donnawho

I'm reading about the traffic horrors in Yosemite this summer...we are thinking of going to Yosemite and Tahoe in Sept. 2012, (probably around the 15th.) spending several days in each location. Will it still be really crowded, even mid-week? Any advice is appreciated. We are somewhat flexible with dates at this early stage of the game.

Shanti

Here's a link that shows how many people go to Yosemite in a given month:
http://www.nature.nps.gov/stats/viewReport.cfm

After you get to this page, at the top right at "California Parks" choose "Yosemite" then at the next page on the right, click on "visitation by month/year" and on the lower left, choose a year.

Last year, according to the above link, over 500,000 people visited Yosemite in June and almost exactly the same number visited in September. If it's any consolation, July and August are even worse. The numbers drop by about 30% in October so it might be less crowded if you could delay your trip by a few weeks.

In spite of these numbers, I'll be going to Yosemite this weekend, but will almost certainly stick to the high country and avoid the valley. I'll try to post a trip report.

tomfuller

If you are in the Valley and there are too many people there and the parking lots are full, head for a less visited area.
If you are coming in by way of the Tioga Pass, buy your gas in Nevada before seeing the expensive gas in Lee Vining.

Shanti

Well, no trip report for Yosemite this weekend - Tuolumne Meadows lodge isn't opening until at least the 12th.

utahtea

By September the kids will be back in school and mid week will be better than the weekends.

We tend to go in April to early May or Sept-Oct. time frame to avoid the crowds. I love the spring because the water falls are raging!

Utahtea

utahtea

Oops..forgot to mention that's for Yosemite.

Utahtea

november_moon

We like April and May for Yosemite - waterfalls are running near peak and the summer crowds haven't hit yet.

goalis7continents

Tahoe is beautiful in September - the earlier the better. We had snow last October. The hiking will be great & you should still be able tot enjoy the beach.

sf7307

Although we were in Tahoe (north) the weekend of Oct. 15th last year and there was no snow at all - it was beautiful crisp hiking weather.

DebInTN

A few years ago, we did Yosemite and Tahoe around the last week of Sept. The only negative was that the waterfalls were mostly trickles. Weather was great. Yosemite crowds weren't too bad, except for the dozen tourbuses parked out front of the Lodge at times. Mid-week at both places was not crowded, but you could tell when the long weekend folk started rolling in on Thursday. We encountered snow on the drive in to Yosemite. Woke up one morning in Tahoe to about 6" on our deck overlooking Lake Tahoe - BEAUTIFUL! Try to do the trip when it is a full moon. Both places are breathing-taking by moonlight.

artjoanne

Lake Tahoe is quiet after Labor Day. The weather is beautiful and all of the activities...the hiking, touring the Lake by paddlewheel boat, dining, shopping are still open and running.

cmstraf

We avoid the Valley from Memorial Day through Labor Day. Actually our preference is early November. No falls, but color change, low season prices, no crowds (middle of week is not an option for us). We go every year. Every few years we go in the spring--usually late April (my birthday). In 2013 I'd like to try midMay the falls will be higher, but if we do so, I'll try to stretch things and go midweek. Buy Yosemite Valley secret places (something like that) for excellent tips on crowd avoidance.