Yosemite Falls rainbow: when and where to stand
Short answer: 6 Nov 2026: Best rainbow from Lower Yosemite Fall footbridge, 08:05–15:30 (strongest around 13:35), if the sun is out.
Lower Yosemite Fall throws a wide spray over the footbridge at its base in spring. Valley walls hide the low sun, so rainbows need the sun well up and behind you.
Fri 6 November 2026 · sunrise 06:31, sunset 16:56
Lower fall bridge: rainbow 08:05–15:30
Best rainbow from Lower Yosemite Fall footbridge, 08:05–15:30 (strongest around 13:35), if the sun is out. Low water: thin spray, rainbows are small.
| Lower Yosemite Fall footbridge looking north up at the lower fall, in the spray | A big, bright arc | 08:05–15:30 Best 13:35, across the spray at eye level |
|---|
Hour by hour
| Time | Lower fall bridge |
|---|---|
| 06:30 | |
| 07:00 | |
| 07:30 | |
| 08:00 | |
| 08:30 | |
| 09:00 | |
| 09:30 | |
| 10:00 | |
| 10:30 | |
| 11:00 | |
| 11:30 | |
| 12:00 | |
| 12:30 | |
| 13:00 | |
| 13:30 | |
| 14:00 | |
| 14:30 | |
| 15:00 | |
| 15:30 | |
| 16:00 | |
| 16:30 | |
| 17:00 |
Plan it
The falls are fed by snowmelt: full from April to June, often dry by late August. In spring the footbridge is drenched. A rainbow needs direct sun on the spray: on an overcast day there is none.
Through the year
| 15th of | Lower fall bridge | Water |
|---|---|---|
| January | 08:55–15:30 | Low |
| February | 08:20–16:15 | Low |
| March | 08:35–17:50 | Low |
| April | 07:50–11:10, 14:55–18:20 | Low |
| May | 07:20–10:30, 15:30–18:40 | Low |
| June | 07:10–10:15, 15:50–19:00 | High |
| July | 07:20–10:30, 15:50–19:00 | High |
| August | 07:40–10:55, 15:20–18:35 | Medium |
| September | 08:05–12:00, 14:00–17:50 | Low |
| October | 08:35–17:00 | Low |
| November | 08:15–15:20 | Low |
| December | 08:55–15:05 | Low |
Yosemite Falls rainbows by month
Questions
What time is the rainbow at Yosemite Falls?
6 Nov 2026: Best rainbow from Lower Yosemite Fall footbridge, 08:05–15:30 (strongest around 13:35), if the sun is out. The time moves through the year; pick your date above.
Which side of Yosemite Falls has the rainbow in the morning and which in the afternoon?
Lower Yosemite Fall footbridge: mornings.
Why is there no rainbow at midday?
When the sun is higher than about 42°, the whole rainbow circle sits below the horizon. You can then only see it low down, in spray below you, if at all. In summer that rules out the middle of the day at most falls closer to the tropics.
When does Yosemite Falls have the most spray?
River flow is highest in June and July (Copernicus GloFAS, 2005–2024). More water means more spray and bigger rainbows, but also more mist hiding the falls.
How do you calculate the rainbow times?
A rainbow is a circle of about 42° around the point exactly opposite the sun. You only see the part of that circle that falls on sunlit spray, so it needs the sun behind you and lower than about 42° above the horizon. For every 5 minutes of the day we place that circle in the sky and check how much of it lands on the spray seen from each viewpoint.
Calculated from the sun's position at each viewpoint. The spray extent is an estimate for normal flow; wind pushes the mist around and can move the rainbow by a few degrees. Times are local (America/Los_Angeles).