Yosemite Firefall 2027: when sunset light hits Horsetail Fall

When is the Yosemite Firefall in 2027?

Best from about 19 February to 25 February 2027, with some low light on the fall from 11 February to 3 March, on clear evenings when the fall is flowing. The National Park Service describes it as "mid- to late February", for about two weeks.

The park projected 10–26 February for 2026 and 8–23 February for 2025. The window comes from the geometry: through February the sun sets a little farther north each day, and for about two weeks its last rays reach the fall when the sun is only a few degrees high, so the light is deep orange. The table below shows it: the sun's height when it leaves the fall drops from 6.6° on 1 February to 2.1° on 22 February.

What time does the Firefall happen?

In the last 15–20 minutes before the light leaves the fall: on 22 February 2027 low sun (below 6°) is on the fall 17:10–17:31 PST. The flat-horizon sunset is later, 17:45, because the ridges to the west-south-west hide the sun first.

Last light at the foot of Horsetail Fall for every second evening of February 2027, from Sunreach's engine with 2 m USGS lidar:

Check: a published guide for 22 February 2020 gave the best viewing as about 5:28–5:40 PM; the engine puts the last light on 22 Feb at 17:31. The upper part of the fall is higher and keeps the light a few minutes longer than the foot.

What does the Firefall need besides the date?

Water and a clear western sky. Horsetail Fall only flows after snow or rain, and haze or a little cloud toward the sunset can weaken or erase the glow, so many evenings in the window show nothing.

The park lists those conditions on its Horsetail Fall page. Weather toward the sun matters most: the gap in the cloud to the west decides it, so check the forecast the day before. Sunreach’s plan shows the Apple Weather forecast for the next days and a go or don’t-go for the evening light on the peaks.

Where do you watch the Firefall?

From the area near El Capitan Picnic Area on Northside Drive, a 1.5-mile walk each way from the Yosemite Falls parking just west of Yosemite Valley Lodge. Parking and stopping on Northside Drive is not allowed during the event.

No reservation was needed in February 2026; the rules change from year to year, so check the National Park Service page before you go. Bring warm clothes, a headlamp and traction for the walk back in the dark.

Does the Firefall happen in October too?

The light does: the same low-sun geometry returns around 10 October–30 October, when the sun sets at the same angle. But Horsetail Fall is almost always dry in autumn, so there is rarely anything to light.

How accurate are these times?

About ±1 minute for the geometry: the skyline near the fall comes from 2 m USGS 3DEP lidar (CA_SouthernSierra_2020_B20), with 40 m terrain beyond 2 km. The point is the foot of the fall (37.7291° N, 119.6284° W, 1295 m); refraction near the horizon can shift very low sun by 2–4 minutes.