12 Stunning Things to do in Yosemite National Park, California in Winter

How long should my winter trip to Yosemite be?

In the winter, a two night weekend trip is perfect. That gives you an afternoon on your arrival day, a full second day, and the morning of your third day. This will give you a taste of Yosemite in the winter, get a lay of the land, and get to explore some of the trails.

Is Yosemite National Park crowded in the winter?

In the winter, expect nearly everything in the park to be covered in snow, and – hooray! – much smaller crowds. (Which also means much cheaper prices and more availability for accommodations! Head to our where to stay in Yosemite post for more details.)

December, January, and February are tied as the least popular months, jointly bringing in just 9 percent of the park’s annual visits. In the last 15 years, August has averaged more than 600,000 park guests. The park is BUSY in the summer! The average for January? Just 108,000. Nice. So enjoy it – there’s something magical about the stillness of the park during this season, and it almost seems like an entirely different world. 

It’s also arguably the best time for photographers, even if you can’t reach all the park’s remote corners. In winter it’s easy to find parking near trailheads, you don’t have to worry about having a bunch of hikers in your photos, and you can make last-minute hotel and camp reservations pretty easily. 

Anything else I should know before visiting Yosemite National Park in the winter?

Here are a few key things to know before you plan your trip to Yosemite National Park:

• You’ll have less room to roam (but it’s still a lot): Yosemite is just under 450,000 square acres, and about 98 percent of that is wilderness (which basically means undeveloped.) Because Tioga Pass Road closes just a few miles past the Crane Flat intersection, nearly everything in the park’s massive eastern side is inaccessible. You can access parts of the park from outside the park via Tioga Pass Road, before you get to the entry gate (subject to frequent chain control). However, you’ll need to hike, snowshoe, or cross-country ski; all trails in this area will be covered in snow all winter. The vast majority of winter visitors stay in the Valley, though it’s possible to access the Hetch Hetchy, Wawona, and Crane Flat areas of the park, too.
• The weather can be….variable: If there’s a storm in the forecast, expect the Valley to be cold, windy, and have poor visibility. However, if it’s not snowing, winter weather can be pretty darn nice. Days are often sunny and sometimes in the 50s F or even low 60s. However, expect the nights to be quite cold (well into the 20s), and plan accordingly if you’re winter camping.
• You can camp: Hard-core visitors can practice the basics of camping in the snow up around Tioga Pass, but if you’re not keen on digging into the snow to pitch your tent, book a site at the Upper Pines Campground. It’s the only campground in the park open-year round and usually doesn’t have any snow on the ground. You can also get backcountry travel permits in the winter, but you’ll need to travel via cross-country skis and be a skilled winter backpacker and navigator. Or, you can glamp! Some sites even offer pay-by-temperature rates – so you might even end up with a free stay! If you’re staying in one of the park’s tents at Curry Village, you’ll have a small heater, but you’ll likely want to bring an extra blanket or sleeping bag all the same.
• Stay on the trails: Heavy foot traffic damages natural landscapes, so knowledgeable visitors need to do their part. Yosemite even has a volunteer park-wide clean-up day each September. If you see trash, pick it up. Don’t step on small plants off-trail. And always follow Leave No Trace principles.
• Never leave food or anything with a scent (even lip balm) in your car: Bears are smart and are more than capable of opening car doors and smashing windows. Bears that associate humans with food can become dangerous to humans, and bears that are dangerous to humans are often euthanized. It’s every visitors’ responsibility to keep wildlife wild. Every campground and parking lot will have dozens of metal bear bins – outdoor lockers where guests can safely store their food for the day instead of leaving it in their car. They’re free and unlocked, so just find one with space and toss anything with a scent inside rather than leaving it in your car.
• Re-think that selfie: Yosemite has no shortage of beautiful vistas, but there are several deaths in the park each year from people getting too close to cliffs to capture a photo. Be extremely careful, especially around popular lookout points like Vernal Falls. They can be especially treacherous in the winter, especially when you can’t see that they’re covered in ice.
• Slow down: Everything from bears to squirrels to deer and even the occasional mountain lion may run in front of your car without warning. Don’t let your negligence cause an animal’s death.

Psst: If you’re planning to visit multiple parks this year, we recommend picking up an America is Beautiful National Parks Pass. The pass is valid at over 2,000 National Parks and 10% of the sale proceeds are donated to the National Park Foundation, helping to keep our parks beautiful! The average cost of admission to a National Park is $35, which means that the pass quickly pays for itself after just a few visits. AND you are supporting the National Park Foundation. Win/win! You can pick up a pass online at REI or in person at any National Park.

