“How much longer?”, I ask, heaving and clutching my chest while trying at the same time, to ensure my mask does not fall off. “Just half a mile more”, my friend responds, easily carrying a 10 pound backpack containing water, some food, a picnic blanket, layers of clothing, and not a breath out of place, I note in envy.
It is September, 2020, and we (with friends and family) are hiking the Sentinel Dome and Taft Point Loop in the Yosemite National Park, visited by millions of travelers worldwide. With an on-going pandemic forcing everyone to stay indoors and having little opportunity to be active, I can feel my unused quad muscles protest painfully, as I hobble across the final few steps to this stunning and very unique vista.
Smoke here, there and everywhere!
The sky is orange due to smoke from the on-going California wildfires that are ravishing hundreds of acres of land, something that is unfortunately becoming an annual occurrence. In the prior months, wildfires were raging all over California’s central and northern parts due to soaring temperatures and low humidity conditions. Eager to get away from the hazardous air quality levels, a group of us made plans for a long weekend getaway to Yosemite National Park.
As I soak my eyes on the panorama, I pause for a long moment to take it all in, dwelling on the millions of visitors before me who came to savor the same sights of the stunning mountain-scape, the famed waterfall (now completely dry with just a lichen-stained cliff shows traces of the water trail), and gawk at the sheer 3,000 ft drop of El Capitan granite wall.
On a clear summer day, the mountains are spectacular and beckons you (if you are a thrill seeker, that is) to go climb its cliff faces and explore its unyielding terrains. Today, with the fires looming in the horizon and the air filling up with smoke and ash, the view is haunting and otherworldly.
The Yosemite mountains are calling
Yosemite is a name synonymous with California, US National Parks. With its jaw-dropping panoramas, and renown for being a backpackers and climbers paradise, it is no wonder that I have visited this place twice already! And yet, until I moved to California a few years ago, I had not heard of it. As hiking was not a popular activity for someone who grew up in an Indian city, I was woefully ignorant of this natural wonder until I started embracing the active outdoorsy lifestyle synonymous with California living.
The Yosemite National Park is a quick getaway from San Francisco, and takes about 4 hours by car.
Fun fact: Naturalist John Muir spent a few days camping in Yosemite with President Theordore Roosevelt leading to recognition of Mariposa Grove as part of Yosemite National Park.
If you are traveling to San Francisco, read this guide to learn about everything you should see, explore and eat in this amazing city!
Things to do in Yosemite National Park
There are multiple must visit places in the park and some of the highlights include: Half Dome (5000 ft high), Yosemite Falls, Yosemite Valley, El Capitan, Glacier Point, and Mariposa Grove. For outdoor lovers, there are enough things to do for multiple weeks at Yosemite National Park.
Half Dome
One of the most iconic rock formations associated with Yosemite is the Half Dome with multiple trails that offer different viewpoints of this giant granite rock, including Yosemite Valley and Glacier Point. Named after its shape, this dome is easily recognizable in the landscape thanks to its 4,800 ft height off the Yosemite Valley floor. Seasoned hikers can hike to the top of the Half Dome on a day-only hike, weather-permitting. Reservations are required and can be made at https://www.recreation.gov/.
El Capitan
With its towering 3000 ft height, the El Capitan dominates the west side of the Yosemite Valley. It is a solid wall of granite that is one of the ultimate challenges for backpackers. This monolith itself draws major crowds and is viewable from the Tunnel View and Bridevail areas. Shaped by glacial erosion over millions of years, this sheer face of the rock stands a testament to time and was made famous by the movie “Free Solo”.
Fun Fact: The El Capitan Golden Gate route was just recently free climbed by Emily Harrington under 24 hours and for the first time by a woman in history!
Yosemite Valley
The most popular location to view the mighty Yosemite falls and surrounding rock formations is from the Yosemite Valley that is accessible by car year-around. This area is perfect for a view of the Lower Yosemite Falls and has tourist offices to get park maps.
Fun Fact: From certain angles, the spray from the falls creates rainbows! So you can see rainbows suspended in the air, particularly from the Mist Trail.
Glacier Point
This viewpoint deserves at least a pit stop during your visit to the Yosemite National Park. Easily accessible by car, with a short walk up to the view point, it offers a panoramic view of Half Dome, Yosemite Falls and the Yosemite Valley. Because of its easy accessibility, expect crowds here during peak seasons. This area also includes a gift shop, and some snack shops, and makes for a nice ice cream stop on a hot day (which is precisely what I did)!
(Note: nps.gov states that Glacier Point road will be closed to all traffic in 2022 to make improvements)
Trails
Since I am in no way a proficient hiker, and prefer leisurely strolls to intense hikes (thankfully, a couple of us in our group were in the same boat as me), we looked up on AllTrails to figure out the most suitable hikes for us (easy to moderate). We decided on the Sentinel Dome and Taft Point Loop since it was a little over 5 miles with moderate elevation (1122 ft). It is a popular trail affording multiple stunning viewpoints and hence, tends to get crowded, so it is advisable to arrive early on a normal day. As a matter of fact, a guide at the visitor center told us that wildlife spotting is also common in this route in certain seasons of the year.
