Yosemite in Autumn
Yosemite in autumn is a wonderland of color and change. Oaks, cottonwoods, ferns, and a few aspens all display the peak of their color the first week of November. Still waters in the Merced River offer reflection shots like no other season. The crowds are gone, yet the park is full open with all areas like Glacier Point, Sentinel Dome, and the Tuolumne Meadows backcountry still accessible.
Details
Days are shorter and temperatures are cooling; average 56°F (21°C) / 33°F (4°C)
Crowds are gone and there are no lines for restaurants nor traffic snarls.
Tour busses are thankfully gone as well.
If you want the least visitation, try the week before Thanksgiving. All services are still open, but there are zero people.
During autumn, Tioga Road and Glacier Point Road are still open to visitors
The rivers are still, offering plenty of opportunities for reflection photography.
Wildlife activity is changing; bear sightings are rare, but coyotes are out.
Many trails up to the 9,000 foot elevation are open for day hikes and limited overnight camping.
Statistics
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average high in ºF | 48 | 51 | 58 | 64 | 71 | 81 |
| Average low in ºF | 29 | 30 | 34 | 38 | 45 | 51 |
| Av. precipitation in inch | 6.54 | 6.66 | 5.15 | 2.79 | 1.66 | 0.65 |
| Av. snowfall in inch | 17 | 4 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
Yosemite Fall Colors #1
Mon-Tue-Wed, 10/30/23 to 11/1/23
The brilliant fall colors of Yosemite. Majestic oaks with their huge plumes of color, golden ferns that carpet the valley floor, and the dogwoods that line the riverbank.
Yosemite in fall is one of my favorite seasons. No crowds, no traffic, no lines, no waiting for anything! Plus, this time of year storms can rage one day and be sunny the next giving us a variety of shooting conditions most people do not experience.
We’ll shoot the valley and if the construction is finished, head up Glacier Point Road for Sentinel Dome sunset shoot, Glacier Point itself with a complete bird’s eye view of Yosemite Valley, Washburn Point for the high country, Vernal Fall and Nevada Fall.
We might head up Tioga Road for a special sunset shot of the backside of Half Dome from Olmstead Point.
Yosemite Fall Colors #2
Fri-Sat-Sun, 11/3/23 to 11/5/23
The brilliant fall colors of Yosemite. Majestic oaks with their huge plumes of color, golden ferns that carpet the valley floor, and the dogwoods that line the riverbank.
Yosemite in fall is one of my favorite seasons. No crowds, no traffic, no lines, no waiting for anything! Plus, this time of year storms can rage one day and be sunny the next giving us a variety of shooting conditions most people do not experience.
We’ll shoot the valley and if the construction is finished, head up Glacier Point Road for Sentinel Dome sunset shoot, Glacier Point itself with a complete bird’s eye view of Yosemite Valley, Washburn Point for the high country, Vernal Fall and Nevada Fall.
We might head up Tioga Road for a special sunset shot of the backside of Half Dome from Olmstead Point.