Yosemite's famous 'firefall' won't require reservations in 2026. What to know

Yosemite National Park won’t require reservations in 2026 for visitors hoping to see one of its most famous natural spectacles.

For the last three years, the popular California park has required reservations during select weekends in February to see the so-called “firefall,” a natural phenomenon that occurs when the setting sun lights up Horsetail Fall on El Capitan’s eastern edge in a fiery glow.

“This small waterfall usually flows only during winter and is easy to miss,” the National Park Service said its website. “On rare occasions during mid- to late February, it can glow orange when it’s backlit by sunset.”

Reservations helped “prevent crowds from trampling meadows and overwhelming the park,” SFGate previously reported.

Here’s what to know:

What is the firefall at Yosemite National Park?

Unlike previous human-created firefalls — caused by glowing embers from campfires pushed over the edge of Glacier Point — the Horsetail Fall firefall is “entirely natural,” according to the National Park Service.

The waterfall glows orange “when it’s backlit by sunset, which can make it appear to be on fire,” according to federal reservation website Reservation.gov.

“This unique lighting effect happens only on evenings with a clear sky when the waterfall is flowing,” the National Park Service said on its website. “Even some haze or minor cloudiness can greatly diminish or eliminate the effect.”

The natural phenomenon is known as the firefall “due to its vibrant, incandescent color,” according to The Ansel Adams Gallery in Yosemite National Park.

When can I see the Yosemite firefall in 2026?

In 2026, you have the best chance of viewing the Horsetail Fall firefall from Tuesday, Feb. 10, through Thursday, Feb. 26, Yosemite National Park told The Fresno Bee in an email statement.

Catching a glimpse of the firefall could require some detailed planning.

“Because the effect depends on natural conditions — including water flow, clear skies and the angle of the sun — travelers may wish to plan for multiple evenings,” Yosemite National Park said.

Park officials are encouraging visitors to “arrive early, park once and come prepared for winter conditions as staff members work to ensure a safe, enjoyable experience while protecting sensitive natural and cultural resources.”

Where should I park at Yosemite National Park?

Visitors hoping to see the 2026 firefall should park in eastern Yosemite Valley and walk to the designated viewing areas using a temporary pedestrian lane on Northside Drive, Yosemite National Park officials said in the statement.

Visitors can park at Yosemite Falls parking just west of Yosemite Valley Lodge and walk 1.5 miles to the viewing area near the El Capitan Picnic Area.

If the Yosemite Falls parking lot is full, try Yosemite Village or Curry Village and use the free shuttle at either location to get to Yosemite Falls parking/Yosemite Valley Lodge.

How should I prepare for my visit to Yosemite?

According to Yosemite National Park, visitors should prepare for snow and icy conditions by doing the following:

•Wear warm footwear equipped with traction devices as necessary.

•Wear and bring warm clothes and a headlamp or flashlight for each person. “It will be cold and dark when you’re walking back to your car,” the National Park Service said.

•Stay out of burned areas and watch for burned snags and branches that could fall unexpectedly.

To protect the park, visitors should:

•Stay out of meadows, which are fragile and easily disturbed.

•Stay on trails except when necessary to get to viewing areas. The best off-trail places to gather are “areas under forest that have little ground vegetation.”

•Don’t cross into fenced areas, which protect sensitive native ecosystems.

•Use the vault toilets at El Capitan picnic area.

•Use trash and recycling Dumpsters at El Capitan picnic area or pack out all of your trash.

Why aren’t reservations required this year?

Park officials didn’t say why reservations aren’t required to view the Horsetail Fall firefall in 2026.

However, Yosemite National Park put a “scaled-back reservation system” in place over the summer that allowed significantly more people to visit the park, the Fresno Bee previously reported.

Yosemite National Park implemented reservations to see the firefall in 2023 after visitation “increased dramatically,” drawing huge crowds into a small area of Yosemite Valley, the park said on its website.

On Feb. 19, 2022, a total of 2,433 visitors viewing Horsetail Fall “gathered in areas mostly lacking adequate parking and other facilities,” the park said.

“In prior years, visitors have spilled onto riverbanks, increasing erosion and trampling vegetation,” Yosemite National Park. “Some undeveloped areas became littered with trash, and the lack of restrooms resulted in unsanitary conditions.”

At least one park advocate worries that limiting reservations sets up Yosemite and other California national parks for a “worst case scenario,” The Sacramento Bee previously reported.

“It’s truly disappointing to see commercial interests take priority over the duty to protect and preserve our national parks,” Beth Pratt, regional executive director of California for the National Wildlife Federation, told SFGate in January. “Traffic is only one issue — it’s the resource damage that is the core problem and it’s being ignored with this decision.

“Our parks are not Disneyland,” Pratt added. “Overcrowding doesn’t mean just long lines like at Disney — it means we are inviting damage to Yosemite’s protected landscape — and the place that wildlife call home.”