It took about 3 hours for us to complete the hike, excluding the short break we took at Taft Point for a quick snack and this haunting view.
Ever so popular among visitors are also the Upper Yosemite Falls trail, the Vernal and Nevada Falls via the Mist Trail and the Lower Yosemite Falls Trail (just over a mile stroll to marvel at the Yosemite falls even for non-hikers).
When to go to Yosemite National Park
If you are planning a trip to Yosemite or even just thinking about it, here are some tips that you might find useful.
The best time of the year to visit Yosemite is the summer when temperatures are pleasant during the day in the upper 80s (sometimes reaches above 90!), but visitors have to contend with large crowds. If you want to avoid large crowds, late spring (May-early June) and early fall (late September through October) would be better. It is worth noting that the Yosemite Falls dry up during fall (pictured above). Winter sees skiers and other winter sports enthusiasts in the ski areas. For a traveler seeking solitude and snowfall, winter is one of the best times to visit.
Fun fact: Yosemite made a bid to host the Winter Olympics in 1932 but ultimately lost the bid to Lake Placid in New York.
Bonus fun fact: There is a lift serviced ski area within Yosemite called the Badger Pass Ski Area (open from mid-December through mid-March, conditions permitting) that is one of only three lift serviced ski areas within a US National Park.
Where to stay around Yosemite National Park
The first option is to stay within Yosemite in various lodges located in the park. Multiple lodges such as the Yosemite Westgate Lodge, the Tenaya Lodge and Yosemite Cedar Lodge offer great options to stay close to the park highlights. However, you need to plan early, since it is common for rooms to sell out months prior during peak tourist seasons.
For a last minute planner, or someone starting to make a travel plan, staying close to towns near the gates of Yosemite is another option. The advantage is, you can reach the gates early in order to beat the inevitable car build up at the gates later in the morning.
We picked Oakhurst for its convenient location near the South Gate and its charming downtown and restaurants. However, there are other towns such as Groveland, Madera and Ahwanee (where we stayed for a previous visit) with plenty of comfortable and clean Airbnbs.
If camping is more your style, Yosemite offers multiple camping sites. You can book one at the National Park Service website: https://www.nps.gov/yose/planyourvisit/campgrounds.htm
Staying at an Airbnb allowed us to enjoy delicious BBQ
Other spots around the Park
Since we stayed at Oakhurst, we wanted to check out the nearby Bass Lake, which is located close to the South gate of the park. It was a nice sunny day, and the shores of the lake were busy with picnickers chilling by the water. There were also sailboats in the lake with people fishing, on and enjoying the sun. I saw a dog playing fetch in the water too!
We also spent some time in the Downtown Oakhurst area trying some of the local food spots. We enjoyed the food at South Gate Brewing Company and their service was topnotch!
Another beautiful National Park to go to around San Francisco bay area, is the Muir Woods National Monument. Read all about the incredible sights you will see there and how to plan your travel in this post.
What to pack
Depending on the season, you will need to pack for pleasant to warm weather in summer time, and in layered jackets in spring or fall. Winter will require heavier and waterproof jackets, depending on the activities you are planning.
Always bring layers of clothing since the elevation, and with it, cooler temperatures, catches people off guard (myself included).
I always carry a long sleeve tee or sweater as well as an all-weather jacket to keep warm, no matter what the elements turn up.
Remember to also carry enough potable water and some snacks if you plan on some hiking.
If you plan on hitting some trails, opt for hiking shoes since the ground can be quite unforgiving at times, and you don’t want to slip on sand or water!
Don’t forget your camera or your phone. There is a perfect photo op for your next Instagram post awaiting every few minutes!
All in all, Yosemite is a stunning travel spot with awe-inspiring views with every turn. There are things to do and places to explore within and around the park at every season. Being lucky enough to live not too far from this park, I know I will return soon for sure!
If this has not yet convinced you to book a campsite or Airbnb to go visit Yosemite yet, I have more stories from the time I was exploring the Yosemite valley, including hiking the Columbia Rock (it’s a third of the way on the Upper Yosemite falls trails) and visiting Tenaya lake, but that’s for another time and another story!
Looking for other trip ideas in California? Check out my sojourns to the fascinating Lassen Volcanic National Park and the eerie Joshua Tree National Park for more ideas!
Enjoyed reading this article? Don’t forget to follow me on Instagram @sojournstorieswithsruti to join me on my latest stories and adventures!
Sruti! your article is very informative and amazing. Pictures are superb and attractive. we will definitely make a plan to go to Yosemite in our next visit to US.
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It was so much fun joining you on this trip!!! The amazing food we had motivated us to buy a grill for our backyard!