Things to do in Yosemite National Park in Winter

If you read our other(read: non-winter) guide to Yosemite National Park, you know the park’s incredible story: it was home to Native Americans, then ranchers (who sometimes violently infringed on the Indigenous Peoples’ rights), then protected as a national park after naturalist John Muir made a personal plea to President Teddy Roosevelt. 

Roosevelt and Muir went camping together for a few days in the park and soon thereafter, Roosevelt gave control of it to the National Park Service. (PS: Expect to see plenty of “The Mountains Are Calling, And I Must Go” souvenirs in the park. John Muir may have a complicated legacy, but he’s a local hero in terms of protecting the park.)

While much of the park is inaccessible in the winter, the Valley is still open, and that’s where many of the park’s best cultural sites are. You can walk through the Indian Village of the Ahwahnee (Miwok Village) and take the roughly one-mile path through a native plant garden, or photograph the Yosemite Chapel, which dates back to 1879. The Yosemite History Museum is also open year-round.  

If you can’t already tell, I love Yosemite National Park, and as a full-time outdoor and adventure writer in the Lake Tahoe area, I’m fortunate enough to be able to make several pilgrimages to the park each year. Here are the best things to do in Yosemite National Park in the winter (and yes, I highly recommend it!) 

Take a hike

Heck yes, you can hike in the winter! The colors of the distant mountains are replaced with bright, white snow, and evergreens send wafts of pine resin skirting the air. The entire park is transformed, and most trails off the Yosemite Valley trails are accessible, except after unusually heavy snowfalls. Just be sure to check the trail closures before planning your day and bundle up for your hike!

Exactly which Valley hikes are accessible in the winter depends on snow and ice. Most of the Valley trails are open by default, except for after storms when they may be icy. Always obey trail closure signs – full stop. You risk severe injury to yourself and anyone that tries to rescue you. 

Some of the best trails to check out in Yosemite in the winter are:

• Mist Trail: So named for the mist that blows onto the trail from Nevada Falls and Vernal Falls, this hike features both waterfalls and endless photo opportunities – it’s the most iconic hike in the Valley, for a reason. The Mist Trail has a safer “winter route” which avoids portions of the trails have overhanging rock where large icicles form and fall onto the trail below (because, you know, death by icicles) and generally slippery passage. You can access this route on any day that isn’t exceptionally snowy, and Lower Yosemite Falls is almost always open and even occsionally the Upper Yosemite Falls is open.
• Valley Floor Loop: This relatively gentle hike gains minimal elevation and can be done as a 7.2-mile half-loop or a full loop at 11.5 miles. It passes many of the park’s highlights, like El Capitan, Yosemite Falls, the Merced River, and the Three Brothers rock formation. Take a break or turn around wherever you like. The trail runs more or less along the perimeter of the valley, ducking into the woods here and there and crossing a few stone bridges over streams. Along the way are several well-marked points where you can sit and picnic on the river, and you’ll often see plein air painters and photographers in the valley shooting or painting on sunny days. If there is snow on the ground, it can easily be snowshoed.
• Mirror Lake Loop Trail: This 2.4 or 4 mile is short and mostly flat and heads east, leading through the woods and eventually to Mirror Lake, a flat pool that perfectly reflects the image of nearby Half Dome – hence the name. Depending on how cold it is, this lake could even be iced over! Also a great spot to snowshoe if it’s snowy out.
• Hiking Trails in Wawona: Outside of the Valley, you can hike in Wawona (to the south of the park) as it has some rather flat trails. The Wawona Swinging Bridge Trail  is a simple hike to the bridge, only about .75 miles round trip, and then you can watch the beautiful waters of the Merced flowing beneath you. Who doesn’t love a swinging bridge? The Wawona Meadow Loop is also easily hikeable in the winter, and si a good chance to see more trees and grass.
• Hike in Hetch Hetchy: Hetch Hetchy is open in the winter, and the best way to see the area is on the main trail, the five-mile hike to Wapama Falls, a nice half-day out-and-back trek along the shoreline that crosses the O’Shaughnessy Dam and passes by two waterfalls that spill from 1,400 feet above (after all, it wouldn’t be a Yosemite hike without some epic waterfalls). This trail is super popular and most of the trail is exposed to the sun, so going in the winter is a double bonus with fewer crowds and some warming rays. Note that if you visit in early spring the water flowing from the falls may make the bridges impassible or at the very least a very wet experience. Do be aware that the gates close promptly at 5 p.m. each day in the winter, so start early!
• Hiking among the Giant Seqouias: All three of the sequoia groves are open and accessible by car during the winter. The largest and most popular grove is the Mariposa Grove, near the south entrance, with more than 500 sequoias. It’s also the lowestest elevation grove, which means it’s likely to have the least amount of snow, though you’ll have to walk two miles down a closed road from the parking area to reach the grove. But it’s definitely an amazing way to see some really old, really tall trees with much less crowds!

