With Yosemite ditching reservations for firefall, will it be a mess? Here's what to know

Yosemite’s firefall — the wintertime convergence of sunbeams and falling h2o that has drawn increasing crowds to the nationalist park’s Horsetail Falls — volition beryllium antithetic this year. At slightest for those hoping to program a trip.

When skies are wide and Horsetail Falls is flowing, the firefall improvement happens successful mid- to precocious February arsenic the mounting prima illuminates the falls for a fewer minutes earlier disappearing, giving the h2o a lava-like orangish glow. A hazy oregon cloudy evening tin dramatically trim oregon destruct the effect. Yet since lensman Galen Rowell captured a striking representation successful 1973, thousands of visitors (many of them photographers) person made the journey, vying for the perfect position, prompting assorted information measures. By 2021, rangers were utilizing preservation requirements to bladed the crowds.

This year, firefall views are considered mostly apt to instrumentality spot Feb. 10-26, and a preservation is not required to spot it oregon to sojourn Yosemite successful February. Instead, parkland officials purpose to bounds crowds by restricting car and ft traffic. As the Mariposa Gazette reported, Yosemite National Park Superintendent Ray McPadden said that “a clump of boots connected the crushed is going to beryllium our main strategy.” With these changes, present are a fewer things to cognize if you’re hoping to acquisition the glow.

Where to park

Rangers are urging visitors to parkland successful the Yosemite Falls parking country (just westbound of Yosemite Valley Lodge) and locomotion 1.5 miles to the viewing country adjacent El Capitan Picnic Area. If there’s nary parking disposable astatine Yosemite Falls, rangers say, visitors should parkland astatine Yosemite Village oregon Curry Village and usage the escaped shuttle (which stops astatine both) to get to Yosemite Falls parking/Yosemite Valley Lodge, past statesman the walk.

What to bring

Expect snowfall and ice, and bring lukewarm clothes, traction devices for your boots and a headlamp oregon flashlight for the 3-mile round-trip walk, rangers advise.

Visitors stitchery adjacent Horsetail Falls successful Yosemite successful 2019.

(Raul Roa / Los Angeles Times)

Restricted areas

To marque much country for pedestrians, Northside Drive volition person 1 lane closed to vehicles betwixt the viewing country and Yosemite Falls parking. Parking, stopping oregon unloading passengers volition beryllium prohibited betwixt Lower Yosemite Fall and El Capitan Crossover (but vehicles displaying a disablement placard volition beryllium allowed greater access). On engaged weekends, rangers say, they whitethorn adjacent Northside Drive wholly for astir 30 minutes pursuing sunset.

Rangers accidental the park’s Southside Drive volition beryllium unfastened to vehicles, but parking, stopping, and unloading passengers volition beryllium prohibited betwixt El Capitan Crossover and Swinging Bridge Picnic Area. In addition, pedestrians volition beryllium banned from walking connected oregon adjacent to the roadworthy successful that area.

Also, from Cathedral Beach Picnic Area to Sentinel Beach Picnic Area, the country betwixt the roadworthy and the Merced River (including the stream itself) volition beryllium closed to visitors. El Capitan Crossover, the roadworthy that connects Northside and Southside Drives adjacent El Capitan, volition beryllium unfastened to vehicles, but parking, stopping and unloading passengers volition beryllium prohibited. The Yosemite National Park website includes a elaborate representation of the Horsetail Fall viewing country and restrictions.