Classic · Nature
Horsetail Fall 2027: the Firefall, dates and times
Yosemite, El Capitan
Next date UTC−8
What happens
There is no line to hit: what counts is the angle of the light. It comes from 256° with the setting sun between 0.0° and 2.0° high, and the effect holds while it stays there.
Next dates
Local times at the site (America/Los_Angeles).
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17:39 UTC−8
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17:37 UTC−8
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17:38 UTC−8
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17:38 UTC−8
Where to stand
Viewpoint: El Capitan Picnic Area · Yosemite, El Capitan
37.72530, -119.62170
It works across an area around this point, not only from the exact spot.
Good to know
Official spot: El Capitan Picnic Area on Northside Drive; otherwise the Cathedral Beach pull-outs on Southside Drive. Tunnel View is not a Firefall spot. In February the NPS parking/reservation plan applies.
The fall needs water (snow and rain) and a clear sky: even a little haze kills the effect. The window is fitted to the NPS dates; in October the light is the same but the fall is usually dry.
Dates for 2026–2030, worked out by Duskbox’s own astronomy engine: the sun from NREL’s SPA, the moon topocentric, both with atmospheric refraction.
