Actually, it is almost always a good time to photograph in Yosemite Valley if you know where to look and what to look for, but one of the most interesting times is beginning right about now. The winter snows are melting in the mountains above the Valley and the waterfalls are increasing is size – not only the big falls that everyone recognizes, but also many of the smaller seasonal falls that are fed by melting snow in the lower-elevation areas immediately around the Valley.

The spring growth is also beginning to come in. The dogwood trees of the Valley are a favorite subject, and the are – according to my experience and reports I’m reading – just beginning to blossom. The peak will likely occur between the end of this month and early May. Meadows that are brown for much of the year – including the peak summer season – are turning green and will continue to do so during the coming weeks.

While Yosemite Valley is no longer anything like a wilderness – there are people and cars there in all seasons – the big late spring and summer rush is not on yet, and you can enjoy some relative calm in the Valley still. This is especially true if you don’t follow the crowds to the usual spots and if you get up early – which you do if you are a photographer, right?

UPDATE: Thank you, Edie, for leaving a comment with first-hand information. Edie lives in The Valley…

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G Dan Mitchell is a California photographer and visual opportunist. His book, “California’s Fall Color: A Photographer’s Guide to Autumn in the Sierra” (Heyday Books) is available directly from him.

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