Time-travel at a classic holiday feast

The annual Bracebridge Dinner at the Ahwahnee Lodge in Yosemite is one of the park’s most famous traditions, and for good reason: the epic holiday feast, complete with musical numbers accompanying each course, transports guests to the lavish hall of Washington Irving’s merry olde England, except in California for some reason. It’s ridiculous and silly and irreverant and over-the-top – very much one of those quirky must-be-Northern-California traditions.

Based on Washington Irving‘s Bracebridge Hall, this luxurious formal dinner featuresover-the-top characters in a stage show that includes song, dance, merriment, 7 courses of historically accurate gourmet cuisine, and enough entertainment that you won’t realize the experience lasts nearly four hours. The elegant hall, costumes, set and music will completely transport you back in time into a 17th-century English feast.

The Bracebridge Dinner is a tradition that has been taking place every holiday season in the Ahwahnee’s luxurious dining room since the late 1920s; in fact, photographer Ansel Adams was the show’s first director, and acted in the show himself as the pagaent jester for many years!

As is tradition, the event is formal, so be sure to pack a tux or evening gown (or at least a dark suit or cocktail dress) in your bag. Don’t show up in costume: it’s just not done.

While this dinner is an expensive experience (and tickets are hard to snag) it’s one of those once-in-a-lifetime things. I mean, when else can you role-play as a character from a Dickens novel in the middle of a snowy National Park?? To participate in the fun, you’ll need to buy tickets well in advance, which are around $340 per person, including dinner and gratuities.

If the Bracebridge Dinner is a little too steep, consider attending one of the Ahwahnee’s other holiday events, like the seasonal choral concerts, which are completely free to the public.

Take a scenic drive

It almost seems unnecessary to mention “scenic drives” in Yosemite because you literally can’t avoid them. Seriously, every drive in and around Yosemite is a scenic journey through the heart of the Sierra Nevada, and majestic mountain scenery greets you every which way you look.

Remember that Yosemite National Park is HUGE, so to see as much as you can, take a day to explore some of the park’s gorgeous roads, even if they are somewhat limited by the wintertime and the snow (remember: Tioga Pass and Glacier Point Road are always closed in the winter).

Even though you can occupy yourself with countless trails and sites in the valley, it’s worth getting to see more of where your feet can’t take you. Plus, all of these drives pass by trailheads, scenic turnouts, and classic Yosemite sights that you won’t want to miss.

• Yosemite Valley Loop: On this loop around the Valley floor you’ll see many of Yosemite’s iconic sites looming above you, including El Capitan, Half Dome, Bridalveil Falls, and Yosemite Falls, glistening in pure white snow. When people think of Yosemite, this is what they’re picturing. One mile wide by seven miles long, this narrow valley houses a lot of Yosemite’s amenities – and therefore crowds – but lucky for you, the wintertime sees way fewer people. Plan to make a bunch of stops at popular turnouts, picnic spots, and trailheads. You can also take a guided, park-run bus tour – the heated trolley with clear plastic walls is slow-moving so you have plenty of time to take photos, and since they can take advantage of the park’s bus-only lanes. A live guide will fill you in on the history of the park, including Indigenous peoples, the first non-Indigenous settlers, and the flora and fauna of the park along the way. 
• Hetch Hetchy Road: This scenic drive will take you away from the crowds, if any, in the wintertime. In the park’s quiet northwest corner, Hetch Hetchy Valley is much less traveled, but still boasts majestic Yosemite scenery. From Evergreen Road (outside of the Big Oak Flat entrance station), Hetch Hetchy Road travels 16 miles before ending at the Hetch Hetchy Reservoir. With its lower elevation, this area of the park has a long hiking season (you’re less likely to see snow), so break up your drive with some adventures on foot. There are several waterfalls, canyons, and lakes that add to the allure of this scenic drive. Note that even though Hetch Hetchy Road is open year-round, it sometimes closes due to snow.

Don’t want to drive on your own? If you’re staying outside of the park, another fantastic option is to take a guided tour from San Fransisco. You can sit back and relax as you’re driven to most of the major sites in one day, including Tunnel View, Tuolumne Grove, and Yosemite Valley, plus lunch and hiking.

You can also choose to visit the park on a guided tour with transportation from Los Angeles. If you’re concerned about transportation, wanting to add Yosemite to an existing California trip, or don’t want to mess with the hassle of planning, these tours are a fantastic option.

