Blauert on Outdoors: Seasonal tips on when and what to see at Yosemite

Four years ago, I hiked Yosemite’s Panorama Trail on Father’s Day weekend. The weather was great, the waterfalls were raging and the trail wasn’t all that crowded. When we got down from the trail, however, it was a different story.

We planned to take the free visitor shuttle back to our car at Yosemite Village. Bumper-to-bumper traffic made that impossible. Even the shuttle couldn’t get through. It was worse than an L.A. freeway at rush hour. After waiting for an hour, we gave up and started walking. Having already hiked 11 miles, we were tired, but we didn’t have any choice. As beautiful as the Yosemite Valley was that day, there were just too many people trying to enjoy it, and the gridlock was caused at least partially by drivers who were continuously circling because they couldn’t find parking.

To have an enjoyable visit to Yosemite, there are some simple things you can do to avoid the overcrowding. Yosemite is an outstanding natural wonder throughout the year, and there are unforgettable things to do and see each season.

Long-distance visitors generally find it easiest to visit in the summer because of school vacation, but those of us who live closer can plan our trips for less-popular seasons. The park gets 59 percent of its visitors during four months – June through September. During the other eight months, it’s not as crowded.

Summer

My two primary recommendations for summer visitors are:

No. 1: Avoid Yosemite Valley and visit another part of the park. There’s much more to Yosemite than just Yosemite Valley.

No. 2: If you go to Yosemite Valley, there are a few things you can do to avoid the worst of the crowds.

The high country around Tenaya Lake and Tuolumne Meadows is my favorite part of the park during the summer. It’s less crowded and it’s the part of the park that can only be seen during the summer and fall when the roads are free of snow. Although this area can be busy and crowded, it’s nowhere near as crowded as the valley. For easier parking, get there in the morning. Backpacking is the ultimate way to get away from the crowds. Yosemite’s wilderness is popular, but the permit system keeps the backcountry from getting overrun with people.

Wawona can be another good alternative to Yosemite Valley, but be aware that the Mariposa Grove of Giant Sequoias is closed until spring 2017 for reconstruction of the trails and parking areas. Because many visitors will choose to go to Glacier Point while the Mariposa Grove is closed, a shuttle system has been implemented to deal with traffic and parking issues.

Between 10 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., you may have to park at Badger Pass and ride a shuttle to Glacier Point if the parking lot is full. One last thing to know about this summer: The White Wolf Lodge is closed for renovation; it will reopen in 2016.

If you go to Yosemite Valley during the summer, visit on a weekday and avoid holiday weekends. Parking spaces are hard to find, so it’s generally best to park and then use the shuttle to get around. You also can walk or bike – Yosemite Valley has an excellent loop of bike/walking paths. Another way to avoid traffic is to take the YARTS bus from Merced to the park (http://yarts.com; 877-989-2787).

Fall

Visitation drops off in October as the weather begins to cool. During the second half of October and often into the beginning of November, the maples, oaks and dogwoods turn pretty colors. They’re not as stunning as aspens, but on sunny, crisp days they glow in the warm light. The weather is invigorating and perfect for hiking. Precipitation (usually) increases the flow of the waterfalls.

The Tioga and Glacier Point roads stay open until the first major snowfall, although the campgrounds and visitor services along the roads mostly close by the end of September. Wawona is open year-round and can be very quiet in fall and winter, though the Wawona Hotel closes at the end of November and remains closed until late March (except for a brief reopening during the winter holidays).

Winter

Only 17 percent of the park’s annual visitors arrive from November through March. If I had to pick my favorite time to visit Yosemite Valley, it probably would be after a cold storm has dropped snow on the valley floor. It doesn’t happen every year, but it’s something to see when it does.

There’s also ice skating at the open-air rink at Curry Village and a variety of winter sports at Badger Pass: downhill skiing, cross-country skiing, snowshoeing and snow tubing.

Spring

Enjoy Yosemite Valley’s waterfalls but skip the crowds with an April or May visit. The Tioga and Glacier Point roads sometimes reopen in May, though in heavy snow years they may not reopen until June. This is also a great time to visit Hetch Hetchy – it’s waterfalls are at high flow levels, and it gets hot in summer.

For current park and trip-planning information, check out the park’s website: http://www.nps.gov/yose/planyourvisit/index.htm. The frequently updated Yosemite Guide (look for the link on the right side) is a great resource and contains detailed schedules of all the special activities.

If you want to know what current conditions are like in the park, you can always take a look at the park’s webcams: http://www.nps.gov/yose/learn/photosmultimedia/webcams.htm.

To plan a successful overnight trip, it’s best to try to get a reservation as soon as it becomes available. Lodging reservations can be booked one year and one day in advance beginning at 7 a.m. (http://www.yosemitepark.com/; 801-559-4884).

Camping reservations can be booked up to five months in advance with a new month of reservations opening on the 15th of each month at 7 a.m. (www.recreation.gov/; 877-444-6777). There are also several lodging and camping options outside the park if you are willing to drive a bit farther.

This story was originally published August 11, 2015 at 5:11 PM with the headline "Blauert on Outdoors: Seasonal tips on when and what to see at Yosemite."