Yosemite in winter or early spring
 

We were to be on our Yosemite trip last week, and that wouldn't have worked out very well. I guess I'm glad we postponed.
It looks like the beginning of 2014, or perhaps end of March/April could work for us. We plan on a few nights, some sightseeing, taking photos and exploring. Although I did a remarkable hike in the Dolomites last month, it was a fluke, I am more of a stroller than a hiker.

Can these be good times to go to Yosemite? What things might we not be able to see?

If you have a choice pick the very end of March or better yet April.

Yosemite is fabulous in any month (well, except for August IMO) but the Valley floor will more likely be snow free in April. Some snow is possible of course but heavy winter storms are less likely. The back country and Glacier Point will be closed no matter but the Valley will be more accessible.

UNLESS you want to ski at Badger Point - then you'd want to go earlier in the year.

Here is one of my trip reports about a short visit in March.

http://www.fodors.com/community/unit...rt-getaway.cfm

I think mid April is really great. Lots of water in the falls. Warm during he day - shorts if hiking.

Winter is beautiful in Yosemite but it could really limit what you can do. You will have to worry about possible road closures into the park because of snow. And then there's our government...who knows what will happen with their January deadline!

You can have snow in late March it could be cold. The later in spring you can come will mean better waterfalls. I've hiked in mid-April in shorts and I've also seen it snow in May...so come prepared! Just make sure you avoid the week before and after Easter because it can be very crowded.

Utahtea

March can be iffy in terms of snow. It will be cold, but it can be a lovely time to be in the Valley. I was a member of the Yosemite Association years ago. We had our bi-annual meeting in mid to late March every year. Most of the time the weather never got in the way. Some years there would be significant ice on the falls, which is pretty, but different from the gushing water there will likely be a month later.

My favorite time in the Valley is mid week in mid May, just about the time the Dogwood trees are blooming, and the falls are surging. Hiking can be limited, but I like to walk around the different meadows in the Valley and hike up as far as I can get to Yosemite Fall for nice views.

We were there in April and the road to the upper areas was closed due to snow. This limited us to the Valley which was very crowded and Mariposa woods which were not crowded.

The Valley was beautiful and the waterfalls were flowing wonderfully, but I came away feeling that Yosemite was way down on my list of places I want to go back to because of the number of people, lack of parking, terrible bus/shuttle in the park.

I try to make it to the valley every April or very early May. The waterfalls will be roaring. The high country will be closed either of those times of year but the valley will be lovely. And you might catch the dogwoods in bloom.

When I went there in April a few years ago it was in the 70s when I arrived. And it was snowing when I left a couple days later. So be prepared for weather changes.

Oh, and I usually also go in January. Obviously, you're running more of a risk of lousy weather. Still, it's beautiful with snow but it's too cold (for me) to walk a lot outside. But it is gorgeous.

I don't live that far away so I can make last minute plans and cancel the trip if the weather doesn't cooperate. I would be a lot more hesitant about planning to visit this time of year (especially this year with the possibility of yet another government shutdown) if I didn't live so close.

These replies are all very helpful. I will definitely plan on midweek, which doable for us.

I'm thinking April but maybe the very end, after the Easter holidays. Now to look for accommodations.

Our October visit was booked for The Lodge at the Falls, which I guess I will try for again. But I'm open to opinions and suggestions.

Thanks.

I would only stay at the Lodge (unless the Ahwahnee fits in your budget)

(I decided to go to the Bracebridge at Christmas and to splurge on staying at the Ahwahnee . . . and it is totally booked up :( So back to the Lodge for me.)

Fluke or not, do as much hiking as you can. The Mist Trail is one of my all time favorite trails. I'm not sure if it's open in March or not. I would expect the waterfalls to be going nicely in March, but really roaring if you could wait a bit longer. We were there Mid-May a couple of years ago and did get a dusting of snow then.

My wife and I will be in Yosemite towards the end of June and will have 7 to 9 days of actual travel. We also want to visit King's Canyon and Sequoia for a couple of those days. How should be plan our trip? Thanks for your help!

Mike,
You should start a new post and you will get more response.

yes - do start a thread of your own -- your issues will be much different than tuscanlifeedit's

I am also thinking of Yosemite March 2014 (it would be right around March 22nd - no flexibility to go any later). I can deal with cold, I realize no one can predict snow storms and that they are possible at that time.

My questions - how do you know if you are going to need chains? Do you just follow the weather reports and if they look 'iffy' you go on the Yosemite website? I'll be in the bay area for the preceding week.

