This year, visitors who go to Yosemite National Park and want to witness the park’s rare “firefall” phenomenon should make reservations, because National Park Service works to control crowding. The annual event happens when the Horsetail Fall in Yosemite National Park is backlit by the setting sun, causing it to appear to be on fire and resembling a lava flow cascading down the eastern edge of the famous El Capitan.
What Exactly Is the Horsetail Fall?
Horsetail Fall can glow orange when illuminated by the setting sun. It’s a one-of-a-kind lighting phenomenon that only happens in the evenings with a clear sky, when the waterfall is flowing, and when the sun is at the appropriate angle between the middle and end of February. It’s an event that draws a large number of visitors to a relatively restricted location, which results in traffic congestion, safety concerns, and parking problems, in addition to having an impact on both cultural and natural resources.
A Beautiful Firefall Phenomenon
Travelers who already have a reservation for day use, a reservation at a particular lodging facility, a particular campground, or authorization for commercial use, do not need to make another one to enter Yosemite National Park and see the firefall phenomenon. To view the event, tourists need to park at the Yosemite Falls parking area and walk 1.5 miles to the viewing spot near the El Capitan Picnic Area, according to the NPS.
The good news is that there is also a free shuttle service that will easily take you to Yosemite Village or Curry Village. Yosemite National Park will not require tourists to make reservations during the summer months, even though NPS is putting a lot of effort into reducing the number of visitors during the firefall event.