Fall Color at Yosemite
In June 2023 we made arrangements to stay in Yosemite Valley for the second weekend in November 2023. Little did we know then that we would end up being there near the peak of fall color in Yosemite Valley.
I had been in Yosemite Valley a couple of times in the past during the Thanksgiving holiday and the fall colors were well past so I was not expecting there to be much color. We got to the valley at night so could not tell much about what it was like then. The next morning before the sun reached Yosemite Valley I went outside the Curry Cabin we stayed in and was surprised to see a lot of colored leaves both on trees and on the ground.
The huge stone face provided a backdrop to a large colored tree.
After breakfast we went to Happy Isles for a hike on a mostly leaf covered trail.
Along the way we came across ferns.
An outcrop of tiny oak trees just starting to grow.
A dogwood tree.
A batch of fungus by a shrub with colored leaves.
When the sun made it to the valley we saw this brilliant display of colored leaves.
After lunch we bicycled to Mirror Lake. While the lake had very little water this pool below the dam had a nice reflection.
The next morning we were treated to this view with Half Dome on the right and the top of North Dome in the center.
This tree with its yellow leaves was brilliant against the blue sky. The rocks are part of Yosemite Point.
A mixture of red and yellow leaves.
In the afternoon we walked in Cooks Meadow and saw Half Dome framed two different ways.
The Upper Yosemite Fall had just a little water.
We ended the day near The Ahwahnee hotel with this view of Half Dome.
Where we saw the glow from the setting sun on Half Dome.
The third day we hiked from the El Capitan picnic area to the Cathedral Beach picnic area. We saw views of the Three Brothers. which was named for sons of Chief Tenaya, chief of the Ahwahneechee tribe. His sons were Indian scouts and are said to have been taken prisoner at the base of this rock formation when the Mariposa Battalion went into the valley in 1851 in search of Native Americans to relocate to reservations.
We also saw views of Sentinel Rock which is opposite Yosemite Falls in the valley.
When we got near El Captain Bridge we saw a reflection of Sentinel Rock in the Merced River.
We started the forth and last day with another view of the Upper Yosemite Fall
and North Dome and Washington Column
and Half Dome.
On the way out of the park we stopped by Bridalveil Fall
and for a view of El Captain.
We made one last stop at the Big Oak Flat overlook for a distant view of Yosemite Valley and Half Dome.
We saw what we came to see in Yosemite Valley and additionally we were surprised with some magnificent fall color. In all it made for a very satisfying trip to Yosemite.
Be sure to check out the Fall Color at Yosemite gallery for this post as the gallery contains pictures not in the post.
More Information:
National Park Service information on El Capitan Picnic Area
National Park Service information on Cathedral Beach Picnic Area
