Fall’s Last Call: How to Enjoy Yosemite’s Autumn Moments

Seasons come and go in Yosemite Mariposa County, each offering signature things to do and a variety of regions to discover.  Autumn is one of the most distinctive seasons, warm and inviting in hue and humor before stormy winter weather rolls over the horizon. Here’s how to take “fall” advantage of Yosemite’s softest season and catch autumn’s last-chance delights.

Golden Days: Shorts to Sweater Weather

Fall is when Yosemite settles into a blissful groove. Locals know it brings the best weather of the year: wonderfully warm for summery shorts by day, then cooling off fast for flannel-worthy wanders.  The sun stays tighter to the horizon and illuminates everything with that golden autumn glow.

It’s the perfect time to be outside, and Yosemite’s line-up of fall hiking terrain beckons.  Autumn walks and hikes are the best, especially in, around, and above Yosemite Valley. 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.

All that 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 County beckon.  Check out our Field Guide to Feeling Good for shoulder-rubbing options.

A Pop of Color

Fall is a full-sensory experience.  With leaf-peeping back in season, fall colors splash across Yosemite Mariposa County. Tree-mendous visuals, fall aromas, and the sounds of nature somehow become clearer in the still autumn hush. 

Yosemite Valley offers one of the brightest pallets: oranges, reds, and yellow in sharp relief against the valley’s gray granite walls.  The majestic beauty of California Black Oak trees is a Valley highlight.  El Capitan Meadow’s stately stand is film-worthy, with brilliant yellow and orange leaves providing a cornucopian contrast to the tree’s dark bark. 

Highway 41 (Wawona Road) is a carousel of fall color, with Bigleaf Maples, cottonwoods, and Mountain Dogwood (pink to red blushing flowers) providing brilliant roadside visuals.  The Wawona Meadow Loop is a wonderful place to stretch your legs, particularly later in autumn when the Wawona Golf Course has closed for the season and the only birdies you’ll see are of the winged variety.   

Fall’s a great time to witness a tree of another color: the giant sequoia.  Yosemite has three primary groves of these evergreen behemoths, the largest at the Mariposa Grove of Giant Sequoias. The giant trunks of these ancient trees look like supersized cinnamon sticks, the perfect flavor for fall.

Last Chance to Road Trip Yosemite’s Highest Byways

Just as hiking trails see less traffic in fall, Yosemite’s most scenic mountain roads are less traveled as well.  Autumn may be the perfect time to drive Tioga Road and Glacier Point Road, not only for a more relaxing vibe, but to see their famed vistas through clear autumn light. Both roads typically close by November for the season, so get your motor running on these higher-elevation byways!

Tioga roadside attractions include Olmsted Point and its panoramic granite vista; jewel-like Tenaya Lake; Tuolumne Meadows; and Lembert Dome.  Depending on how late in the season you drive, you may be one of the last to see Tioga’s alpine splendor before access shuts for the season.  Bring along plenty of car snacks and beverages, as services this time of year (i.e., gas, food, and lodging) are limited.   Pack a picnic!

Autumn is your last chance to explore Glacier Point before winter sets in, when Glacier Point Road closes to autos beyond Badger Pass Ski Area. Along this stretch, Sentinel Dome rewards the last hikers of the year with grand Valley rim views. If you’d rather sit back and enjoy the autumn drive, the Glacier Point Tour typically runs from Yosemite Valley through mid-October. 

Before setting off, be sure to check current road conditions on the official Yosemite National Park website.

Falling Stars

A minimum of light pollution and maximum stardust makes Yosemite Mariposa County the perfect place for stargazing.  Even more so during cool autumn nights when the cobalt bowl overhead sparkles extra-celestial clarity.  Bring a cozy blanket, maybe a thermos of warming spice tea (and a flask for non-drivers), and you have your evening entertainment covered. 

Fall Festivals and Events

Autumn events kick off with Coulterville’s CoyoteFest, always held the fourth weekend of September. A benefit for the Northern Mariposa County History Center, CoyoteFest takes over the streets of the charming, old-west town with parades, arts and crafts, and a motorcycle show.  Howling contest, too.

Autumn is apple time, and Yosemite Mariposa County has just the place for lovers of apple juice for adults – Sierra Cider.  Sip a flight of their delicious hard ciders or take an orchard tour and immerse into fall colors and tastes. The chill tasting room is open Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays from 12-8; orchard tours are available September Saturdays by reservation.  After that, it’s harvest time! 

The wild-west hamlet of Hornitos hosts an Día de los Muertos/All Souls’ Day parade on November 2 every year.  This stirring celebration to pay respects to those who have come before is presented by the Hornitos Patrons Club and includes a candlelight procession from the town plaza to historic St. Catherine Church (est. 1862), followed by refreshments and a potluck at the town’s Stag Hall.

Seasonal Magic

The changes of season reveal the different moods of Yosemite Mariposa County, especially during autumn’s bountiful harvest. With school and work ramped back up, there’s more room to roam beneath fall colors, and lodging rates follow the “cooling” trend with some of the best values of the year. Choose your basecamp and dive in to the Yosemite Vacation Planner to get your “fall’s last call” vacation on the books.