Horsetail Fall: Yosemite's February Show

Be in the valley juuust as the setting sun sets the water "afire" (or magically seems to).

SUN THOUGHTS: A lot of people begin to turn their most pleasurable and idle thoughts to our nearest star when the new year commences. That's because the sun rocks a ton-load of positive symbolism for many people, and that days are getting longer around this hemisphere weaves into our goals of getting outside more and facing the bright side of more situations. But it isn't just the fact that daily darkness is arriving later and later that has some human beings meditating on the wonders of the sun; we're also contemplating when the annual Horsetail Fall show will begin. This isn't a show with traditional seating and tickets, though you will need to pay entry at a Yosemite National Park gate, as the waterfall is inside the nature-riffic destination. There are no curtains to draw back on the show, nor is there a concessions stand in the show's lobby. And there isn't an exact time or date for the presentation, meaning luck and timing and a lack of cloud cover will play a part. But if you do encounter the show, well, what lovely luck: You will have witnessed the setting sun give an epic waterfall an unreal, fire-like glow.

FEBRUARY... is the month for the setting sun to hit Horsetail Fall juuuust so, specifically later in the month. Travel Yosemite puts the length of time that the show could happen at "20 days" (with a start date around the second week of the second month). How to know you're in the right spot to see the light and water weave together in an enchanted fashion? The El Capitan picnic area is your go-to parking area, advises the site. Also, you're bound to see photographers out, and fall fans, so best gather near where they are. Here's hoping for a few cloud-free evenings come February, when an old, old, very old and long-running and impossible to duplicate sun-illuminated water show unfolds once again.

Copyright FREEL - NBC Local Media
Contact Us