Yosemite National Park in May

Yosemite National Park · crowd + weather almanac

May crowd level busy

about 389,000 visits in a typical May

The 6th-busiest month of the year · median of 2016–2025 official NPS counts

May is the 6th-busiest month of the year at Yosemite National Park: about 389,000 recreation visits in a typical May (10% of the year's traffic, and 67% of what the peak month, July, sees). This is a busy month, though short of the summer-peak crush. Weather-wise, May days at the Yosemite Park Hq, CA station typically top out around 70°F with nights near 44°F, and about 1.9 inches of precipitation falls over the month.

Typical May: 389,337 recreation visits (median 2016–2025); the range across those years ran 0 (2020) to 471,844 (2017).
Busier than 6 of the other 11 months.
1991–2020 May normals at Yosemite Park Hq, CA: high 70°F, low 44°F, 1.92 in precipitation.
Similar daytime temperatures, thinner crowds: April typically runs 63°F days with about 28% fewer visits (282,000 vs 389,000).

Typical (median) monthly recreation visits at Yosemite National Park, 2016–2025. May highlighted. Source: NPS Visitor Use Statistics.

May weather (1991–2020 normals)

Typical daytime high	70°F
Typical overnight low	44°F
Precipitation (monthly normal)	1.92 in
Measured at	Yosemite Park Hq, CA (USC00049855), 0.1 mi from the park reference point, elev. 4,018 ft

Every month at Yosemite

Month	Typical visits	Crowds	High / Low	Precip
January	128,610	quiet	48°F / 28°F	7.0 in
February	124,624	quiet	51°F / 30°F	6.5 in
March	163,349	quiet	57°F / 34°F	5.5 in
April	281,975	moderate	63°F / 38°F	3.2 in
May	389,337	busy	70°F / 44°F	1.9 in
June	520,157	busiest stretch	80°F / 51°F	0.5 in
July	577,313	busiest stretch	89°F / 57°F	0.3 in
August	570,297	busiest stretch	89°F / 57°F	0.2 in
September	530,850	busiest stretch	83°F / 51°F	0.4 in
October	437,803	busy	71°F / 41°F	1.6 in
November	218,462	moderate	56°F / 32°F	4.0 in
December	150,140	quiet	46°F / 28°F	5.6 in

Official NPS page for Yosemite →