, between the Camp 4 campground and El Capitan along Northside Drive.
One of Northside Drive’s two lanes is closed to vehicles in that area when the firefall phenomenon occurs so visitors can use it to walk from parking lots around Yosemite Falls and Yosemite Valley Lodge toward Horsetail Fall.
It’s about two miles from the lodge to El Capitan Picnic Area. There are vault toilets, along with trash and recycling dumpsters, at the picnic area.
Vehicles with a disability placard can park at the picnic area or in turnouts on the north side of Northside Drive.
Visitors can also walk east from El Capitan Meadow.
“With the recent tree clearing, there are many open areas with great views for the public to see Horsetail Fall,” Yosemite spokeswoman Jamie Richards said.
Visitors should be prepared to walk at least a mile from their parking spot to a viewing area.
“The sunset starts out on the west side of the rocks during early February,” wrote Meyers on his photography website, “and progressively moves east (from left to right in the photos). If you want to see the falls all lit up in the early ‘Fire Falls’ season, go further east. As the sunset moves east you can move east (towards picnic grounds) to get good shots.”
Yosemite Valley restrictions in February
Yosemite officials said there will be Yosemite Valley restrictions in effect from noon to 7 p.m. Feb. 14 through Feb. 27 due to the popularity of the event.
It’s prohibited to park, stop a vehicle, or unload passengers along the one lane of Northside Drive open to vehicles during this time, between Camp 4 and the El Capitan Crossover, or along the crossover. The crossover is a short segment that connects Northside and Southside Drive in the western end of Yosemite Valley.
Parking, stopping or unloading passengers will also be prohibited along Southside Drive between El Capitan Crossover and Swinging Bridge Picnic Area. Pedestrians will also not be allowed on or adjacent to this section of Southside Drive, the Park Service said.
The area between the road and Merced River from Cathedral Beach Picnic Area to Sentinel Beach Picnic Area will be closed.
These restrictions are to protect the environment and visitors’ safety. As an example, Yosemite officials said, on Feb. 22, 2019, more than 2,000 people gathered to see Horsetail Fall in areas mostly lacking adequate parking and other facilities.
“Visitors spilled onto riverbanks, increasing erosion and trampling vegetation,” officials said. “As riverbanks filled, visitors moved into the Merced River, trampling sensitive vegetation and exposing themselves to unsafe conditions. Some undeveloped areas became littered with trash, and the lack of restrooms results in unsanitary conditions.”
This story was originally published January 8, 2020 at 11:41 AM.
