Microclimates Set the Stage for Spring Flora & Fauna in Yosemite Mariposa County
Like every other element in this magical location, spring unfurls differently in Yosemite Mariposa County than in most places. We often associate the area with the megastars, like El Capitan and Yosemite Falls, but speak with local experts and you’ll quickly learn that there's a brilliant discovery in each meadow, down every trail, and around corner after corner. Even the icons unwrap surprises come spring, like Ribbon Falls, a cascade that designs the spring melt into wispy glistening jewels that drop off El Capitan until about mid-June.
Where to Stay
Tenaya
Lodge
The redwoods
In Yosemite
YOSEMITE BUG RUSTIC MOUNTAIN RESORT
“Springtime in Yosemite is a time of magic and rebirth. The wildlife and wildflowers wake up after their winter slumber.”
Brett Archer
Mariposa Lily at Merced River Canyon
“Drive the Merced River Canyon on Highway 140 and you and your family will be dazzled by endless strands of wildflowers.”
Yuli Gotsev
Mule Deer
Minutes away from the Mariposa Grove of Giant Sequoias and 2-miles from Yosemite National Park’s South Gate, Tenaya Lodge at Yosemite provides full resort services such as restaurants, pools and outdoor activities. Tenaya’s lodging options are just as diverse, including main lodge rooms, cottages and two-bedroom Explorer Cabins.
“There are at least fifteen varieties of wildflowers that come into bloom right beside the trail.”
Doug Shaw
Hite Cove TRAIL
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Mariposa County
“It’s my favorite waterfall in the valley,” says Doug Shaw, the founding proprietor of Yosemite Bug Rustic Mountain Resort. “It doesn’t last long, but it’s a beautiful thing when it’s at full capacity. I have a couple of others, but I only share those with my guests.”
“Springtime in Yosemite is a time of magic and rebirth,” adds Brett Archer, general manager of Tenaya Lodge at Yosemite. “The meadows, mighty oaks, and waterfalls come to life. The wildlife and wildflowers wake up after their winter slumber.”
Like Brett, who started working in Yosemite more than three decades ago, Doug has spent most of his adult life walking the trails, looking for wildlife, flowers, and other beauty in Mariposa County. He especially loves seeing the Mariposa lily reappear each spring, a high elevation big and beautiful flower that always gives him pause. He notes that there are also plenty of reasons to keep moving as well, especially when jumping into a spring swimming hole.
“Springtime is such a great time for families because of our swimming holes. In addition to the Merced River, we get great creek runoff into a swimming hole right on the Bug’s property.”
Spring runoff also translates into vernal creeks favored by the California newt, an endemic species with a distinctive rust-orange belly that scoots along the wet paths and creek banks, especially during the mornings when moisture hangs in the air.
Photo by Charles Phillips
Like his colleagues, Yuli Gotsev looks forward to carpets of tufted poppies every spring, a sign of what’s to come. Yuli, the senior marketing manager at The Redwoods in Yosemite, says no special intel is required to witness Yosemite’s “Spring Awakening.”
“There really are no insider tips needed to experience the splendor here,” he says. “Drive the Merced River Canyon on Highway 140 and you and your family will be dazzled by endless strands of wildflowers, as well as the Pacific dogwood with its snowy petals in full bloom. The big waterfalls are in full force during spring too, but keep your eyes peeled for our ephemeral falls, my favorites being the lower and upper Chilnualna Falls.”
Like waterfall volumes and the breeze that waves the poppies in unison on many spring afternoons, movement sets the melody in Yosemite. Like most wildlife, deer follow the freshly revealed grass shoots after the snowmelt into the high country, followed by the bears and other animals.
“Large mammals here don’t shelter in place,” Doug says. “Animals move right along into the higher elevations just like the flowers do. I also love seeing rufous and Ana’s hummingbirds, as in addition to other birds that feed heavily in the spring and then migrate north to nest. Watching the birds, like the clownish acorn woodpeckers, curious ravens, and rivalries that play out between wrens and warblers, never ceases to entertain. Spring is also announced by the mythical dawn chorus, when Bullock orioles, dazzling western tanagers, and especially black-headed grosbeaks sing from budding black oak branches, along the creek beds, and throughout other local environments.”
Photo by Chris Migeon
Microclimates in Yosemite Mariposa County rival the world’s great wine regions in their diversity, with varietals here being replaced by nature. Brett believes visitors get the most out of these unique ecosystems after first touring the Visitor Center in Yosemite Village. The interactive exhibits also inform guests about the Miwok Nation and how they lived in this resplendent valley.
“In addition,” he says, “Happy Isles, located in the eastern end of the Valley, is a great place to visit in the spring. It gets its name from the melting snow coming from high in the Sierra making its way to the Merced River, which some describe as ‘dancing water.’ Also, don’t miss Vernal Fall, which is a shortish moderate hike from Happy Isles.
Follow the Mist Trail, named for the obvious reason, to a vista point affording an awesome view, or you can continue on to the top.”
Doug Shaw agrees that anywhere along the Merced River, including its swimming holes, is a wonderful area to visit in spring. He cites the Hite Cove Trail as another favorite path that captures the essence of Yosemite Mariposa County.
“There are at least fifteen varieties of wildflowers that come into bloom right beside the trail,” he says. “Yet it gets even better, with succulents growing freely along the cliffs, plants completely different than the moisture-loving flora that grow not far away within the woodlands.”
Yuli Gotsev recommends other spring activities too, like whitewater rafting and fishing, to name only two.
“Fishing in Yosemite Valley and Wawona begins the last Saturday in April. It is catch and release only for rainbow trout, while brown and brook trout must be retained and not released. Horseback riding begins in May as well, a great option for kids of all ages, as is a ride on the Sugarpine Railroad,” he advises.
Yuli also suggests taking advantage of the many interesting classes available beginning in mid-May: courses in bird identification, plein aire watercolor painting, and others at the Yosemite Conservancy. The Yosemite Mountaineering School also offers rock climbing, overnight backpacking, and other ways to explore.
Doug, Brett, and Yuli collectively came under Yosemite’s spell over 30 years ago. There are no better field guides to lead you and your family through the Yosemite spring this year.
Photo by Charles Phillips
Tenaya Lodge
at Yosemite
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The Redwoods offer vacation home rentals inside Yosemite National Park. Guests will find a vast array of options including fully-equipped cabins and spacious homes that are perfect for larger groups and multi-generational families. Many accommodations are also pet-friendly, feature fireplaces and other resort-level amenities.
The Redwoods
in Yosemite
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“The Bug” sits beside a stream on a forested black oak grove. Located 26 miles from Yosemite Valley, the resort has long catered to families, backpackers and international travelers drawn to its laidback environment and classic alpine resort ambiance. Not surprisingly, visitors often reschedule annual visits for years and years.
Yosemite Bug
Rustic Mountain Resort
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