Spend the night at the Glacier Point Hut

The Glacier Point Ski Hut sits high on a mountain, with stunning overviews of Half Dome, Yosemite Valley, and the Yosemite High Country. Staying up here feels a bit like being on top of the world, where there’s nothing but you, the sky, and the sprawling nature down below. You just have to get here!

If you’re a cross-country skier, you can buy a day pass and explore the 25 miles of groomed (flattened and maintained) cross-country ski trails that start from the Yosemite Ski & Snowboard Area and go the 10.5 miles to Glacier Point Ski Hut on your own.

However, if you have a little experience cross country skiing but would like some help, you can go with a guide, who will take care of all the details, including the food, snacks, and s’mores (the important stuff). All you have to do is bring your personal items like warm gear and a sleeping bag, which you can also rent if you don’t have one, and make sure to get acclimated to the altitude before your trip.

On your guided trip, you’ll start off early on your first morning, and glide your way the 10.5 miles to the high-altitude hut (3,200 feet), passing views like Clark Range and Washburn Point, giving you epic views of snow-covered mountains and Half Dome. Once at the Hut, you’ll be treated to a delicious dinner and enjoy a roaring campfire.

While you have the option to do a one or two-night stay, Visit Yosemite recommends you stay two nights so you can check out nearby, gorgeous trails like Taft Point and Sentinel Dome, with more sweeping views of Yosemite. While staying at the Hut is more of a dormitory kind of sleeping experience, you’ll have a chance to bond with fellow nature enthusiasts and unplug from your phone, as there is no cell service.

As cozy as the roomy hut is, you’ll want to wake up early each day to watch the sun start to peak over Half Dome. Be sure to bring sunglasses – the light and morning fog often casts warm shades of pink, orange, and gold on the snow.

On your final day, you’ll ski down after breakfast and definitely leave your heart behind at the hut. There’s always next time!

You can book your trip in advance online here.

Go snowshoeing

If you’ve never been snowshoeing before, you’ll be spoiled once you’ve done it in Yosemite. Snowshoeing in Yosemite can be a great way to explore trails otherwise covered in snow. It only takes a bit of practice (and a bit of balance) before you’re snowshoeing like a pro, and you’d be surprised how much easier it is than trying to walk through the snow with just boots. 

Snowshoeing in Yosemite is an extremely peaceful experience, and not just because the shoes can move you silently through the woods. Snow muffles the sounds of civilization like road noise and voices, so being even just a mile past a trailhead can be incredibly quiet. You’ll be able to hear bird songs, look for footprints from everything from raccoons to – maybe! – bighorn sheep, and experience the wilderness the way a winter explorer would have a century ago. 

Throughout the winter, the Yosemite rangers run several guided snowshoe hikes each day. Most leave from Badger Pass (the ski area), since that’s the only shuttle-accessible part of the park reliably covered in snow. Of course, if you have your own snowshoes, you can explore on your own anywhere in the park, including any hiking trails that are open!

You’ll need to check the activity guide in advance for the season you’re visiting to see which classes are happening when. Rangers will give you a seasonal activity guide when you drive into the park, or you can check the website a month or so in advance of your trip to download the most current guide. Tours run between one and two hours and snowshoes are provided. Tickets are usually between $15–$30 per person, depending on the location and difficulty. 

Hit the slopes

At the Badger Pass Ski Area, you can hit the slopes and shred during your Yosemite winter getaway. Well, kinda: with gently rolling hills through snow-dusted evergreens, it’s actually a great spot for beginners! The longest run only has a drop of about 800 feet, making each lap up the chairlift (of which there are five) pretty quick.

If you’re not into skiing or snowboarding, you can also go snow tubing – or just cozy up on the deck while watching the action!

There are ten total downhill ski and snowboard trails, and rates are pretty reasonable by ski resort standards.

If you’re outside the park on the eastern side (by Mono Lake and June Lake), you can drive to Yosemite Ski & Snowboard, though parking is limited. If you’re anywhere else in the park, you’ll need to take the free ski resort shuttle from the Valley. When there’s a lot of snow on the ground, the timing of the shuttle stops can be more of an estimate than a guarantee.

Go ice skating at Curry Village

If you’re looking for something active but don’t feel like lacing up your winter hiking boots, lace up your skates instead! The ice skating rink at Curry Village (also known as Camp Curry and Half Dome Village) opens in December, weather pending.

The large rink has jaw-dropping views of Half Dome to one side and bright evergreens to the other sides, creating a simply iconic winter experience – it feels like something out of a 1930s Christmas movie. And that’s kind of appropriate, considering the rink has been an annual occurrence in the park since 1928. 

You can’t buy tickets in advance, but considering the small crowds and large size of the rink, you’re unlikely to have much of a wait.

