Visiting in Summer

Yosemite Falls—and other waterfalls in Yosemite—reach their peak flow near the end of May, but usually remain high well into June. By August, waterfalls have little water or (in the case of Yosemite Falls) may be dry.

 

Summer

(June through September)
See lots of the park... and other visitors

Areas to Visit

All areas of the park are usually accessible by car by late May or early June, although services along the Tioga Road often open a bit later in June. Arrive at Yosemite before mid-morning, especially on weekends, to avoid delays at entrance stations and popular areas like Yosemite Valley and Glacier Point.

Weather

Warm to hot, with occasional rain (usually as afternoon thundershowers, especially at the higher elevations).

Yosemite Valley & Wawona (4,000 ft / 1,200 m): 87°F (31°C) / 51°F (10°C)

Tuolumne Meadows (8,600 ft / 2,600 m): 68°F (20°C) / 35°F (2°C)

Fire & Smoke

Hazy or smoky conditions are common due to fires in the park or elsewhere in California, with one to three weeks of unhealthy or worse air quality common in August and September. Lightning-caused fire occurs naturally in the Sierra Nevada: smoky conditions are natural in summer and fall. The park may also have prescribed fires to mimic natural fires to promote forest health and reduce the risk of larger fires. As a result, you should be prepared for smoky conditions, especially in August and September.

Rivers & Waterfalls

Most of the water flowing in Yosemite comes from snowmelt in the high country, so runoff decreases during the dry summer. Peak runoff typically occurs in May or June, with some waterfalls (including Yosemite Falls) often having only a trickle or being completely dry by August. (View a webcam showing Yosemite Falls to see current flow.) Other waterfalls, including Vernal, Nevada, and Bridalveil flow all year; however, flows can be very low by late summer.

Wildflowers

Yosemite Valley & Wawona: Most blooming occurs in June, with redbud, Sierra onion, lupine, Mariposa lily, penstemon, and flowering dogwood beginning in May.

Tuolumne Meadows: The season begins in late summer for subalpine flowers. Beginning around July, look for little elephant's heads, gentian, penstemon, yarrow, and shooting stars.

Hiking

While many of Yosemite's higher-elevation trails can remain snowy into June or July, hikes from Yosemite Valley, Wawona, and Hetch Hetchy are usually snow-free by June, and many of these trails can be suitable for backpacking.

 

Duration:

6 minutes, 23 seconds

Visiting Yosemite, but short on time? This video provides an overview of things you can see and do in Yosemite Valley as well as other areas of the park during the warmer months when the Glacier Point Road and Tioga Road are open (approximately late May or June to November). This video has captions available in the following languages: English, French, German, Japanese, Korean, Mandarin, Portuguese, and Spanish.