Each spring during the full moon, thousands of parkgoers flock to Yosemite to try and see an ethereal “moonbow,” or night rainbow.
The fleeting, faint arcs of color form in the waterfall spray when the moonlight hits just right… and depending on a multitude of other conditions.
John Muir once described moonbows as a “grand arc of color, glowing in mild, shapely beauty,” comparing them to a religious experience.
The moonbows are only visible during three optimal time periods this spring. One of the windows has already passed, so keep reading for some tips about how to catch the next two.
How is a moonbow formed?
During the spring, snowmelt feeds Yosemite’s waterfalls, creating abundant spray that can reveal moonbows if you time your visit just right. Key conditions include visiting during a clear evening with a full moon and finding a spot with sufficient darkness and a perfect angle.
How can we predict Yosemite’s moonbows?
Brian Hawkins is a nature photographer who maintains a website dedicated to predicting Yosemite’s ideal moonbow windows using complex 3D simulations. He publishes moonbow viewing windows for Lower Falls, Upper Falls, and Glacier Point.
In 2026, Hawkins predicts 2026 moonbows during the following time periods. He’ll follow up with detailed timetables on his website a few weeks before each period.
- March 31 – April 4, 2026 (passed)
- April 29 – May 5, 2026
- May 28 – June 3, 2026
“Yosemite has experienced a somewhat dry winter followed by unseasonable warmth in March,” wrote Hawkins. “This has caused early melting of the high elevation snow which feeds Yosemite’s waterfalls. I expect many waterfalls will dry up by late June, so I will not be predicting moonbows for the late June full moon. Get out and enjoy the waterfalls while you can.”
How can I see a Yosemite moonbow?
Moonbows are much harder to see than typical rainbows, because the sun is 400,000 times brighter than the moon.
Hawkins asserts that the moonbows look fairly colorless to the human eye at first, but you can begin to pick up on the spectrum after giving your eyes some time to adjust. That said, the moonbows are always more vivid on camera.
You can learn more about moonbows, 2026 predictions, camera settings, and much more at Hawkins’ Yosemite Moonbow website.
For additional information, check out Yosemite’s Moonbow Viewing Guide.