Non-skaters can hang out outside the rink, warming by the fire pits and enjoying drinks from the nearby Camp Curry Pizza deck and cafeteria. PS: they sell whiskey at the Curry Village visitors center and hot chocolate in the cafeteria (just sayin’!).

Go on a free winter camera walk

If you thought Yosemite was beautiful in the summer, wait until you see it with a glistening of snow on top. And even if it’s not snowing, the dew and fog lifting out of the Valley in the mornings can be absolutely stunning. That’s probably why the Ansel Adams Gallery runs all their photography walks in the mornings all winter.

You’ll have to sign up for the walk up to three days beforehand at the Ansel Adams Gallery. The exact schedule changes every winter, but there’s usually one or two classes a day in the Valley.

Your guide will give you tips on using your camera during the class and show you the best vantage points and angles of the park’s most popular sites. They even offer classes for smartphone cameras in case you don’t have a DSLR. Basic camera walks are free, though more advanced classes may have a fee and require advanced registration online. 

This is a great time to bring the widest-angle lens you have so you can capture the sunny valley and snow-covered peaks in the distance!

For inspiration, be sure to stop and explore the Ansel Adams Gallery. Ansel Adams was a famed nature photographer, whose black-and-white photos of Yosemite were some of the first published in national newspapers and magazines. He first fully realized work is his photograph “Monolith, The Face of Half Dome” which he took in 1927 at just 25 years old. (At age 25 I actually took a very similar photo called “Selfie, the face of me in front of Half Dome” but somehow it did not catch on.)

Ansel Adams is best remembered for giving Yosemite a face and helping to conserve the beauty of Yosemite. The Ansel Adams Gallery in Yosemite Village has a wide range of Adams’ most famous Yosemite photographs.

Learn about the park’s Indigenous community 

The Miwok Tribe inhabited the Yosemite Valley – called Ahwahnee – and low-lying ridgelines in the area for thousands of years before homesteaders moved in and encroached (often violently) on their land and resources during the white encroachment in the 1850s.

For the next 100 years, the Miwok People took a stand for their native lands. They inhabited the park until the 1960s, but were ultimately entirely pushed out by the mid-20th century. While Yosemite’s Indigenous community no longer lives on their original land, there are still about 3,500 people around the western U.S. from various tribes who are descendants of the Miwok people.

The Yosemite Museum, which celebrates its 100th anniversary in 2022, is the cultural gateway to the park and the best place to learn about Yosemite’s original residents. The museum has a rotating collection of exhibits, but there’s always a large section dedicated to the crafts, language, arts, and traditions of the Miwok Tribe. 

Just behind the museum is an easy walking path through the recreated Miwok Village of Ahwahnee, which has interpretive signage along the way about life for the tribe in the 1870s. The Miwok Village has several buildings, a few of which are still occasionally used by Native Americans.

The largest building is the meeting house, which was used as a ceremony site. Other buildings include kitchens, homes, recreated examples of summer and winter homes, and native gardens. Inside the museum, there will sometimes be descendants of the Yosemite Miwok making and displaying traditional crafts and skills like beadwork or basket-making.

Walk through the historic Ahwahnee Hotel 

The Ahwahnee Hotel is the epitome of a historic national park hotel. It first opened in 1927 and was designed to be the American equivalent of Europe’s grand summer lodges. Arriving at the park was quite the journey in the early 20th century, requiring a long train ride followed by a prolonged (and very bumpy) carriage ride from Merced. Guests would stay for weeks at a time since the journey was so long, and the Ahwahnee was designed to be their luxurious home in the Sierra Nevada. 

Today, the Ahwahnee is open to the public, so you can enjoy the majesty (and eerie vibes) at your own leisure. You can take a free self-guided hotel tour, which is available at the concierge desk, so you can learn about the history and construction of the hotel.

On your self-guided tour, you’ll see various sitting and “card rooms,” once divided for men and women to socialize but now open to the public. Two stone fireplaces large enough to walk into serve as bookends to the main salon, and historical photos and artifacts line the walls.

You’ll also notice that the Ahwahnee doesn’t fit into any one particular architectural style (unless “fabulous” and “for rich people” counts as an architectural style, and if you’ve ever visited Hearst Castle on Highway One, you know what I mean). Rather, it’s an amalgamation of several concepts: stone columns to support the massive fireplaces, large windows and picturesque shutters as a nod to its European inspirations, and sharp roofs and turret-type features to keep heavy winter snow from weighing down the roof.

Over the years the Ahwahnee has had its fair share of famous guests, from Walt Disney to Lucille Ball, Charlie Chaplin, Judy Garland, Queen Elizabeth II, and most recently President Barack Obama.

