‘Firefall’ lights up again in Yosemite this month. What to know if you want to see it

Yosemite’s Horsetail Fall is home to a spectacular optical illusion.

For a few weeks each February, when the skies are clear and the sunset hits just right, the (relatively) small waterfall on the eastern edge of El Capitan gets back lit and appears to runs as if it were a stream of fire.

Among tourists, this has become known as the “firefall,” though park officials hold that designation for when they used to push an actual bonfire off Glacier Point.

The annual events draws thousands (nearly 2,500 on a single day in 2022) to a relatively small area of the a park, which can easily become overwhelmed by the visitors. In recent years, the park service has instituted parking and other restrictions, including reservations, from mid- to late-February.

Reservations will be required for those wanting to enter the park (even those not visiting the fall) on weekends starting Friday and running through Feb. 26. No reservations will be needed Monday through Thursdays.

The current batch of reservations is sold out online, though additional batches were being made available at daily intervals starting Wednesday morning.

Visitors can also enter with in-park camping, lodging or vacation rentals, or on regional transit or with tour groups.

Reservations will also be required at Camp 4, Wawona, and Hodgdon Meadow through February, which normally operated on a first-come, first served basis. Curry Village will expand its units to daily use from Feb. 10-28.

Popularity aside, seeing the “firefall” is still almost a chance encounter, based on the flow of the fall and weather and other conditions. The Yosemite Conservancy has a helpful online guide for how to optimize (and also enjoy) your chances at getting a glimpse.