The Best Places to Watch & Photograph the Sunset in Yosemite National Park
There’s something special about photographing and visiting Yosemite National Park. Be it the towering rock walls. The dramatic waterfalls during spring. Historic Firefall. Or the iconic Half Dome. Now, add in the soft light of sunrise or sunset, and photographing Yosemite National Park is one of the great joys anyone can experience.
I had the opportunity to be a camp counselor outside of Yosemite National Park for two summers, allowing me to spend all of my free time inside the park. This created an incredible connection to the landscapes.
While I could talk for days about taking pictures throughout Yosemite, today, we’re highlighting the best places to watch and photograph the sunset in Yosemite.
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Best Places to Watch and Photograph the Sunset in Yosemite
Taft Point
This is one of my favorite sunset memories from Yosemite National Park. The sky absolutely LIT up and created one of the most stunning scenes I’ve ever encountered. The hike is a relatively easy 2-mile hike to the end of the valley.
There are good chances that if you visit on a weekend, you’ll see someone getting married or engaged out here.
Two Photo Tips:
- Put someone on the ledge and find a way to showcase the massive scale and drop-off into the valley. A lens in the 16-24 range will be perfect.
- Don’t stay in one place. Explore the area beforehand and look for compositions from both sides of the ledge. But please stay safe!
Glacier Point
One of the best bang-for-the-buck places to watch and photograph the sunset in Yosemite National Park. You can drive all the way out there, which is a short walk from the parking lot. Here, you have free rein for a lot of cool compositions.
Two Photo Tips:
- Get a full-frame shot of Half Dome with its face lit up. Or consider using the hut as a focus point.
- Don’t forget the waterfalls – Vernal and Nevada – below. If the sun has set, consider a long exposure and maybe get some stars above.
Tunnel View
This is arguably the most popular and famous shot in America. Looking out on Yosemite Valley, Bridal Veil Falls sits on the right, Half Dome looms large down the middle, and El Capitan on your left.
It surely won’t be empty as you watch the sunset in Yosemite, but it’s far less crowded than during the middle of the day.
Two Photo Tips:
- It can be somewhat hard to find a unique shot these days from here. And that’s okay. Don’t feel bad about taking a few shots with all the gems in it.
- As the sun drops, use bracketing to ensure the sky isn’t blown out, but the valley is also illuminated. Bracketing is a setting in your camera that will take three photos from different exposures, allowing you to merge them in post-processing.
El Capitan Meadow
This is a pretty vague area, so choose where you want to be based on availability or ease of access. We enjoyed a quiet evening, so we brought some blankets and snacks and hung out while looking up at El Cap.
This is one of the easier places to photograph the sunset in Yosemite.
Two Photo Tips:
- Try a time-lapse to show the sun’s light moving up El Cap.
- Bring a long telephoto lens to get photos of climbers on the wall. If you do this, bring a tripod as you’ll need to lower your Shutter Speed quite a bit in order to expose the shot properly.
Sentinel Bridge and Cook’s Meadow
One of the classic spots in Yosemite Valley. Sentinel Bridge is a quick and easy walk from the parking area, or you can park along the road near Yosemite Falls and head into the meadow from there. This spot should give you some interesting compositions not only of Half Dome but also of El Capitan and Yosemite Falls.
Two Photo Tips:
- Use the water as a reflection tool. You can get this from the Merced River, or during springtime, the meadows will offer stunning reflections of Half Dome.
- Focus on the leading lines of the boardwalk through the meadow area.
On Top of Clouds Rest
Clouds Rest is one of the most iconic places in all of Yosemite. Sitting just below 10,000 feet, you have striking views in all directions, including that of Half Dome 1,300 feet below.
But this isn’t for the casual hiker. Round trip, you’re looking at a 12-mile hike. And if you’re planning to watch sunset from up top, you’ll either be hiking back in the dark (not a big deal as the trail is in great shape) or hiking back to your tent somewhere below.
I hiked up for sunrise in 2014 before I began photography, so all those images are just in my memories.
Two Photo Tips:
- Try to show some scale by putting a person in your photo with Half Dome and the valley in the distance.
- Stay up later for some night photography. Depending on the season, the Milky Way might extend above Yosemite Valley and Half Dome.
Olmstead Point
This is a far less common place to photograph, simply due to it being up in the Tuoloumne High Country, and fewer people visit. But it’s a gorgeous area to explore, and you’ll get a unique angle of the Half Dome. This is also a sunset-only location, as the sheer side of Half Dome will light up with the fading sunlight.
You can shoot directly from the parking lot, but hiking a mile or so to a higher vantage point (and close to the valley) will provide better photos.
Two Photo Tips:
- Wait for the middle of golden hour, and the flat side of Half Dome will be illuminated in a golden hue.
- Don’t forget to look around you. There are some other cool views, such as the granite behind Tanaya Lake.
Camera Gear To Bring for Photographing the Sunset in Yosemite
Camera Body – DSLR or Mirrorless
Tripod
Wide Angle Lens – 24-70, 24-105, 16-35
Telephoto Lens – 70-200, 100-400, 100-500
Lens Cloth
Dust Blower
ND Filters
Polarizers
Don’t forget warm clothes for watching the sunset in Yosemite
The temperatures will fall quickly once the sun drops below the Yosemite Valley walls. Having some warm gear to stay comfortable and enjoy the evening is key.
Beanie
Down Jacket
Fleece Jacket
Gloves
Where to stay near Yosemite
To minimize your drive time, staying outside the park near the west entrance is usually the best way to travel without spending too much money. However, if you want the best access and locations, stay inside the park in the Valley.
Inside the Park Options:
Outside the Park Options:
- AutoCamp Yosemite
- Evergreen Lodge Yosemite
- Rush Creek Lodge and Spa at Yosemite
- Yosemite View Lodge
- Tanaya Lodge
HipCamp Options
HipCamps are private camp sites or small campgrounds that individuals own. If you want to camp, but can’t find a spot, this is a nice option to try. You can check them out here.
Final Thoughts on Photographing Sunset in Yosemite
Few places in the world provide such an amazing scene for photography as Yosemite National Park. It’s a gem of the natural scene and an icon of the National Park system. However you plan to photograph the sunset in Yosemite National Park, you will come away with striking and beautiful imagery.
I have no doubt about that.
Just remember to have fun and enjoy the sights before you. Not everything has to be captured.
Until next time, adventurers, stay safe.
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