The hotel also has a guest that may have never checked out. The ghost of Mary Curry Tressider, who grew up in Yosemite Valley and lived there until her death in 1970, purportedly still lives on the 6th floor, where her apartment was located. Shortly after her death sightings of her apparition became a normal occurrence, and people see strange things on that floor until this day. (Learn more about Mary Curry and her family, who founded Camp Curry.)

The Ahwahnee’s interior, with its Native American patterns and red elevator doors, served as the inspiration for the interior of The Stanley Hotel in Stanley Kubrick’s The Shining. While the Stanley Hotel in Estes Park, Colorado was the inspiration for Stephen King’s novel, and the exteriors of the film were shot at the Timberline Lodge in Mount Hood, Oregon, the red and lush, slightly sinister-feeling exteriors were pulled straight from the Ahwahnee. Eerie, no?

When you’re done exploring, grab a local beer at the Ahwahnee Bar, or have dinner in the opulent mountain view Dining Room, with massive log beams running the length of the enormous room. The menu offers American dishes with an international twist; think garlic-crusted lamb with mint yogurt sauce and fresh fish with a miso glaze.

During the winter, the Dining Room is transformed into an 18th century English manor for the annual Bracebridge Dinner, a fabulous and fun 7-course meal and costumed Christmas pageant by candlelight complete with holiday splendor and live theatre. The dinner has been running since 1927, when Ansel Adams played the part of the pageant jester (and I assume El Capitan appeared as itself).

See Horsetail Falls and the famous “firefall”

Horsetail Falls is one of six waterfalls in the valley (Yosemite Falls, Nevada Falls, Vernal Falls, Ribbon Falls, and Sentinel Falls are the others) and it’s usually overlooked by summer guests. That’s probably because it mostly flows during winter, starting in around January, when there’s enough daily snowmelt.

However, for two weeks every year, Horsetail Falls is the star of Yosemite as it’s the site of the famous “Firefall.” It usually happens in mid-February, and the reflection of the sunset makes it look bright orange – like fire flowing over the cliff.

If you want to see it, you’ll need to do some advanced planning. In addition to making sure you have a park entry ticket, you’ll need to park at Yosemite Falls and walk approximately 1.5 miles to the picnic area at El Capitan, which offers the best views. You can find more details about the restriction and dates here.

It will be quite cold once the sun goes down, so bring gloves and beanies. Leave yourself enough time for the walk and give yourself at least two nights to see it as it’s not visible on overcast days.

The road running past Horsetail Falls (Northside Drive) can get slow and busy close to sunset, so try to be in the park at least an hour or two before the Firefall is expected to start. If there is one place that’s busy in winter, it’s to see the Firefall!

Explore the park after dark

If you can brave the cold, long nights, you’ll be rewarded with fantastic winter stargazing in Yosemite. Not only do smaller crowds mean less light pollution, but earlier sunsets mean you won’t have to stay up as late to study the skies. 

From around December to April, it’s extremely easy to spot one of the most recognizable constellations in the galaxy: Orion’s belt (and actually all of the cancellation Orion, the hunter). You’ll also be easily able to spot constellations like Gemini and Taurus, plus “Sirius,” called the “dog star.” (Hint: it’s the brightest star in the winter sky.)

You can sometimes see galaxies unaided on very clear nights (which also tend to be the coldest, so bundle up). All of these can be discovered with the star apps suggested in the tips below!

You can also participate in a group stargazing class. They run most evenings, except for when there’s a full moon (as that makes the sky too bright to spot most stars). During winter, classes are held in the Valley (the exact location changes daily) and you can sign up at any activity desk in the park. An hour-long stargazing lecture is usually about $10 per person. 

If you want to stargaze on your own, try the valley across the street from the Camp Curry parking lot or across from the Little Yosemite Chapel. But realistically, anywhere in the park will do as long as you’re a few hundred feet or so from a light source. Guests are allowed to walk wherever they want in the park day or night. You can also find some of the best stargazing spots here.

Tips for stargazing in Yosemite National Park:

• Don’t stop or stand in the road: All of the lights in Yosemite are shut off during the night, which means that the park is pitch black and oncoming cars won’t be able to see you.
• Bring a headlamp or a red flashlight: A headlamp is one of my personal favorite camping essentials, but it’s crucial if you’re stargazing away from your car. Headlamps are the best because they’re hands-free and you can point the light downward to avoid more light pollution, which also helps you avoid shining light in your eyes (it can take 20 minutes for your eyes to readapt to the dark – not ideal for stargazing!). A red flashlight also works extremely well and will take less time for your eyes to re-adjust to the dark.
• Download a stargazing app or bring a chart: Bring a star chart or app to help you find constellations and maybe even planets! Apps like Sky Guide and Night Sky are super helpful in that you can face your phone towards a particular star or constellation and it will tell you what it is, and will also have tons of information built in about what you are looking at. Just make sure to turn your screen brightness way down.
• Photographers will want to bring along a camera tripod (and a phone mount to use your phone). To take starry night photos, you need to keep your phone extremely still and take a very long exposure, which lets in a ton of light – and ideally, there’s no other light but the stars, so you’ll get that perfect starry night shot!

