Nearby resorts are now offering $110 private shuttle tours to Yosemite’s annual “Firefall” phenomenon at Horsetail Falls, allowing resort guests and non-guests alike to bypass the park’s reservation system, which was implemented on weekends to help curb the environmental damage, including trampled vegetation, littering, and erosion, caused by growing crowds.  

According to SF Gate, in 2022 nearly 2,500 visitors crammed into an observation area to see the sites and others waded into the Merced River, creating unsanitary conditions due to the area’s lack of restrooms.

One tour operator's trip summary reads, “leave the driving and logistics to us, and enjoy a nice cup of hot  cocoa along the way on our Yosemite Firefall Express Shuttle.” But they still have to hike a mile to the viewing area, of course.

Other tour operators have abandoned Firefall trips altogether due to the environmental impact. One operator pointed out that without professional photography equipment, the effect is often underwhelming, making the ecological destruction an unjustifiable cost.

Image: Matthew Dillon/Wikimedia

Previously: How to See the Famous "Firefall" at Yosemite This Month