Sherry and I took time off from a recent trip to San Francisco to make the three hour trek east to Yosemite National Park. Our daughter Ali had recommended it as one of her favorite places, and after spending just a couple of days there, we both agree. It is one of the most beautiful places I have ever been!
The area was protected by Abraham Lincoln (Yosemite Grant, 1864) and became a national park under the energy of John Muir in 1890. It occupies more than 750 thousand acres of stunning rock formed by glaciers over millions of years, giant redwood and sequoia trees some more than a thousand years old, countless waterfalls, greenery and a host of animals. To get a sense of the scale, Yosemite is bigger than the state of Rhode Island, covering some 1,187 square miles.
We stayed just outside the western gate of the park on route 120 and were lucky that our timing was pre-season, so the entrance lines were not long. During our FDR visit (#23), we had purchased lifetime national park passes for seniors at $80 each (a stunning bargain) so there was no additional cost for us to enter. Still, the park is so large, that it took nearly an hour to travel from our hotel each day to Yosemite valley, which houses some of the best sites, places to eat and facilities. There is a shuttle bus making a 20 minute loop through the valley in a counter-clockwise direction so, if you plan the visit well, you can park your car at the beginning of the day and rotate around to pick it up at the end.
If you were to visit, we highly recommend staying inside the park if you can (book way ahead). The long ride into the park is beautiful, but can significantly cut into hiking time. Also, as we were leaving on our last day, we saw the entrance line with several hours of cars lined up. I would not want to be stuck on that line. Also, if you can – visit in the spring while the water is running quickly, but the temperature and crowds are lower.
For the second time, I tried Turo, a peer-to-peer car rental app. We rented a BMW Z4 convertible, which was not only the perfect tool for the twisty roads, but by putting down the top, Sherry and I were able to see all the splendor opening above us.
While we were in Yosemite we took a number of hikes – viewing the lower Yosemite Falls, Bridal Veil Falls, Mirror Lake and the Tuolumne Grove trail. Our favorite were the waterfalls of the Cascade Creek just off Big Old Flat Road on our way in, between the first two tunnels. The cascading water, combined with huge boulders and trees reminded us of a piece of art we recently purchased by Mariella Bisson that is hanging in our living room. The two are now permanently intertwined in our minds.
Visiting Yosemite was an experience like no other and I am so glad we made the trip. The huge mass of the stone walls, the dominating power of the waterfalls and the warmth and beauty of the trees created scenes that literally took my breath away.