Once Glacier Point Road closes for the season, hiking the Four Mile Trail becomes the only way up — and there's only a short window before ice and snow close that trail too. This narrow stretch of late fall is the absolute sweet spot for the hike: more solitude at the top, ideal temperatures for the climb, and golden late-fall light. Here's everything I learned hiking it on a sunny late November day, including what you need to know to be fully prepared.

Yosemite National Park is beautiful any time of year, but visiting in winter offers a chance to experience a true winter wonderland. If you visit from mid- to late February, you may also witness the phenomenon known as the firefall, when the last rays of sunlight hit Horsetail Fall at just the right angle, making it appear as if fire, rather than water, is falling down. Join me on a snowy hike along the Mist and John Muir Trails to Vernal and Nevada Falls, as well as the attempt to see the firefall. Plus, learn what to know before hitting the icy trails in Yosemite in Winter!