Yosemite in Spring
Yosemite in spring is a festival of green and moving water! The spring runoff transforms Yosemite into a galaxy of waterfalls, inundated meadows and torrential river flows. This creates innumerable opportunities for photography. Motion blur of moving rivers and waterfalls. Emergence of wildlife, the opening of high-country roads and trails.
Details
Days are longer and temperatures are warming; average 69°F (21°C) / 39°F (4°C)
Most of Yosemite above the 6,000 ft elevation is still blanketed in snow and may not completely clear until mid-July!
During spring, Tioga Road and Glacier Point Road open to visitors
The rivers are torrents, offering plenty of opportunities for motion-blur photography.
Wildlife activity is increasing; bear sightings peak in May and early June.
Although high country trails are still under snow, many trails up to the 6,000 foot elevation 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 |
| Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average high in ºF | 89 | 89 | 82 | 71 | 56 | 47 |
| Average low in ºF | 57 | 56 | 51 | 42 | 33 | 28 |
| Av. precipitation in inch | 0.38 | 0.11 | 0.65 | 2.11 | 4.58 | 5.45 |
| Av. snowfall in inch | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 5 |
3 Days! Yosemite Spring Waterfalls #1
Thu-Fri-Sat, 5/8/25 to 5/10/25
Spring in Yosemite! Everything is new again.
This is the time that the waterfalls are at their peak flow, water thundering down, something people envision when they think of Yosemite. In spring, the snowmelt process from the higher elevations flushes water down rivers into the valley over various waterfalls, some without names, and it never ceases to amaze. The Merced River is full, moving fast and offering incredible opportunities for motion-blur photography.
Meadows are green, trees are sprouting their bright green display and, well, water is just everywhere. This is also the time that the roads in the higher elevations open for access to Glacier Point, Washburn Point and Sentinel Dome. Although not guaranteed, in some years of reduced snowpack, we can get up to the high country to Tuolumne Meadows and all the areas along Tioga Road, including Mono Lake if folks want to go. This is also a very unpredictable time for weather; I’ve seen snow storms in May and warm, sunny days the day after. Very exciting for shooting opportunities! Join us for an exciting time in Yosemite! If you’ve ever wanted to see Yosemite Waterfalls in their exalted glory, now is the time!
3 Days! Yosemite Spring Waterfalls #2
Mon-Tue-Wed, 5/12/25 to 5/14/25
Spring in Yosemite! Everything is new again.
This is the time that the waterfalls are at their peak flow, water thundering down, something people envision when they think of Yosemite. In spring, the snowmelt process from the higher elevations flushes water down rivers into the valley over various waterfalls, some without names, and it never ceases to amaze. The Merced River is full, moving fast and offering incredible opportunities for motion-blur photography.
Meadows are green, trees are sprouting their bright green display and, well, water is just everywhere. This is also the time that the roads in the higher elevations open for access to Glacier Point, Washburn Point and Sentinel Dome. Although not guaranteed, in some years of reduced snowpack, we can get up to the high country to Tuolumne Meadows and all the areas along Tioga Road, including Mono Lake if folks want to go. This is also a very unpredictable time for weather; I’ve seen snow storms in May and warm, sunny days the day after. Very exciting for shooting opportunities! Join us for an exciting time in Yosemite! If you’ve ever wanted to see Yosemite Waterfalls in their exalted glory, now is the time!