Yosemite is a place of unparalleled beauty, but it's hard to find the time between the duties of daily life. (Who needs money and a house and civilization anyway—right?!) If you only a weekend to steal away, here are a few of my favorite things to do in the iconic Yosemite Valley...Yosemite Park is a place of rest, a refuge from the roar and dust and weary, nervous, wasting work of the lowlands, in which one gains the advantages of both solitude and society. Nowhere will you find more company of a soothing peace-be-still kind.
—John Muir
Mariposa Grove: Standing amongst these towering ancient redwoods, one can easily imagine giants among them. This is the best and largest grove of giant sequoia trees in Yosemite and you've probably never seen anything much like them before, unless you've been to Muir Woods.
Unfortunately there is an extensive amount of fire damage due to the Rim Fire in August 2013, which burned more than 200,000 acres of land near Yosemite. Fear not though, plans to restore the area are already underway.
My favorite tree in the grove is the Grizzly Giant. This gnarled old redwood looks as if trees are growing out of the tree itself. Somewhere between 1,900-2,400 years old, his weathered soul practically emits wisdom.
Glacier Point: There's no better way to see the vast expanse of Yosemite Valley than Glacier Point. The granite domes roll endlessly on and if you go after a less dry year, the roaring waterfalls shimmer endlessly down. Don't forget to stop at the Tunnel View and take in of El Capitan and Half Dome as you drive back into the valley.
Mist Trail: Although there are over 800 miles of trails in Yosemite, my favorite one (so far) in Yosemite Valley is Mist Trail up to Vernal Falls (3 mi roundtrip.. Winding stairs through a steep hillside meadow leads you to the top of Vernal Falls.
I haven't hiked Half Dome or the Panorama Trail they are on my bucket list. I need to train a bit more before I go on the 14 mile Half Dome hike...not for the feint of heart.
At bases of the waterfalls you'll find rainbows dancing around the water. During full summer moons, you can go to Lower Yosemite Falls to see moonbows at night. I'd love to go then and see that magical occurrence!
Merced River Rafting: The best way to tour Yosemite Valley is to sail right through the heart of it on the Merced River. You can rent a raft at the park for $31/person or bring your own blow-up tube/floaty device and glide down that way, which I recommend. With California in a severe drought the river is already pretty low making the raft to push over shallow river rocks. The better question is why wouldn't you want to raft through Yosemite on an inflatable turtle??
There's lots of wildlife to be seen and a spectacular view of Half Dome. Jump in and out of the cool mountain water at your leisure. It's usually around 80-90 degrees in the summer!
If you opt to raft, buy some bread and cheese at Yosemite Village store and pack a picnic lunch to eat on the way down the river. Make a pit stop at one of the sandy beaches to eat, swim, and check out the view.
These are just 4 of my favorite things to do in Yosemite Valley the few times I've visited. There are still many things to do and see, I'll be back! If you have any suggestions for me let me know in the comments, I'm always looking for new adventures. :)
xo from catie
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