Early spring - you'll see snow, waterfalls in full flow and the crowds will be much reduced.
But your problem is going to be working out the date range matching early spring: I was there April 20th -25th this year. My best guess is the valley floor snow had melted during the previous 2 weeks as there were still patches around on the campsite: We got beautiful weather, an almost empty campsite in the valley(!!) - at a time when only 60 percent of the sites were open, and snow within easy hiking distance. What we didn't get was to see Tulome meadows (still closed) or many wild flowers. But then according to the online reservations just one week after we left 100 percent of the sites had opened and EVERY place was reserved for the following 3 months!
So this year you wanted to be there end of April to avoid the crowds, or May to get to Tulome meadows and see the flowers. Next year, with a different date for the thaw, who knows. Contact the park info office and ask their advice once you've decided your priorities.
(Tip1: I highly recomend the drive to Maraposa (spelling?) Grove near Wawoma (spelling?!) - untouched deep snow as long as you put the effort in to walk beyond the first mile - great photos. Tip2: Pack *very* warm bedding - it gets very cold at night, even if it's shorts and t-shirt weather in the day!) Tip3: Unless you travel VERY early in the season you need to reserve accomodation 3 months in advance i.e. on the very day it becomes available for reservation on the automated booking system - easy to do online - look it up on the NPS website now to figure it out. All the campsites are similarly basic.)
When to visit Yosemite and where to go when there ...
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Early spring - you'll see snow, waterfalls in full flow and the crowds will be much reduced.
But your problem is going to be working out the date range matching early spring: I was there April 20th -25th this year. My best guess is the valley floor snow had melted during the previous 2 weeks as there were still patches around on the campsite: We got beautiful weather, an almost empty campsite in the valley(!!) - at a time when only 60 percent of the sites were open, and snow within easy hiking distance. What we didn't get was to see Tulome meadows (still closed) or many wild flowers. But then according to the online reservations just one week after we left 100 percent of the sites had opened and EVERY place was reserved for the following 3 months!
So this year you wanted to be there end of April to avoid the crowds, or May to get to Tulome meadows and see the flowers. Next year, with a different date for the thaw, who knows. Contact the park info office and ask their advice once you've decided your priorities.
(Tip1: I highly recomend the drive to Maraposa (spelling?) Grove near Wawoma (spelling?!) - untouched deep snow as long as you put the effort in to walk beyond the first mile - great photos. Tip2: Pack *very* warm bedding - it gets very cold at night, even if it's shorts and t-shirt weather in the day!) Tip3: Unless you travel VERY early in the season you need to reserve accomodation 3 months in advance i.e. on the very day it becomes available for reservation on the automated booking system - easy to do online - look it up on the NPS website now to figure it out. All the campsites are similarly basic.)