Outbound Collective logo

Photograph Yosemite Falls at Swinging Bridge

Yosemite Valley, California

5.0/5
based on 1 reviews

Description

Added by Pat PT

Swinging Bridge offers one of the best views of Yosemite Falls. It is accessible during winter while some parts of the park are closed. It is also a vantage point to catch a sunrise. Be sure to pick up tractions for your car and your boots!

This is a drive up and shoot adventure in winter. The spot is at Swinging Bridge area. This area is also a picnic area and hiking trail but, in my opinion, the best spot to capture Yosemite Falls is a few steps walk after you park the car.

One of not so many places that you still can go in winter, Swinging bridge is located on the Southside Drive. The exact coordinate is 37.736968, -119.600316 on Google map. The parking lot is 0.372 miles after the Sentinel Beach Picnic area and 1.98 miles away from El Capitan Bridge where it connects between Northside Drive and Southside Drive, however, if you approach Sentinel Bridge, that means you already missed it.

There are 3 best spots I have found:

1. One in front of the bridge where you can compose your pictures without the bridge and get full reflection.

2. One on the bridge.

3. One behind the bridge where you can compose your pictures with the bridge.

The best time of the day, of course, is during a sunrise or sunset. The pictures I took are all from the sunrise where the sun lightened up the falls. Please note the the angle of the sun is vary depending on what time of the year you go.

To set the camera, I would recommend you keep the ISO as low as you can go to burn some noises while the aperture around 8 to 11 to get the deep depth of field. I would also recommend you bring a CPL filter if you manage to get reflection shots.

The lens I found suitable for this area is wide angle lens (anywhere around 21-35 mm).

In winter, the parking lot will be covered by snow. I would recommend you attach snow chains to your car before parking as it would need some traction when you back it up.

Helpful items to bring with you:

Ultra-wide to wide angle lens

Telephoto lens (close up shot)

CPL Filter (for reflection)

Tripod


    Read More

    Download the Outbound mobile app

    Find adventures and camping on the go, share photos, use GPX tracks, and download maps for offline use.

    Get the app

    Features

    Photography
    Easy Parking
    Picnic Area
    River
    Scenic
    Waterfall

    Photograph Yosemite Falls at Swinging Bridge Reviews

    Just breathtaking!!! The mountain reflection on the water is unreal!! Definitely a very good photo op spot, don't miss it while touring the valley floor.

    Leave No Trace

    Always practice Leave No Trace ethics on your adventures and follow local regulations. Please explore responsibly!

    Nearby

    Four Mile Trail to Panorama Trail Loop

    Camp at Glacier Point

    Glacier Point via Four Mile Trail

    Hike to Union Point via Four Mile Trail

    Upper Yosemite Falls

    Backpack to Yosemite's Eagle Peak via Yosemite Falls