Granite dome with trace amounts of snow.
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Yosemite National Park Photography Guide

National Park · California

  • Bortle 3
  • 81 photo spots
  • Clearest: August
Photo: NPS / Cindy Jacoby · Public domain (NPS)

Yosemite National Park is a National Park in California. This guide combines the park's official information with computed sunrise, sunset and Milky Way times, satellite climate data and 81 photo locations inside or next to the park.

Not just a great valley, but a shrine to human foresight, the strength of granite, the power of glaciers, the persistence of life, and the tranquility of the High Sierra. First protected in 1864, Yosemite National Park is best known for its waterfalls, but within its nearly 1,200 square miles, you can find deep valleys, grand meadows, ancient giant sequoias, a vast wilderness area, and much more.Description: National Park Service (public domain) — nps.gov
Photo spots
81
matched locations
Sky darkness
Bortle 3
Rural sky
Clearest month
August
15% cloud
Milky Way peak
June
Mar–Sep
Nearest town
Yosemite Valley
12.2 km (7.6 mi)

Light at Yosemite

Live
Sunrise
7:12 AM
Sunset
6:15 PM
Golden hour AM
6:56 AM – 7:48 AM
Golden hour PM
5:39 PM – 6:32 PM
Blue hour AM
6:45 AM – 6:56 AM
Blue hour PM
6:32 PM – 6:42 PM
Full darkness
7:43 PM – 5:45 AM
Moon
Waxing Gibbous · 71%
Moonrise / set
3:25 PM / 1:24 AM
Day length
11h 03m
Sunrise azimuth
103°
Sunset azimuth
258°
000306091215182124
NightTwilightBlue hourGolden hourDaylight

Times in America/Los Angeles. Golden hour = sun −4° to +6°; blue hour = −6° to −4°.

Clouds at sunrise & sunset

NWS

Hourly sky cover from the National Weather Service. 20–60% cloud often gives the most colorful sunrises and sunsets.

Best photo spots in Yosemite

We matched 81 named overlooks, waterfalls, peaks and other features to Yosemite. Each has its own page with sun directions and a monthly golden hour table.

Scenic Viewpoints (3)

Scenic Viewpoint
Tunnel ViewMariposa County · 1,350 m
Scenic Viewpoint
Olmsted PointMariposa County · 2,568 m
Scenic Viewpoint
Tuolumne MeadowsTuolumne County · 2,612 m

Waterfalls (33)

Yosemite FallsWaterfall
Yosemite FallsMariposa County · 1,368 m
Horsetail FallWaterfall
Horsetail FallMariposa County
Nevada FallWaterfall
Nevada FallMariposa County · 1,719 m
Bridalveil FallWaterfall
Bridalveil FallMariposa County · 1,352 m
Vernal FallWaterfall
Vernal FallMariposa County · 1,568 m
Illilouette FallWaterfall
Illilouette FallMariposa County · 1,702 m
Ribbon FallWaterfall
Ribbon FallMariposa County · 1,918 m
Staircase FallsWaterfall
Staircase FallsMariposa County · 1,341 m
Silver Strand FallsWaterfall
Silver Strand FallsMariposa County · 1,962 m
Waterwheel FallsWaterfall
Waterwheel FallsTuolumne County · 2,071 m
Lehamite FallsWaterfall
Lehamite FallsMariposa County · 2,069 m
Snow Creek FallsWaterfall
Snow Creek FallsMariposa County · 1,594 m

Natural Arches (2)

Arch RockNatural Arch
Arch RockMariposa County
Natural Arch
Indian RockMariposa County

Mountain Peaks (19)

Half DomeMountain Peak
Half DomeMariposa County · 2,694 m
Mount DanaMountain Peak
Mount DanaMono County · 3,976 m
Mount LyellMountain Peak
Mount LyellMadera County · 3,993 m
Matterhorn PeakMountain Peak
Matterhorn PeakTuolumne County · 3,653 m
Mount ConnessMountain Peak
Mount ConnessMono County · 3,825 m
Mount GibbsMountain Peak
Mount GibbsMono County · 3,893 m
Cathedral PeakMountain Peak
Cathedral PeakTuolumne County · 3,308 m
Basket DomeMountain Peak
Basket DomeMariposa County · 2,315 m
North DomeMountain Peak
North DomeMariposa County · 2,296 m
Mount HoffmannMountain Peak
Mount HoffmannMariposa County · 3,283 m
Mount ClarkMountain Peak
Mount ClarkMariposa County · 3,512 m
Mount Starr KingMountain Peak
Mount Starr KingMariposa County · 2,767 m

