What to see in Yosemite

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.

Tunnel View
What a great way to start a journey through this park. Tunnel view was the first stop we made after we entered the park, and I imagine it's the first stop for a lot of people because, if you're coming from the West into Yosemite Valley, it's the first real destination you'll encounter. This point is just a pull over your car and get out kind of stop, so it's not a lot of work, there's no hike involved, and the view is spectacular. You can see El Capitan, Cathedral Rocks, and Bridalveil Falls perfectly, and you can even see Half Dome in the distance.

With this stop, you kind of have to know it's coming because it is right after you exit the Wawona Tunnel. Since you're driving through a tunnel, you can't exactly see it coming. So just take my word for it and pull over for this stop. It is well worth it.

---

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.

---

Mirror Lake
This trail was longer than Bridalveil and, in my opinion, had less of a payoff at the end. When I was planning this trip to Yosemite, I was at a loss as to how we could possibly see everything we needed to see in the amount of time we had. I think that attitude may have affected my enjoyment of Mirror Lake. In retrospect, this trail is about the trail as much as it is about the destination. I wish I had had that mindset when I was hiking it, rather than thinking about seeing the end and then checking it off our to do list.

This trial is only 2 miles round trip, but I would say that if you don't like hiking so much as seeing sights, this may not be the destination for you on your trip to Yosemite. I like hiking, I just wish I had entered this hike with a different attitude.

---

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.