Also - any way to tell which trails are going to be open before you get there (I realize back country is all closed at that time, I'm talking about trails that start in the valley. Also Mariposa Grove).

I was thinking of having a Plan A and a Plan B. Plan A is to go to Yosemite for a few days but if a lot of the trails are going to be closed and chains needed then I'd do Plan B (coastal route). I was hoping there was a way to know this a day or two ahead. Possible?

The tv news will cover the weather conditions/chain requirements every day. Plus they will be on line. Weather reports are the biggest part of local newscasts.

Thanks - that's what I figured re the chains. How about knowing which trails are closed - I guess that would depend on how much snow they'd had in the previous few weeks? What trails are open all winter? And how does that work? - if there is deep snow pack how can trails be open (assuming you don't have skis or snow shoes) - I mean, they don't shovel/plow the trails do they?

I haven't called it in a while, but there used to be an option on the Yosemite National Park phone tree that updated you on which trails are closed, anticipated trail/road openings or any other alerts in the park. I hope Plan A works out. You will have fun photographing the Valley. It actually looks amazing with a LIGHT dusting of snow.

isabel,

Technically you are suppose to carry chains in Yosemite from fall though spring. http://www.nps.gov/yose/planyourvisit/chains.htm

With that said, we've seen snow in the valley in the spring and have never had to use chains.

We've been in early March and there was snow on the valley floor. You might want to check the Yosemite web cams http://www.nps.gov/yose/photosmultimedia/webcams.htm as well as the local weather.

Utahtea

Thanks - can't wait to see the webcams (completely black at the moment, guess it's still dark out there)

So technically that means no one in a rental car can visit Yosemite from fall through spring? Obviously that's not the case but does that mean all those visitors are actually risking getting fines? I will most likely have my son's car so I could buy a set of chains (then he would have them for future use so it wouldn't be a waste) but if he can't let me have his car for that week I'll have a rental. The whole chains thing is bizarre for people from the northeast where we get tons of snow yet no one has chains.

And about the hiking. You say there was 'snow on the valley floor' - do you hike through it?, is it packed down on the trails? Sorry to be so dense but here in New England if we have a foot or two of snow you can't just 'hike through it' - you can hike on a trail that's been compacted like by snowmobiles but otherwise walking on unplowed/unshoveled areas is not easy or enjoyable.

You can go here for road conditions:

http://www.dot.ca.gov/cgi-bin/roads.cgi

I recently dealt with a similar quandry in that I was planning for a mid to late-May trip to North Lake Tahoe. The chances of having to use chains on the way there from San Fran was arguably not likely, but not out of the realm of possibility either. But I was more concerned about our hiking options as I didn't want to have to rule out a bunch of hikes because they were either still snow covered or muddy from the spring thaw. Ultimately, we decided to scrap the plans altogether and are now going up the coast to Mendocino for a few days and to Sonoma County after spending four days in San Francisco. We'll save Tahoe for a late August/early September trip.

If you can content yourself with staying mostly in the Valley, I'd say go for it, but I'd suggest having a Plan B in your back pocket in case driving conditions aren't favorable and/or the Valley is snow covered. I, personally, would prefer to go to Yosemite when the higher elevation trails are open (along with the roads that lead to them), although I'm sure the park is just gorgeous and relatively quiet in the winter.

But all that aside, I do think you're going to have to have some chains with you and know how to use them. Even if the weather is fine on your way there, it could turn on a dime once it's time to drive back. Plus, you may end up be having to have them in the park itself.

Here are some other suggestions for winter activities in Yosemite. http://www.yosemitehikes.com/yosemit...-in-winter.htm

When I asked when to go, most posters told me, May-June are the best when the waterfalls are full. We've been there in May and October, and May was gorgeous. Try to move your trip as close to May as you can.

Check conditions on NPS website.
http://www.nps.gov/yose/index.htm

When we were there in early March two years ago and there was snow in the valley, they had cleared the bike/walking paths in the Valley so you could easily get around to places like lower Yosemite Falls and the meadows. We've been so many times we didn't try any of the other hikes so sorry, don't know how they were.

One year when we were there at the end of December the paths to Yosemite Falls and Bridalveil falls were icy and slippery. We've also been in April and I wore shorts on the Vernal Falls hike and then one May several years later it snowed. That year my teenage son's hiked up to Nevada Falls above Vernal Falls the day after it snowed and they said it was pretty messy.

I told you technically what was required, but I'm sure the majority of the people who rent cars to visit Yosemite in the spring don't have chains.

Utahtea