Visiting Yosemite in the Summer — June, July, August
In Summer, Yosemite gets “bigger” with everything open and accessible, giving you more options for sightseeing, hiking, and photography. June is a good month for rafting and also for a Half Dome Summit hike, if you have obtained the necessary permit in advance by lottery.
Many activities can only be planned ahead with certainty for summer including visiting Tuolumne Meadows, hikes near the High Sierra Camps, and traveling in between Yosemite and the Eastside of the Sierra via Tioga Pass.
Tuolumne Meadows‘ other-worldly looking rock domes and high alpine lakes is a “must see” destination for trips of four or more days- we even zip up and back just to eat at the Whoa Nellie Deli in Lee Vining , outside the park on the east side. The hiking along the Glacier Point Road is stellar and some of the best in the park.
Yosemite can deliver high temps in July and August, and we look to the rivers and high country for relief. Lucky for you, our homes are located at 5,500 feet so it stays quite a bit cooler than the Valley Floor or Wawona, both at 4,000 feet. It cools down every night, at all elevations. We love coming home to temps 10 degrees cooler, day and night.
Be warned — summer traffic is brutal. The only “safe” time to drive is before 10 am. The park offers limited free shuttle service, including shuttles between the Valley and popular locations like Glacier Point, which can be used to do one-way hikes.
Overall, the main reason to come to Yosemite in the busiest season is for an activity that can only be planned in advance for the warmest months. And of course, if its really the only time you can come, you should still experience Yosemite. Otherwise, we highly recommended checking out our top two favorite months — October and May.
Pros:
Rain unlikely, access to Tuolumne Meadows and the entire high country, full visitor services available throughout the park, Half Dome Cables are up, Tioga Pass open offering access to the eastside including Bishop, Mt Whitney, Lake Tahoe, and Reno.
Cons:
Extremely high visitation; no difference between weekends and weekdays — every day is jammed packed with people. By late summer, waterfalls slow to a trickle or dry up completely. Bad traffic jams and long waits at entrance stations. Holidays are the worst.
