Yosemite Fall Colors & Photography

Yosemite fall colors are unbelievable, and fall photography allows you to capture some gorgeous scenes and experience the park with small bursts of color.

Starting around the second week of October, Yosemite Valley takes a fall transition with cooler evening temperatures and color changes from many deciduous trees in Yosemite Valley. In addition, mid-october fall weather conditions usually create more dramatic weather patterns with early morning fog and more scattered clouds during the day. If you want to see fall colors in Northern California and Mariposa County, there’s no better time or place than Yosemite National Park in fall to experience the golden state in all its autumnal glory.

For a great list of fall color trees in Yosemite Valley click here. Then, hop on Highway 120 to see the Yosemite fall colors in a leaf-peeping experience you will always remember.

Points of interest to capture some great fall photos:

Pohono Bridge

You can find a canopy of autumn colors along the path from Pohono Bridge near the Merced River.

Tunnel View

A classic viewing point of Yosemite Valley. If you visit after any recent high country rainfall you can expect to see Bridalveil Falls flowing moderately.

El Capitan Meadow

Long grass and small patches of aspen trees along the border provide stunning earth tone contrasts for photos of Yosemite fall colors.

Valley Gates

You can look across the river towards Yosemite Valley and capture El Capitan and Bridalveil Falls from ground level, the adjacent shoreline is peppered with various trees and shrubs that provide amazing colors during fall.

Happy Isles

This lush almost marsh-like section of Yosemite Valley has a remarkably diverse range of trees, most notably the dogwood which will turn bright yellow at peak around late October/Mid-November.

Mirror Lake

The water levels in Mirror Lake have receded by fall but the surrounding tree line offers stunning scenes of Yosemite fall color. Also, with the receded water flow to Mirror Lake, the water is calmer and offers even more stunning reflections of Half Dome.

If you want to see more incredible photos of Yosemite fall colors be sure to follow us on Instagram!