Lakes (8)

Tenaya LakeLake
Tenaya LakeMariposa County · 2,482 m
May LakeLake
May LakeMariposa County · 2,844 m
Emerald PoolLake
Emerald PoolMariposa County · 1,543 m
Ostrander LakeLake
Ostrander LakeMariposa County · 2,593 m
Lake VernonLake
Lake VernonTuolumne County · 2,002 m
Dog LakeLake
Dog LakeTuolumne County · 2,798 m
Budd LakeLake
Budd LakeTuolumne County · 3,042 m
Bernice LakeLake
Bernice LakeMariposa County · 3,115 m

Canyons (3)

Grand Canyon of the TuolumneCanyon
Grand Canyon of the TuolumneTuolumne County
Tenaya CanyonCanyon
Tenaya CanyonMariposa County
Lyell CanyonCanyon
Lyell CanyonMono County

Rock Formations (5)

El CapitanRock Formation
El CapitanMariposa County
Three BrothersRock Formation
Three BrothersMariposa County
Washington ColumnRock Formation
Washington ColumnMariposa County
Little Devils PostpileRock Formation
Little Devils PostpileMono County
Rock Formation
Leaning Tower, YosemiteMariposa County

Glaciers (1)

Lyell GlacierGlacier
Lyell GlacierTuolumne County

Beaches (1)

Cathedral BeachBeach
Cathedral BeachMariposa County

Mountain Passes (3)

Tioga PassMountain Pass
Tioga PassTuolumne County · 3,031 m
Mountain Pass
Burro PassTuolumne County · 3,233 m
Mountain Pass
Vogelsang PassMariposa County · 3,255 m

Covered Bridges (1)

Wawona Covered BridgeCovered Bridge
Wawona Covered BridgeMariposa County

Fire Lookouts (2)

Crane Flat Fire LookoutFire Lookout
Crane Flat Fire LookoutMariposa County
Henness Ridge Fire LookoutFire Lookout
Henness Ridge Fire LookoutMariposa County

Sunrise, sunset & golden hour

At Yosemite the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 59° (ENE) at the June solstice and 120° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 301° (WNW) in June to 241° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 76° in summer but only 29° in winter.

NESW60°30°
June solsticeEquinoxesDecember solstice
Month (15th)SunriseGolden hour endsGolden hour startsSunsetSunset az.Daylight
January7:13 AM7:53 AM4:23 PM5:03 PM244°9h 50m
February6:49 AM7:25 AM5:01 PM5:38 PM255°10h 49m
March7:10 AM7:45 AM6:31 PM7:06 PM268°11h 56m
April6:24 AM6:59 AM6:59 PM7:34 PM283°13h 11m
May5:49 AM6:26 AM7:24 PM8:02 PM295°14h 13m
June5:36 AM6:16 AM7:44 PM8:23 PM301°14h 46m
July5:49 AM6:27 AM7:42 PM8:21 PM298°14h 32m
August6:15 AM6:51 AM7:17 PM7:53 PM289°13h 38m
September6:41 AM7:16 AM6:33 PM7:08 PM275°12h 27m
October7:07 AM7:43 AM5:46 PM6:22 PM260°11h 15m
November6:40 AM7:18 AM4:09 PM4:48 PM247°10h 08m
December7:08 AM7:49 AM4:00 PM4:41 PM241°9h 33m

Computed for the park's reference point (37.8488, -119.5572); large parks span several minutes of difference.

Milky Way & dark skies

From Yosemite, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 5.3 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 23° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 3 (rural sky), good enough for detailed Milky Way images.

