If you've ever been to Yosemite, then you know. If you haven't, I don't know how I can describe its beauty, but I will definitely try. Of course I had heard great things about Yosemite before I went, so I had some high expectations, and it did not let me down. I want to tell you about some of the highlights for me, and hopefully in the process I can paint as close to an accurate picture of the park as possible.
Bridalveil Fall I found that there were some pros and cons to going to Yosemite in April. One of the biggest pros is the waterfalls. Since the winter snow is melting, the waterfalls are spectacular. This particular trail was not too long (half a mile round trip) and, not only did it have a great payoff at the end, but you could see for nearly the whole walk the creek into which the fall was flowing.
Sentinal Beach This one was not even a priority for me. I hadn't seen it as a "must see" in any of my research, but this little picnic area made me stop and realize how beautiful this park really is. I know I have been raving about the beauty of the park for this whole post, and have probably used the word "beautiful" too many times, but I honestly don't think I really was able to take it all in until we stopped at Sentinal Beach for a break. During the days we spent in this park, we never stopped and ate lunch. We always had so much to do that we would just munch on snacks in the car whenever we got a little hungry. Not only is this probably not very healthy, but it never allowed me stop and absorb where I was. We were always on the move. Don't get me wrong, I'm glad we got to see all we got to see. I'm just so grateful that we at least took this one moment at Sentinal Beach to just sit down and hang out for a bit. I was just sitting in the grass looking up at the beautiful rock formations and realized how miraculous they really were. We definitely don't have anything like them in Missouri. Not only would I recommend a stop at Sentinal Beach, but I also recommend stopping at picnic areas like it every once in a while just to let your heart catch up to your mind, which, if it's anything like mine, was saying "go go go" the whole time. Lower Yosemite Fall ![]() This was one of the last stops we made during our time in Yosemite, and it definitely didn't disappoint. The trail to the lower falls is short and easy, and when you make it to the falls, they are misting and I felt like I was in wonderland. I guess I kind of felt like that a lot in this park though. There's just something extra special about waterfalls. They're captivating. Especially ones as large as Yosemite Fall. It's actually the tallest waterfall in North America. But you can't really see that until you get close to end of the loop and look back, which I definitely recommend. What we didn't do Glacier Point: Everything I read about Yosemite said you have to see Glacier Point. They said it's the best view in the park, and you don't even have to hike to see it. You just drive right up. But, I mentioned that there are cons to seeing the park in the spring, and this is probably the biggest one. The road to Glacier Point is closed for the winter. It was closed when we were there, so the only way to see it was a pretty long hike that we didn't have the time for. Half Dome hike: This hike is intense. Or, at least the pictures I saw online made it seem that way. It's the kind of hike I would have loved to do, even though you have to dedicate a whole day to it. However, this hike requires a permit. Not only that, but there is a lottery for those permits, so not everyone who wants one gets one. Even if I could have gotten one, which wasn't statistically in my favor, this trail was also closed for the season when we were there. Ultimately... you should just see this park. There is no way you can know how great it is unless you experience it. It's like the second you step out of your car you're somewhere else. You're in a beautiful outdoor palace where everyone is as entranced as you are. I've heard that some people are put off by the amount of people in Yosemite. Yes, there are a lot of people; it's one of the most visited National Parks in the country, but it felt to me like all the other people were as happy to be there as I was. There were good vibes coming from the crowds of people. The crowds that I was happy to be joining.
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About the blog.I started this blog in 2017 with the goal of seeing all the U.S. National Parks and writing about them. But as I kept writing and posting, I realized there's so much more I want to document in my life. So, the blog grew into something much broader and even more special to my heart. Archives.
January 2022
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