February is the month for Black history, Valentine’s, fruit blossoms, and many more. Even though people are getting vaccinated and COVID cases have gone down significantly we still have to take all the necessary precautions for all our activities so that we protect others as well as ourselves. As we have a wheelchair user in the family we try to explore new places which are wheelchair friendly. Watching natural Firefall is one of Yosemite National Park’s most amazing spectacles which is a completely wheelchair-friendly experience.

When sunlight hits the tiny horsetail fall on the eastern side of Yosemite National Park’s El Capitan, it reflects a gorgeous orange or red color which just looks like lava falling. This phenomenon can be experienced in the last two weeks in February every year when Horsetail Fall looks like a Firefall. The Firefall occurs at the time of sunset and many visitors wait there to just get a glimpse. This year Firefall is targeted to happen from Feb 10th to Feb 27th and the chances of viewing this become better as the month goes on. There needs to be a little planning to visit this. Clear weather is the key thing to experiencing this phenomenon.

Those three weekends need reservations to enter the park which gets sold out very quickly beforehand. Weekdays are better options.

For more info visit https://www.nps.gov/yose/planyourvisit/horsetailfall.htm

Wheelchair accessibility ♿️ ♿️ ♿️

  • This place is completely wheelchair accessible
  • Vehicles showing the placards don’t need to purchase tickets to enter.
  • As you drive to El Capitan there is well-defined information about accessible parking.
  • There is a wheelchair-accessible shuttle that takes you to the viewing area.
  • There is a parking area at camp 4 near Yosemite lodge where you can park your car and walk or wheel to the place from where you can get the best view. It is about .7 miles from the campground #4 Parking area.
  • Vehicles showing the placard can pass campground #4 and go inside to park in the accessible parking areas.
  • There are three accessible parking areas on your right.
  • If you want to see the Firefall at its best angle, try to park at the first parking. You may see a lot of people there but that’s the place that has the iconic view.
  • Make sure you are standing 3 ft inside the shoulder of the road.
  • There are some accessible restrooms at campground #4 parking.
  • The information booth hosted by the Yosemite Conservancy is very helpful 

Tips for best viewing

As you enter campground #4 parking, you can walk down to the El Capitan picnic area for a clear view of the rock and the horsetail falls from the front with a broader glow of light during sunset. But if you want to view the Firefall as it should be (molten lava), which is the iconic view then the area next to the first accessible parking is the best place to view it. You may not find a lot of people there but at that angle, the falls are best viewed and you can enjoy the orange glow like Firefall at the time of sunset.