May in Yosemite National Park is a best window month: highs around 73°F, lows around 46°F. Crowds: busy — #4 busiest of the park's 12 months. Waterfalls at full thunder — the classic Yosemite month. The editorial best window here is May–June. You get about 14h 13m of daylight. To finish Half Dome (7h 45m) before dark, leave the trailhead by about 12:17 PM.
Month data reviewed · how we check this
| Verdict | Best window The editorial pick — weather, access and experience line up. |
|---|---|
| Temps °F | 73° high / 46° low |
| Crowds | busy · #4 busiest of the park's 12 months |
| What May is like | Waterfalls at full thunder — the classic Yosemite month |
| Best window (whole year) | May–June |
| Peak crowds (whole year) | Jun–Aug |
CROWDS: RELATIVE SEASONALITY FROM NPS VISITATION STATISTICS · TEMPS: APPROXIMATE NOAA NORMALS AT MAIN VISITOR ELEVATION — HIGH COUNTRY RUNS 10–20°F COLDER
DAYLIGHT ON MAY 15 · LOCAL PARK TIME (PDT)COMPUTED FROM THE PARK'S OWN COORDINATES FOR THE 15TH — THE MIDDLE OF THE MONTH STANDS FOR IT, AS IT DOES FOR CLIMATE NORMALS. WITHIN A MONTH THESE TIMES SHIFT BY UP TO AN HOUR
LEAVE THE TRAILHEAD BY — TO FINISH BEFORE DARK ON MAY 15WALKING TIMES ESTIMATED FROM EACH TRAIL'S MEASURED DISTANCE AND ELEVATION GAIN — A PLANNING FIGURE, NOT A PACE. ADD YOUR OWN MARGIN FOR PHOTOS, REST AND CROWDS. WATER AT THE COOL-WEATHER RATE, BECAUSE THIS MONTH AVERAGES 73°F. TRAILS WE HAVE NOT MEASURED ARE LEFT OUT RATHER THAN GUESSED
WHAT MAY ASKS OF YOU HEREYosemite National Park in June — Best window, highs around 82°F, crowds: peak crowds (half dome cables go up; high country opens).
Our verdict for May is "Best window". The editorial pick — weather, access and experience line up. Expect highs around 73°F and lows around 46°F, with crowds at the "busy" level. Temperatures are approximate NOAA normals at the main visitor elevation; crowd levels follow published NPS visitation statistics.
Across the full 12-month review, the best window is May–June, and the peak-crowd months are Jun–Aug. May itself we rate "Best window".
About 14h 13m on May 15: the sun rises around 5:48 AM and sets around 8:01 PM local park time (PDT). Computed from the park's own coordinates, so it is the light you actually get at the trailhead, not the nearest city's.
Half Dome takes about 7h 45m of walking, so on May 15 you would need to leave the trailhead by about 12:17 PM to finish before dark — the sun sets around 8:01 PM local park time (PDT). Walking times are estimated from each trail's measured distance and elevation gain, so treat them as a planning figure and add your own margin for photos, rest and crowds.
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