Best Time to Visit Yosemite: Peak May/June Waterfalls vs Late-Summer High Country & Autumn

Planning a trip to Yosemite requires understanding one big seasonal trade-off: Yosemite's famous waterfalls are fed by melting snowpack, so they roar at maximum power in May and June, then shrink or dry up completely by August and September; conversely, the high-country road across Tioga Pass (Tenaya Lake & Tuolumne Meadows) often stays buried under snow until late May or mid-June and is at its best from July through October. Here is how to pick the ideal month for your priorities.

1. Late Spring (May & June, #1 Overall for Thunderous Waterfalls & Blooming Dogwoods)

If your dream of Yosemite is standing before booming waterfalls that shake the ground beneath your feet, come between 1 May and 20 June:

• All Waterfalls at Peak Volume: Yosemite Falls, Bridalveil Fall, Ribbon Fall, Horsetail Fall, and the Mist Trail (Vernal & Nevada Falls) are all roaring at peak snowmelt volume, Mirror Lake is full to the brim, white Pacific Dogwood blossoms fill the forest in May, and daytime Valley temperatures sit at a pleasant 20°C to 26°C.
• What Opens When: Mariposa Grove Shuttle opens in mid-April or May; Glacier Point Road and the Half Dome Cables typically open around mid-to-late May; and Tioga Road opens between late May and mid-June (depending on winter snowpack depth).

2. High Summer (July & August) & Golden Early Autumn (September & October)

• July & August (Best for Tioga Road High Country & River Swimming): every road and trail in the park is open. While Yosemite Falls usually goes completely dry by August, Vernal Fall, Nevada Fall and Bridalveil Fall never go completely dry and flow all year round. Spend mornings in the Valley and afternoons swimming at Tenaya Lake or floating the Merced River.
• September & October (Low Crowds, Crisp Hiking & Autumn Foliage): summer crowds drop by half, Tioga Road and Glacier Point are still open, and in mid-to-late October bigleaf maples, black oaks and dogwoods turn brilliant yellow and crimson along the Valley floor.

3. Winter & February 'Firefall' (November to April)

After the first big November storm closes Tioga and Glacier Point roads, Yosemite Valley becomes a serene winter wonderland, culminating in mid-to-late February's Horsetail Fall 'Firefall'. Check what to wear in Yosemite.