This summer, Road Life Magazine did a grand tour of California so we could visit several National Parks in the state, including Kings Canyon, Sequoia National Park, and Yosemite National Park. We were not disappointed!
As we drove into YNP from the south on Highway 41, we could sense this would be an epic adventure and a day to remember.
Our first stop was the Mariposa Grove visitor center, located in the southern part of the park. The area is home to over 500 giant adult sequoias and is the largest grove in Yosemite National Park.
The plan was to take the free shuttle down from Mariposa Grove to the Grizzly Giant Trail, a two-mile moderate hike that includes the 3,000-year-old Grizzly Giant and California Tunnel Tree. Unfortunately, the shuttle wasn't running that day, and with a two-hour hiking requirement and only one day to explore the park, we had to skip this visitation.
Instead, we decided to take Yosemite Wilderness Road up to Washburn Point and Glacier Point, which provided incredible views of the whole Yosemite Valley. It was well worth it.
The viewpoint areas up at these points were some of our favorite spots in the whole park because the scenery was amazing no matter what direction you looked.
You have plenty of space to get out and walk around and explore, as well as the opportunity to take breathtaking photos of the surrounding mountains. Plus, parking at the top was plentiful and easy to navigate.
After spending time at the top, we came back down out from the area and drove into the valley and through the historic Wawona Tunnel, which is the longest highway tunnel in California and is just under a mile long. It provides some of the most iconic views of Yosemite Valley, El Capitan, Bridalveil Fall, and Half Dome.
You definitely will want to stop at this location.
From there, driving down into Yosemite Valley is great because it’s just a big loop, and you can stop near all the best points to explore and enjoy the beauty. The biggest challenge will be finding a parking space and dealing with the traffic.
As we made our way around the loop, our next stop was Bridalveil Falls, which plunges 620 feet from the top. It's a 20-minute, easy walk to the falls.
This area has a nice parking lot, restrooms, and a nice walking path along the creek and up to the falls. It’s a beautiful area and the sound of the rushing water is thunderous! Be aware because the closer you get to the falls, the more likely you are to get drenched pretty quickly. The spray from the falls is intense and goes quite a long way.
Continuing the drive through the valley is surreal because you're moving along a flat area with huge mountains and sheer cliffs right next to you. It's mind-blowing to see, especially when you look up and realize you started your journey towards the top of it all.
Making your way towards El Capitan gives you a fresh perspective on life. Knowing people climb up and down that mountain is inspiring. It sure is beautiful!
Once we made it to the east end of the loop, we stopped at the Yosemite Valley Welcome Center. Let me tell you, this place was hopping and was by far the busiest area in the entire park.
There’s a store in the where campers can stock up on any food and supplies they need, there’s a visitor center where you can learn more about the park and get your passport book stamped, and there are restaurants, restrooms, and some shops in the area too. It’s a very cool spot to hang out at.
Yosemite National Park also offers a free shuttle bus in that location that travels around the loop road. You can jump on at any stop and get off wherever you’d like.
We decided to walk over to Yosemite Falls from the welcome center, and then from there, we took the bus to a couple of other points so we didn’t have to worry about driving or finding a parking spot. This made life easier.
Yosemite Falls was the highlight.
Yosemite Falls consists of three parts — upper, middle, and lower falls — and is one of the tallest waterfalls in the world.
The falls are a result of snowmelt, so there is a lot more volume during spring and early summer, and as the snow diminishes, so does the waterfall. We were extremely lucky to see it during peak season. It was an incredible sight. And just like the other falls, you'll quickly get drenched if you’re anywhere near the falls.
But wait, there's more!
This next part was probably the most exciting part of the day, which is kind of crazy considering how majestic this park is and how in awe we were at every place we stopped to take in the view.
Since we started traveling full-time in the summer of 2020, we have enjoyed visiting National Parks and looking for wildlife, and we had always wanted to see a bear. We've been to so many places known for these powerful creatures but have never seen one outside of captivity.
Lo and behold, our streak of bad luck finally ended on this day.
WE SAW A BEAR!
We happened to be riding the shuttle bus and had just dropped some people at a stop, and as we were slowly going through the parking lot, I looked out the window and was the first person to see it and yelled bear!
The bus driver heard me and stopped so we could watch him for a minute. Unfortunately, we weren't close enough to get a great photo, and thankfully, we were far enough so James couldn't run out to hug it, but we did get some pics.
After that, our YNP adventure was complete, and we were so excited.
By the time we made it around the entire loop, we'd achieved all we set out to see for a day trip to the park and headed to our campground for the night.
On our way out, we discovered another tunnel as well as another waterfall at Cascades Creek. There was a parking lot off the side of the road, so we got out to check it out before leaving.
Interestingly enough, we never saw a Yosemite National Park sign when we entered the park on the south side, but as we were leaving on the west via Highway 120, there was one at the Big Oak Flat entrance. It was stunning.
Our goal is to return someday and spend a week in the park. With so many campgrounds, lodges, and hiking trails to explore, it would be a perfect place to enjoy for a longer time.
For now, we're super thankful we got our day in the park to drive through and see all the beautiful sights.
If you haven't been able to experience Yosemite National Park, we hope you get to get out there and enjoy it soon.
All photos © 2024 Road Life Magazine
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