Winter trip to Yosemite without any snow… That was unexpected. We had to find an alternative way to enjoy the season and the Yosemite area.
Last updated: January 14, 2025
Winter Wonderland in the Yosemite Region
Winter wonderland in Central California… Sunny mornings, snowy grounds, chilling temperatures, and endless snowball fights… It was all we had dreamed of before jumping in our rental car (discovercars.com makes planning a trip so easy) and heading north. The Yosemite area indeed looked resplendent covered with snow and translucent winter haze lingering just above the ground.
But before we got to the good part, we had to go through rain and mud, literally…
Visiting Yosemite in Winter
Let’s start this winter trip to Yosemite National Park and its surroundings from the beginning. We left LA on a sunny, wintery warm day. Highway 99 lined with orange and almond orchards (the latter still completely barren) on both sides didn’t look its best. But copious rest areas worked just fine as afternoon picnic spots.
The scenery changed drastically and the temperatures dropped significantly as we traveled farther north. Should I say our eyes sparkled with anticipation when the car crossed the invisible border between Southern and Central California? They probably were. We expected to see winter wonderland with ice-capped peaks and snow-dusted roads as we were approaching Yosemite.
In a sense, we got what you wished for. The sky was generous with precipitation. But instead of the snow, it poured heavy rain that wasn’t going to stop anytime soon. So much for a snowy winter getaway in Yosemite National Park.
With not much to do on this rainy afternoon, Dylan took on the role of a guide and gave me a tour of our Airbnb. It looks like documenting our travels in a visual form has rubbed off on him after all.
Finally Snow in the Yosemite Area
So far, this trip wasn’t going the way we had planned it. While everybody was getting ready, including our friends that had arrived shortly after us, I took a walk around Oakhurst.
Located just 16 miles away from the Southern Entrance, Oakhurst is considered a gateway city to Yosemite National Park. And like the rest of the area, it was sunny, chilly, and completely snow-free. It felt like April, not January. Our expectations certainly didn’t align with the current reality in Central California.
Until we drove farther up…
Several snow play areas, nestled literally a mile from Yosemite, had SNOW. Maybe not as much as they should’ve had at this time of year. But yay, we finally found something we were looking for and weren’t leaving without a good snowball fight and building a snowman. Dylan called it Jerry.
Another Fiasco
Beautiful as always, Yosemite National Park, however, wasn’t in a rush to adorn itself with a dense snowy veil. The iconic Tunnel View revealed some winter-festive areas, mostly the tops of the trees and the highest peaks that were holding on to the remains of the snow that had fallen earlier. Another fiasco…
We’ve been to Yosemite in spring, chased its gushing waterfalls, or more likely what was left of them, in the summer. But we’ve never visited the park during the coldest months. And this Yosemite winter scenery didn’t meet our expectations at all.
There Is More to the Yosemite Area in Winter
Even before setting off on this snowless winter trip to the Yosemite area, we decided to check out some places we’ve never visited before. So, the next morning, Roshan and I went on a little hiking adventure along the Lewis Creek Trail. The nearly 4-mile trail is serene, scenic, and home to two cascading waterfalls.
Later that morning, we made the last stop in the area before driving back south and our friends heading in the opposite direction, to the northern part of the Golden State.
Bass Lake is a hidden gem in the Sierra Nevada Mountains, sitting roughly 17 miles south of Yosemite National Park. In the summer, it offers excellent opportunities for fishing, swimming, hiking, and boating. In the winter, though, this Central California jewel didn’t reach its full potential. The water had receded, leaving big rocks and some muddy puddles exposed.
When Life Gives You Lemons, Make Lemonade…
Sometimes life gives you lemons, or at least that’s what we think it is. Our winter trip to snow-free Yosemite could be one of those sour-tasting travel experiences. It was definitely getting in that direction. I threw away our itinerary at the beginning stage of the trip, something we had some experience with already, gave myself so much pep talk that it could last me a year. Nothing worked.
To some extent, it’s the beauty of travel. Any excursion, no matter how short or long it is, is never predictable. Every trip teaches you to let go of control, develop that flexibility muscle (it can be easier said than done, though), and find something that you can use as a container for that lemonade you’re making as you go.
I wouldn’t say this winter trip to Yosemite taught me a new lesson. Yet it definitely strengthened the importance of appreciating every moment. You don’t need to wait for the next trip to make it perfect. Stretch your curiosity level and look around the corner. You may find a waterfall or a 5-mile-long lake you never knew existed.
