It’s a glorious orange-tinged nature show called ‘Firefall’. For the 2022 season, the first will come in February. (A possible second will take place in the fall.)
It is a small waterfall that normally only flows in winter. But it can make a big visual impact when waterfall flow and sunlight come together in the right mix.
Reservations? No limits? Yes
The park says tentative dates for the next Firefall are February 10 to February 28.
However, they have restrictions on viewing due to the popularity of the event.
You must also wear a mask while you are there. You are advised to bring warm clothes and a flashlight or headlamp.
It snowed in the Sierra Nevadas earlier this winter, so be sure to check the park’s website for possible road closures before heading out.
Show is not guaranteed
Yosemite says the dazzling effect only occurs on clear-sky evenings when the waterfall is flowing. Even some haze or a little cloud can ruin the effect. Mother Nature promises nothing.
Horsetail Fall is about a mile and a half walk from the nearest parking lot to the lookout near the El Capitan Picnic area.
A general view of Yosemite’s natural phenomenon Firefall at Horsetail Fall on Feb. 24, 2021. (Photo by AaronP/Bauer-Griffin/GC Images)