Where to Stay in Yosemite National Park in Winter

The good news about visiting Yosemite in winter is that it’s MUCH cheaper, and you have a lot more options! This is pretty much the only time we’re ever able to snag reasonable rooms within the park proper. Yosemite also has plenty of lodging options surrounding the park, and prices are much lower during the winter than the rest of the year.

That said, though they tend to fill up less quickly in winter, it never hurts to make your reservations as early as you can – you can always cancel them later if your plans change!

• Stay in the Park: The Ahwahnee is the park’s grandest hotel, on the western side of the Valley. The Yosemite Valley Lodge is the closest to Yosemite Falls and is clean and comfortable, but not as fancy as the Ahwahnee. There are also vacation rentals located INSIDE Yosemite National Park near the South Entrance in the small community of Yosemite West.
• Stay Near the Park: Our personal pick for the best place to stay near Yosemite is Rush Creek Lodge near the Big Oak Flat entrance of Yosemite National Park, on the west side. We love its nightly free s’mores, guided hikes and activities, and amazing spa & massages. Plus, the lodge is a Social Enterprise and certified B-Corporation with a social mission and a program that provides jobs to urban youth! We’ve got a full review (and a LOT more tips) in our complete guide to where to stay near Yosemite. Other options are AutoCam, Yosemite Cedar Lodge, and Yosemite View Lodge near the El Portal entrance.

If you’re feeling rugged and outdoorsy, you can also glamp in a canvas tent at Curry Village Yosemite inside the park! Just bring some very warm blankets.

For more suggestions, head over to our guide on where to stay near Yosemite.

What to Pack for Yosemite in the Winter

Ever heard that saying, “there’s no such thing as bad weather, just bad clothing?”  In addition to keeping you warm as you explore, weatherproof clothing is especially important if you’re going to do outdoor activities. So, be sure to bundle up in your favorite cozy sweaters, a warm coat, and waterproof winter boots! We’ve got all the details you need.

We recommend wearing a base layer underneath your clothing on cold days during your winter trip – that means that the layer closest to your skin should all be made from merino wool. Merino wool is super warm, incredibly soft (nope, it’s not itchy) and much more lightweight than synthetic fabrics, as well as being naturally antibacterial, which means you can re-wear it without the re-wear funk. If wool isn’t your thing, wear an equally insulating textile like hemp or silk. Avoid non-insulating fabrics like cotton, and remember that natural fibers are pretty much always better than manmade textiles like polyester.

After your base layer, you’ll need to add on at least 1 additional layer before your outerwear, like a pair of pants and a sweater. On REALLY cold days, where the temperatures are below 10 degrees, we recommend adding on another base layer before your clothing layer & outerwear. And if you’re doing winter activities, add a waterproof layer as well, like lined snow pants. For more winter travel packing tips, head over to our Cold Weather Packing Guide.

Here are our tried and true travel essentials for winter travel.

