How to watch Firefall in Yosemite National Park in 2025
Each year in February Yosemite National Park experiences a phenomenon called firefall. During firefall the setting sun hits horsetail fall (located on El Capitan) at just the right angle, causing the water to turn a brilliant red color that resembles fire.
This phenomenon is beautiful and well-worth seeing, but having a good experience watching firefall requires some advance planning! We’ve seen firefall twice, and we’re sharing everything we’ve learned about how to enjoy firefall in Yosemite National Park. Below we share everything you need to know for firefall in Yosemite National Park.
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Everything you need to know to enjoy firefall at Yosemite National Park
Do I need a reservation to see firefall?
The answer to this question depends on when you visit!
In 2025, firefall is happening between February 8th and 23rd. During firefall reservations are required 24 hours a day on Saturdays and Sundays (as well as February 17th) to enter Yosemite. You can get reservations on Recreation.gov. Every year, firefall permit reservations open to the public 6 months in advance, and they sell out QUICKLY! However, if you aren’t lucky enough to get a ticket 6 months early, you can also try to secure a permit 48 hours in advance on recreation.gov. This is how we got our tickets when visiting firefall last year!
Note that you’ll want to save or print a copy of your reservation to your phone BEFORE getting to the park. You won’t have internet at the entrance station! You’ll also need to show your drivers license or government ID upon entry with a reservation!
If you don’t want to/can’t get a permit, all is not lost! You can enter without a permit Monday – Friday during February.
What should I pack to watch firefall?
Lots of warm layers
You might equate California with warm weather, but Yosemite is COLD this time of year! You’ll also be standing or sitting still during this event. Make sure to pack lots of warm layers so you aren’t cold! We love these REI down jackets (men and women) paired with an REI Co-op Flash Hyperstretch Fleece Jacket (women and men)! Consider bringing a small blanket, as well (this Rumpl blanket is a great, warm option).
A hot beverage, water, and lots of snacks
Are you sensing a theme yet?? Bringing a hot beverage will help keep you warm while waiting for the firefall to start! We brought hot chocolate in these Thermoses, which ended up being a great move. I also recommend bringing lots of snacks and water, since firefall happens shortly before dinner. By the time you make it back to your car after the event it will likely be quite late.
A tripod and camera
If you want the best possible photos I highly recommend bringing a tripod (so you can stabilize your shot as the sunlight fades away), as well as a Zoom lens. I shot these photos with a Canon R6 and a Canon 70-200 mm lens. An even longer Zoom would be even better!
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Something to sit on
If you want to be extra comfortable I recommend bringing lightweight collapsible camp chairs (we love these ones from REI, which we’ve had for years!) to sit on. These insulated seat pads from Therm-a-Rest are also a great option.
A flashlight
You don’t need a flashlight to view the firefall, but you will appreciate a good source of light when you are walking back to your car after firefall once the sun has set (it is a 1.5 mile walk at a minimum). We love this waterproof, rechargeable headlamp from Black Diamond.
A tolerance for large crowds
You’ll be hanging out with thousands of new BFFs, so be prepared to share your space! It can be a bit overwhelming, but I personally think it’s worth it.
Firefall 101: when to arrive, where to park, and where to set up
When does firefall start and when should I show up?
Firefall starts about 15 minutes before sunset, which happens around 5:30 – 5:40 pm this time of year. However, that’s not the time you should show up to watch firefall! With social media helping it to gain popularity, firefall has become a major event for Yosemite National Park, involving lots of crowds, long lines, and traffic. Think about the last major sporting event or parade you attended (you probably got there early, right?) – you’ll want to plan similarly for firefall. So, what does that mean?
To have the best possible experience, I recommend entering the park and locking down your parking spot early, since parking and traffic are some of the biggest challenges during this event.
So, what time should I show up? I suggest arriving at Yosemite early in the morning– like, 8 am or earlier. This will help ensure you encounter minimal traffic entering the park, since the entrance stations can become extremely backed up. Once you arrive, I recommend driving into Yosemite Valley, finding a parking spot, and not moving your car for the rest of the day. Parking is a total pain, so not having to move your car in the afternoon will save you a lot of headache. Once you’ve parked there are tons of hiking trails along the valley floor to explore as you wait for firefall later in the day.
