Yosemite National Park

On October 1, 1890 thanks to the efforts of John Muir, over 750,000 acres surrounded by the Sierra and Stanislaus National Forests became Yosemite National Park. The park is incredibly diverse and includes lakes, streams, granite cliffs, waterfalls, meadows, plants, towering trees, animals and much more.

We visited in April, 2018 and the weather was lovely. A bit chilly in the mornings and evenings, but sunny, clear and absolutely perfect for hiking and exploring.

Tunnel View is one of the iconic scenes in the park. This scene took my breath away when I first saw it in the misty, morning light.

Half Dome Rock is a granite dome at the eastern end of the park. It was first ascended by George Anderson in 1875, and is still a popular spot today for rock climbers.

There are an abundance of hiking trails in the park offering beautiful views. As we wandered through a pretty meadow, we saw a group of picnickers sprawled out on blankets, with binoculars, oohing and aahing at the side of a cliff. We turned and realized that they were watching a group of rock climbers ascend a rock wall. We stopped to watch as well. The climbers are far more brave than I am! I prefer the spectator spot for this sport.

You’ll find beautiful vistas in every direction.

There are many options for accommodations in the park including inns, lodges, camping and yurts. We stayed at Wawona Lodge, formerly Big Tree Lodge. This charming Victorian Era hotel opened in the 1850s, and is only 20 miles from Tunnel View.

The clearest way into the Universe is through a forest wilderness. John Muir

There are over 400 national parks in the US and US territories, and I have been fortunate to have visited perhaps twenty of these; I’ve just barley scratched the surface. I hope to visit many more now that I am officially retired! 🙂

As always, please leave a comment, I would love to hear from you.

Stay safe and healthy,

Tricia