• Merino Wool Base Layer Leggings: These super comfy 100% wool leggings function just like long underwear. They’re made of soft, super-luxurious wool and make your legs feel like they’re being hugged by an extremely soft sheep. Jeremy has this pair. You’ll want to wear these underneath your pants on cold days during your trip.
• Merino Wool Base Layer Undershirt: Laying is crucial when it’s this cold, and you’ll need to start with a layer of insulation on top and bottom. If it’s not terribly cold that day, I can sometimes get away with a short sleeved or even sleeveless wool base layer. I also defintey just wear my long sleeved base layer as a shirt somtimes! This is mine and this is Jeremy’s.
• Wool Socks: Make sure you don’t just have run-of-the-mill acrylic socks for your trip – they won’t keep your feet warm while you’re out in the snow! Instead, bring socks that are primarily made of soft, heat-regulating wool, like these or these.
• Warm Walking Boots: We recommend boots that can withstand ice or snow, are weatherproof and waterproof, and are comfortable enough to walk in for HOURS. Sounds darn near impossible, right? Well, it’s not. We’ve found the best boots for winter, and we’re OBSESSED with them (and yes, we both have the same ones. Because we’re kinda gross like that). They’re cute, they’re insanely comfortable, they’re waterproof leather with warm thermal insoles, and they’re extremely lightweight and foldable so you can stuff them in your bag when you travel. We can’t recommend these boots enough, and they’re the only shoes we bring on cold weather trips. They’re made to last and they’re worth every cent. Here are my boots and Jeremy’s boots. You can read more about them in our round-up of our favorite travel shoes for women or for men.
• Travel Jeans:  My favorite travel jeans have 6 POCKETS. 6!! And 2 of them are zipped and hidden inside other pockets, for extra pickpocket protection. They’re super stretchy and buttery soft, dry quickly even after walking through the snow, and roomy enough to layer over an insulating base layer (or two). They’re cozy enough to wear on a plane, stretchy enough to accommodate that 5 extra pounds of holiday weight I always seem to bring back home with me, and they’re super cute! We’re both obsessed. You can get a pair of men’s or women’s jeans on the Aviator USA website.
• Warm Flannel Shirt: I’m in LOVE with the MerinoLux flannel button-down from Royal Robbins. It’s stretchy, it’s cozy, it’s blended with merino wool (yassss) and most importantly, it’s warm AF and super breathable. It’s also wrinkle-resistant, odor-resistant, and moisture-wicking, and has a hidden zip pocket – so basically everything you could ever ask for in a flannel shirt. I’ve been searching for the perfect flannel for YEARS (you know, like one that didn’t give me that annoying button-down boob gap and allowed me to actually cross my arms) and this is The One. I love it! Here’s mine and Jeremy’s.

• Lined Leggings: On very cold days, I add an extra layer of insulating warmth by throwing a pair of lined leggings on over my base layer and under my jeans (I’ve also worn them without extra pants on top of my base layer because leggings are real pants, fight me). I have two pairs of warm lined winter leggings, one lined with merino wool and one lined with fleece.
• Warm Hat: A warm hat is an absolute necessity. It also doubles as a super cute accessory! Did I just rhyme? You want a hat that will stay on your head when it’s windy wind and keep your ears nice and warm – bonus points if it’s lined. Personally I’m a fan of the ones with poofs on top, like this or this. Jeremy is more of a purist, and likes to wear beanies like this one, which is made from earth-friendly recycled wool and nylon.
• Warm Coat: Your jacket is arguably the most important thing you’ll bring on a winter trip other than your shoes. It has a big job – namely, keeping you warm but not sweaty, allowing you to actually move your arms, and letting you explore for hours without feeling heavy or restrictive. Plus, it’s gonna be in almost all of your photos.  I bring this this cozy fleece-lined coat with me, and Jeremy wears a wool-blend coat similar to this one and this one.
• Packable Down Jacket: Jeremy and I each bring two jackets each on our winter trips: our heavy/bulky coats, and a lightweight, travel-friendly packable down jacket. It’s perfect for those days when I want the freedom of not wearing a big heavy coat, and it’s also a fantastic added layer of warmth on super cold days. For this trip, I brought this down jacket and Jeremy brought this down jacket.
• Gloves: Don’t go outside in the winter without gloves on! Jeremy and I both have these wool gloves that work with touchscreens, because let’s face it, I have a hard enough time using my phone without wearing gloves. Over those gloves we layer on a thicker pair that allows us to do things like throw snowballs at each other.
• Scarves:  I LOVE a chunky scarf. They’re my favorite accessory! I love this super soft scarf from Royal Robbins, which is blended with wool and turns into a cute shawl or infinity scarf with a few well-placed buttons. I’m also a big fan of scarves that are big enough to double as blankets, like this one or this one.
• Winter Sports Gear: If you’re planning to go skiing or snowboarding on your trip, bringing a few things can easily be packed in your suitcase will save you cash on rentals. We recommend these goggles and these gloves for snowboarding, and these travel-friendly crampons for snowshoeing.  

Whew! That should keep you warm and toasty. Oh hey, want a printable version? Just sign up below and we’ll send a checklist straight to your inbox.

Printable Winter Packing List

This FREE 3-page printable packing list will help make sure you don’t forget anything for your next winter trip. We’ll also send you our favorite travel tips!

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About the Author: Suzie Dundas is a freelance writer and editor with bylines in Forbes, the SF Chronicle, Outside, TripSavvy, Playboy, Lonely Planet, Insider, Frommers, and many more. Based in northern California, she’s a huge fan of the outdoor lifestyle and is the author of a history and trail guide to the Sierra Nevada. You can follow her on Instagram at @hikeupyourskirt or learn more at SuzieDundas.com. 

Are you planning a Yosemite winter trip? Which part of Yosemite National Park in the winter do you want to explore first? Let us know in the comments below.

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