It’ll be easier for guests to visit Yosemite National Park this winter during the annual “firefall”-viewing window, because the California park says it’s not requiring reservations (unlike previous years). But some people worry that the decision will only exacerbate overcrowding issues.
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Firefall is a natural phenomenon only viewable for a short period of time each year. In mid-to-late February, Yosemite’s Horsetail Falls transforms into a natural firefall at sunset. The setting sun reflects off the cascading water at just the right angle, making it glow orange and red—as if it were on fire. Conditions have to be right for there to be a firefall, making this optical illusion something truly special to witness.
[RELATED: Close Encounter in Yosemite—See What Made This Hiker’s Day]
For a chance to see such a beautiful sight, people flood Yosemite in February. And, sometimes, they don’t follow “leave no trace” principles. It’s possible that by scrapping the reservation system this year, even more people will enter the area.
Learn more about the history of firefall at Yosemite here.
Header stock image by Jorge Villalba/Getty Images
Read more facts about the national parks:
- Great Smoky Mountain National Park
- Rocky Mountain National Park
- Isle Royale National Park
- Big Bend National Park
- Zion National Park
- Voyageurs National Park
- Glacier National Park
- Joshua Tree National Park
- Grand Canyon National Park
- Dry Tortugas National Park
- Yosemite National Park