Where should I park?
When it comes to parking locations there are a few options. The Yosemite Falls Parking Lot is located near Camp 4, and is the closest lot to the best viewing areas. If you want to park here you’ll need to get a spot super early in the day (ideally, before 10 AM), since the lot fills up quickly. This parking lot is a 1.5 mile walk (each way!!) to the firefall viewing areas, so have that in mind. In 2023 we parked here the first night we watched firefall and it was great! Note that, because of all the traffic, it can take hours to drive out of Yosemite Valley after firefall happens, so prepare to be in the park quite late.
Can I take the shuttle?
Alternatively, you can park at the Yosemite Village parking lot, Curry Village, or another spot along the free Yosemite shuttle route, and take the green shuttle to the Camp 4. Don’t take the purple shuttle! From Camp 4 it is a 1.5 mile walk to the firefall along a flat paved road. The green shuttle is a great option, and we used this the second night we saw firefall. Note that the shuttle fills up quickly as thousands of people descend on the viewing area. If you’re planning to rely on the shuttle I recommend hitching a ride around 3:30 pm or earlier. You’ll need to account for the time it will take you to get on the shuttle (there might be a line!), ride the shuttle to Camp 4, walk the 1.5 miles to find a viewing spot, and set up. Expect everything to take longer than you anticipated!
If you choose to walk from your parking area to the El Capitan Picnic area instead of taking the shuttle, note that the Yosemite Village Parking area is a 2.7 mile walk and Curry Village is a 3.5 mile walk.
Note: You MUST park in a legal parking spot. Do not park in an undesignated area – Yosemite Park Rangers are strict and will give you a parking ticket!
The best viewing spot for firefall
The main viewing area is the El Capitan Picnic Area, but you can also see firefall a bit to the west, and a bit to the east of that area. We choose a spot a bit farther east (closer to Camp 4) as our preferred viewing area. Ideally, I recommend finding your preferred viewing location and setting up chairs/tripods/etc. no later than 4:45 pm. At the El Capitan Picnic area there are vault toilets, along with trash and recycling dumpsters.
When setting up and packing up at the end of your visit please be mindful to leave no trace. Please respect closure signs, follow directions from park rangers and volunteers, don’t crush or stand on plants, and be mindful to pack out all of your trash. This is critical to preserving our parks!
What to expect once Firefall starts
Can you see the difference in color in the images above?! Before I saw firefall for the first time I didn’t realize that it wasn’t just red!
The firefall phenomenon actually starts with a brilliant YELLOW glow. Over the course of about 20 minutes the rocks and water of horsetail falls will go from gray to yellow to red before fading to pink/purple and then back to gray. I personally really enjoyed seeing the range of colors dance across the rock face!
Once the firefall starts expect the crowd to go quiet. It’s a beautiful and mesmerizing experience!
The intensity of the colors you see depends on the weather and other factors outside of your control. If you can, I recommend planning to watch firefall over two consecutive nights to better ensure you get a good “weather window” for viewing.
Don’t be disappointed if the colors aren’t quite as shocking and vibrant as they are on social media – photo editing software let’s photographers ramp up the colors, so your experience of firefall might be a bit different than what you see online. I like to think my editing style is pretty true to nature, but I’ve seen some shots that were exponentially more vibrant than the real phenomenon.
Closing thoughts on firefall in Yosemite
Once the glow goes back to gray expect to spend a LOT of time walking back to your car or waiting for a shuttle. Even if you took the shuttle to the viewing area, you may find yourself waiting for a long time to catch the shuttle back to your car, and walking might be a more efficient option (that’s what we did!).
Looking for more? We have an Instagram post and Instagram reel that also cover what it’s like to see and experience firefall in Yosemite National Park! You can find more California and National Park itinerary inspiration on our blog.
