Discover the Best Time to Visit Yosemite | Shoulder Season

When is the Best Time to Visit Yosemite?

Every top vacation destination has its “high season.” And for most places – including Yosemite National Park – that season is summer. From the end of the school year through Labor Day, Yosemite goes full tilt boogie. Visitation peaks and vehicle reservations are generally required for Park entry. As one of America’s most iconic wilderness areas, this makes perfect sense.

Discover the WOnder of Shoulder season in Yosemite

We’d like to propose a slightly different angle of approach to your next Yosemite Mariposa County vacation. One of the best times to visit Yosemite National Park that will maximize joy as it saves you time and money. Known as “shoulder seasons,” the off-peak periods of fall, winter, and early spring are when Yosemite resets (and some of the year’s best lodging values return). Join us for a tour around the rest of the year!

Avoid the Bustle and Enjoy Autumn Ambiance

Fall is when Yosemite glides into a smoother gear. This is the time of year when Summer’s high temps taper off as daylight starts to wane and the path of the sun stays tighter to the horizon. Everything illuminates with that golden autumn glow. The busy-summer to easy-autumn change of season comes with less visitors, and lodging rates follow suit, which makes for an ideal time to visit the park.

It’s the perfect time to be outside, and Yosemite’s line-up of fall hiking trails may be unrivaled. From the easy lower elevations all the way up to alpine climbs, Yosemite’s trails invite you to fill a
daypack and lace up your boots or walking shoes. A few perfect paths: the Mirror Lake Trail or the Mist Trail in Yosemite Valley, the Tenaya Lake Trail off Tioga Road, and Wapama Fall Trail in Hetch Hetchy Valley,

Bike riding is another pastime that’s celebrated in autumn. bring your own bike, rent your wheels, or take a guided e-bike tour. With all activity levels in play, from easy-riding fire trails to chain-stretching single-tracks, bikes allow you to cover more ground and see more Yosemite in less time than hiking.

In Yosemite Valley, bike rentals are available April through October. Rental stands are located at Yosemite Valley Lodge, Curry Village, and Yosemite Village (next to the Village Store). Outside the Park, plug in to a guided electric bike tour with Yosemite E-Biking and explore magnificent Gold Country terrain around Mariposa and Oakhurst. Serious mountain bikers can gear up for Exchequer Mountain Bike Park above Lake McClure.

All this outdoor activity is bound to stretch some muscles. The perfect antidote: a healing spa session. Fall is the season for a wellness break, and the spas of Yosemite Mariposa County beckon. Check out of Field Guide to Feeling Good for shoulder-rubbing options.

Winter Wonder

Yosemite Mariposa County hugs the western slope of the Sierra Nevada, making winter getaways a “call your shot” experience based on the local elevation. Yosemite ski and snowshoe trip? Yes please. Scenic drives through the snow globe of Yosemite Valley? Definitely. Bespoke holiday escape? Break out your Uggs and flannel.

California’s original and still one of its most affordable ski resorts, Badger Pass Ski Area is Yosemite’s downhill and cross-country ski hub. Located just off Glacier Point Road with peak elevation of 8,000 feet, fam-friendly Badger Pass was established in 1935 and is a celebrated place to learn to ski or board. Fun fact: Yosemite is one of only three American national parks to offer downhill skiing.

Hiking becomes snowshoeing during the winter at Yosemite, with spectacular trails winding through snow-filled forests. Bundle up and snowshoe through the Mariposa Grove of Giant Sequoias. These super flora titans grow exclusively along the western slope of the Sierra Nevada mountain range and are some of the biggest and oldest living things on Earth.

The trails that stem off Glacier Point Road deliver end-of-the-rainbow payoff vistas. Discover the Dewey Point Trail just past the Badger Pass Ski Area parking lot (park there) and crunch out to the Valley Rim for an unforgettable, 7.5-mile round trip trek.

The winter holidays are the perfect time to come for a “peace on Earth” seasonal escape to Yosemite Mariposa County. Trade out mall parking lots for twinkling lights, small-town charm, and great holiday shopping in Mariposa. Combine stargazing with a toasty nightcap to complete your woosah-winter day with some deep Sierra calm.

Secret Spring

Yosemite manages to wedge in a fifth season every year. It’s a local secret called “winter-wrapped spring.” Between winter’s hard freeze and spring’s full thaw is a window of vacation opportunity. Think February to early April, right around when daylight savings begins. It’s also when some of the best lodging deals of the year are on offer.

Temperatures can run the gamut from the 30s to the 70s, so activity options are highly variable! The lower elevations in Southern and Northwest Mariposa begin to pop with the first wildflowers of the year. Higher up, Yosemite Valley’s waterfalls are recharging and beautiful as ever. Dip your toes into a calm bend of the Merced River for some snowmelt-infused therapy as you picnic on its sandy banks. And there’s even time to catch the last runs of the season at Goat Meadow Snow Play Area and Badger Pass Ski Area, which stay open through March in good snow years.

Yosemite Off Season

The shoulder seasons reveal the year-round vacation wonder of Yosemite Mariposa County. Travel during these relaxed time periods allows for more spontaneity and scheduling freedom, too. Pack accordingly, discover a bounty of local lodging options and dive into the Yosemite Vacation Planner to get your shoulder-season escape rolling.