MonthCore visible (15th)HoursMax altitude
JanuaryNot visible in darkness——
February4:56 AM – 5:16 AM0.313°
March4:03 AM – 5:33 AM1.520°
April2:07 AM – 4:47 AM2.723°
May12:06 AM – 3:56 AM3.823°
June10:17 PM – 3:37 AM5.323°
July10:10 PM – 2:10 AM4.023°
August9:30 PM – 12:10 AM2.723°
September8:36 PM – 10:06 PM1.520°
October7:49 PM – 8:09 PM0.313°
NovemberNot visible in darkness——
DecemberNot visible in darkness——

3 Estimated Bortle 3 — Rural sky. Some light domes sit on the horizon, but the Milky Way still looks complex overhead.

Weather & best time to visit

Yosemite National Park covers nearly 1,200 square miles (3,100 square km) in the Sierra Nevada, with elevations ranging from about 2,000 feet (600 m) to 13,000 ft (4,000 m). Yosemite receives 95% of its precipitation between October and May (and over 75% between November and March). Most of Yosemite is blanketed in snow from about November through May. (Yosemite Valley can be rainy or snowy in any given winter storm.)

Weather overview: National Park Service.

Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show August as the clearest month (about 15% average cloud cover) and December as the cloudiest (54%). July is the warmest month and December the coldest, which matters for gear, snow access and how long batteries last at night.

Average cloud cover (%)

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec

Average high (°F)

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec

Photography permits, drones & fees

Permits. Under federal law (54 U.S.C. 100905), still photography in National Park Service areas needs a permit only when it (1) takes place where members of the public are not allowed, (2) uses models, sets or props that are not part of the location's natural or cultural resources or administrative facilities, or (3) would cause the park to incur additional administrative costs to monitor the activity. Ordinary visitor and most landscape photography needs no permit. Commercial filming rules are separate and have changed in recent years — confirm current requirements with the park before a paid shoot.

Drones. Launching, landing or operating unmanned aircraft (drones) is prohibited in National Park Service units under a 2014 Superintendent's closure (36 CFR 1.5), except where a park has issued specific written approval. Flying from outside the boundary over park land can also violate park rules and disturb wildlife.

Entrance feeCost (USD)
Entrance - Private Vehicle$35.00
Entrance - Motorcycle$30.00
Entrance - Per Person$20.00
Entrance - Non-commercial Groups$300.00

Fees as published by the NPS when this page was built — confirm on nps.gov before you go.

Getting there

You can drive to Yosemite year-round and enter via Highways 41, 140, and 120 from the west. Tioga Pass Entrance (via Highway 120 from the east) is closed from approximately November through late May or June. Hetch Hetchy is open all year but may close intermittently due to snow. Please note that GPS units do not always provide accurate directions to or within Yosemite.

Directions: National Park Service.

Activities

  • Arts and Culture
  • Auto and ATV
  • Scenic Driving
  • Astronomy
  • Biking
  • Boating
  • Camping
  • Backcountry Camping
  • Climbing
  • Fishing
  • Food
  • Guided Tours
  • Hands-On
  • Hiking
  • Backcountry Hiking
  • Horse Trekking
  • Horseback Riding
  • Ice Skating
  • Living History
  • Paddling
  • Junior Ranger Program
  • Tubing
  • Snow Tubing
  • Skiing

Nearby parks

Devils Postpile National MonumentCA
Devils Postpile National Monument49 km away · National Monument
Sequoia & Kings Canyon National ParksCA
Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks153 km away · National Parks
Manzanar National Historic SiteCA
Manzanar National Historic Site176 km away · National Historic Site

FAQ

When is the best time to photograph Yosemite National Park?
August has the clearest skies on average; june is best for the milky way core. For light, plan around the first and last hour of sun. Spring and autumn usually bring softer light and fewer crowds; check the monthly table for sunrise and sunset times.
Do you need a photography permit in Yosemite?
Under federal law (54 U.S.C. 100905), still photography in National Park Service areas needs a permit only when it (1) takes place where members of the public are not allowed, (2) uses models, sets or props that are not part of the location's natural or cultural resources or administrative facilities, or (3) would cause the park to incur additional administrative costs to monitor the activity. Ordinary visitor and most landscape photography needs no permit. Commercial filming rules are separate and have changed in recent years — confirm current requirements with the park before a paid shoot.
Can you fly a drone in Yosemite?
Launching, landing or operating unmanned aircraft (drones) is prohibited in National Park Service units under a 2014 Superintendent's closure (36 CFR 1.5), except where a park has issued specific written approval. Flying from outside the boundary over park land can also violate park rules and disturb wildlife.
Can you see the Milky Way in Yosemite?
Yes — from March to September, best in June. Estimated sky: Bortle 3.
What time is sunset in Yosemite?
On the 15th of October the sun sets at about 6:22 PM local time; see the live widget for today.