posha

We are contemplating a Lake Tahoe/Yosemite/San Francisco trip in September but I have been reading that September may not be the best time to visit Yosemite. It will be our first trip to the park. My husband is an avid photographer so photography will be the main focus of that part of the trip. I know it will be quieter that time of year, which is a plus, but I've read that the waterfalls will have slowed to a trickle and that there may be some smoke and haze from controlled burns. I'm looking for input and insight from anyone who has been in September. Thanks.

mlgb

In September, you won't have to worry about roads being closed due to snow, so you can drive up to Glacier Point and hike up to Sentinel Dome, where you'll have incredible views. You will also be able to visit Tioga Pass and Tuolumne Meadows.

It's the main Yosemite Falls that will be dry, but Bridal Veil-Vernal and Nevada will have water.

Supercilious

Yosemite Valley is at its best in Spring and early Summer but there is no bad time to visit. July and August are the busiest times and so is Labor Day weekend. Anytime after that won't be as crowded. The major falls will be very low but there is still much to see.

September is my favorite month for backpacking (much less mosquitoes) and day hikes are wonderful too. If you spend most of your time at higher elevations (Glacier Point, Mariposa Grove, Tenaya Lake, etc.) you will not be disappointed.

Tahoe is also great in September. So is the Eastern Sierra. So a drive down US 395 from Tahoe to Tioga Pass will be spectacular. If you have the time, detour to Bodie, visit the tufa at Mono Lake, and head down to Mammoth Lakes if you can. If you do it late in the month, you may see some spectacular aspen groves turning golden although early October is usually better.

bkluvsNola

September is usually great, weather-wise, but as mentioned the falls will be dry or a trickle after the long dry summer and before the winter rains and snows.

IMHO, the falls are the most scenic thing to photograph in the park, so I wouldn't choose that time of year because of that.

My recommendation would be to spend all of your time in San Francisco and the coast. September is glorious in San Francisco (IMO there is no better place in the world than September in San Francisco). Also, there is no fog along the coast in September and that allows for perfect photographic conditions.

MichelleY

Super is correct: there is no bad time to visit Yosemite, see the Eastern Sierra and Lake Tahoe.

MY

Suzie

Yosemite is quite warm in Sept and there is plenty to see. I'm not all that focused on waterfalls like lots of people are so the fact that they are dry doesn't bother me. The granite walls of the park with the play of light on them by a sun that can be quite red is really amazing.

I haven't heard about controlled burns in sept. That's a peak time for wildfires though.

november_moon

My husband is an avid photographer and he loves Yosemite any time of year - except Summer because there are too darned many people and they get in his shots. The waterfalls are indeed spectacular to photograph in the spring, but he has gotten some wonderful photographs of the granite cliffs as Suzie mentioned, the trees, meadows, etc. in the Spring and Autumn.