Remembering Yosemite Firefall

Well, well, well, it seems like it's been a millennium since I last blogged about any of our adventures. Maybe that's because we haven't had any! This year, I'm determined to escape once a month. It doesn't matter if it's a budget trip or one that makes my wallet cry. It could be a quick day trip or an epic overnight journey. Anything to wake up my snoozing creativity. January came and went without a single excursion. Yep, that's on me. I was the queen of excuses, a title I've held for the last five years. But fear not! February's plan was to head to Yosemite for the Firefall. Let's hope I remember to pack my sense of adventure!

For those who haven't heard, The Yosemite Firefall or Yosemite Horsetail Falls Firefall is a natural phenomenon that shows up for about two weeks each February. It's like the sun and the waterfall have a secret handshake, and when they get it just right, Horsetail Falls lights up like it's auditioning for a lava lamp commercial. So much has changed since the last time I visited. There's a whole reservation circus, parking drama, and the list goes on. Anyway, we made it to Yosemite. It was a wild ride, to say the least. A couple of years ago, we got a dog (or should I say a small pony). She's a Pyrenees/Anatolian mix. She's 135 pounds of fluff and love. She loves to explore. She takes up the entire back seat of the Tacoma. Try finding a hotel that will accommodate that furry giant. We did it, though. Actually, we totally hit the jackpot. We scored a huge suite, so we weren't stumbling over each other.

Now, I have been to Firefall a couple of times. There are at least three places that you can view the Firefall. Each one gives a different perspective. The first time Mike and I went and found the most perfect spot. The angle made the firefall glow like lava. It was amazing. If you look at the sequence of photos you will see what I mean.

The color takes place over a 10-15 minute span. It's amazing to say the least. This is the location that Mike and I endeavored to find again this year. That didn't happen. I will find it again before next year.

Another location to view the Firefall is along the river. Or I should say, as close to the river as you can get now. A couple of years ago there were so many people on the riverbank that it collapsed. Now they section that area off and you can't view it from there. That area gives you a very different perspective on Firefall. It's pretty but it's nothing like the northside of the road.

Yosemite Firefall captured along the river.

Our trip didn't pan out as planned. The weather wasn't cooperating with us! For a while I thought we were going to luck out and then the clouds moved in. No glow for us! I did manage to get some pretty shots of Yosemite though. I am going to try and go back in a couple of months to hit some places that I scoped out. Below are some shots of the 2025 trip.

Here are some pointers if you want to try and see it next year.

• It only happens for a couple of weeks in February. It used to be that the rule of thumb was the last two weeks in February. I saw some amazing photos hitting social media from February 8th.

• The weather needs to be nice. We didn't luck out this year. It's a crap shoot.

• Reservations are required for most weekends and President's Day. Weekdays are completely open.

• Scout the spot that you want to shoot from. Be prepared to walk!

• I think the best advice I could give is to go before or after the reservation dates. Next year I will be going early in February. By hitting a date outside of their window, you can go when you want and photograph from wherever you would like. That is my plan next year!

All in all, it was a great trip. I enjoyed being out and exploring again. I'm already lining up some day trips for March!