Summer’s just kicking into gear in Yosemite, which means, actually, that it’s the perfect time to start thinking ahead to autumn!
Every season’s wonderful in Yosemite, but it’s hard to beat the virtues of a
Sierra Nevada fall. There’s really no better time to
hit the trails, for one thing: The warm (but not summertime hot), sunny days invite pleasant day hikes—around the Yosemite Valley Loop, say, or, from Glacier Point Road, down to Mono Meadow for an autumn vista of Mount Starr King and the Clark Range. Winter-style storms don’t typically start hitting until late October or November, which means even higher-elevation sites stay fully accessible till then. (You can keep track of current conditions on
this page of the Yosemite website.)
And whether you’re on the trail or taking one of Yosemite’s spectacularly scenic drives, you’ll be dealing with that many fewer people in the park. While autumn weekends can still be plenty busy, the summer throngs drop off pretty quickly once the new school year kicks in.
There are some special natural charms to the autumn season, too. In this kingdom of evergreens, fall colors aren’t comparable to eastern North America, but there's still a nice selection of
deciduous trees and shrubs flaring up the rugged countryside—from the burnished oaks and yellow bigleaf maples to the golden aspens and fiery poison-oaks.
And wildlife tends to be quite visible this time of year: Black bears and squirrels are packing on the pounds ahead of winter, while the mule-deer bucks are in their finest condition.
Don’t miss out on this deeply special time of year in Yosemite.
Book yourself a cabin or a cottage with Scenic Wonders now so you can be perfectly poised to enjoy the Sierra Nevada shoulder season!
