Firefall 2025: Yosemite’s Must-See Natural Light Show

Feb 27, 2025 Khushi Kumari

The annual Firefall at Yosemite’s Horsetail Fall occurs when the setting sun illuminates the waterfall, making it appear like flowing lava

[{"selector":"#anim-e7b3f58a-2141-42e9-a349-25875eafc6b0 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-21.874999829338588%, 0, 0) translate(-25%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0) translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-10cb59b4-02c1-4a9b-8a1e-64b76162405f","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-100%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-85d43bd6-7f46-491a-9dc9-d33cc9478f43","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-f835ed2e-75a0-49ac-9aa7-01726568d976","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.15)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-050a9040-59ee-465e-a1e1-eb9e07452d29","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(104.80000%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-4702d7e8-730d-4833-97f7-14ca61452af2","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-4c36dfa5-7cbf-4e28-88f4-4cfd8c276883","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.15)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"forwards"}]

Horsetail Fall is located on El Capitan’s eastern edge, and the event happens mid-to-late February under clear sky conditions

[{"selector":"#anim-a9ce5e5f-6a18-4ae2-a84c-127dd0b80667 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-23.28124990400296%, 0, 0) translate(-25%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0) translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-6bf33ba9-14ee-43e6-978a-726862a3a671","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-100%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-a022324a-63eb-44dc-a7c0-a9a2acbccc19","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-3970f7d0-54be-437c-89dd-6c27fc8286a7","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.15)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-978afc7f-0965-428b-8ad1-ffa4ca74688e","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(104.80000%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-ba18011c-1ff8-4320-839c-9c77cdba579b","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-cf46fc1a-cdba-40bd-9bb4-6e6c07d10a1b","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.15)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"forwards"}]

The spectacle has gained attention over the years, with videos from 2025 showing a vivid glow, drawing increasing numbers of visitors

[{"selector":"#anim-042df439-a25b-4073-b962-e1ef7dadce49 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-29.97499987848908%, 0, 0) translate(-25%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0) translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-6661789a-1f87-411c-b165-09d6c6d0ab91","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-100%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-b79db02e-54a5-4b3a-ab30-b59c53514d90","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-2fb95e6d-17cf-4163-9af7-e7373fed2ddf","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.15)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-629a3322-08a8-49be-9d4d-6e98a1c98455","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(104.80000%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-d2523cb6-2c2b-46b8-b294-f375667edc69","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-77edf2ba-115c-447a-858e-fc7ee3f0f6eb","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.15)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"forwards"}]

Weekend visits in February require a reservation, with a $2 non-refundable fee in addition to the $35 per vehicle park entry fee

[{"selector":"#anim-d3c94dba-1b7a-4223-aafe-f296b004f7dc [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-21.874999829338588%, 0, 0) translate(-25%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0) translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-cecb5bc5-0032-4ed1-a4f8-7996ede7048a","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-100%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-d9ddea69-5652-4c33-9d61-db0506d9ebe6","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-8951082c-4034-4db1-9525-763ca66ebe8e","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.15)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-af3d8303-8670-4dc4-9995-67805acc8f0a","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(104.80000%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-151ea281-ed12-4eda-b7a7-abb4c4aa20aa","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-0e5260b1-a814-4f12-acf0-69483e973102","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.15)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"forwards"}]

Visitors from Monday to Friday (except Feb 17) do not need a reservation but must pay the entry fee, which remains valid for seven days

[{"selector":"#anim-6eab1cdc-4881-4574-bf2a-ee03ff1b494c [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0%, 0, 0) translate(-25%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0) translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-a3781382-b343-40a6-a6cd-cf6a047ffd3f","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-100%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-f2f21aeb-b825-42ae-bc22-cda80ec6ee66","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-18624fc6-7b6e-482d-8934-63914994f6ed","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.15)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-c3d454e4-d1b4-4499-a822-d55abf9cb842","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(104.80000%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-9c102aff-037c-4804-8710-011e29d393cd","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-9c48863d-ce9b-4800-ad78-d9b272c6c136","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.15)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"forwards"}]

Yosemite has faced overcrowding, with 2,500 visitors in 2022. Additionally, staff shortages due to a federal hiring freeze pose challenges for park management

[{"selector":"#anim-d3b890ee-5746-4c82-83e1-2dad666b63b2 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-14.843749786673241%, 0, 0) translate(-25%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0) translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-8f32ffb0-3a3a-4524-aecb-22cedeee7bbb","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-100%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-b49cd648-6c51-48f0-b525-cd852c8d3193","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-e17d4ac5-ac18-4a0f-904d-ccec87e78db1","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.15)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-35c90522-fd42-4883-b9c8-a1aec2acdeec","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(104.80000%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-d1b67520-071d-46ee-a936-32dc81ea7b1d","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-3f04f0b7-0415-42ab-ab7d-8176d1d7711a","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.15)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"forwards"}]

Read More Lights, Camera, Controversy: 29 Celebs Under ED Scanner UNESCO Removes 3 African Sites from “In Danger” List Earth Spins Faster: July 9, 2025 Sets Record for Shortest Day McDonald’s Revamps U.S. Menu with Global Favorites