Bon Voyage!: Visiting Yosemite

Yosemite is a unique place located in the middle of California. There are numerous hills, meadows, mountains, waterfalls, and lakes within this area which is hard to believe. I must say, once you enter the park and drive on the winding road for awhile to the Yosemite Valley. You will witness a breathtaking lookout just like this one. If you are coming from the southern side of the Yosemite (Wowana Road), you will enter into the long tunnel to the gateway into the Yosemite Valley. Driving in the tunnel makes you feel the anticipation for something special. Then at the end of the tunnel you will see tons of people standing around at the lookout/ viewpoint taking pictures. Look closely you can see a magnificent Bridal Veil Fall from right.

From this road, you can continue down and will come across the unique areas. They are very clever to have free shuttle that stops at the main areas. There are many things happening in this area. I feel it is like Disneyland once you enter the park. Just be aware that you might see Bears, deers, bats, and other animals. You will be surrounded by many people here, in case you are worried. Try not to leave food or scented items in your car while you are asleep. It can attract bears or other wild animals. Plus, you can do a lot of things like bicycling, hiking, rafting, sun bathing. They also have rentals for bicycles/raft, grocery stores, restaurants, and information centers. The park also have activities for night time hikers, children's learning center, etc... If you stay in the park at a campsite. Some nights they will ask you if you would like to join for a story telling around the large fire pit.

Can you imagine seeing a person standing on top of this huge, massive Half Dome? This picture was taken at the Glacier Point which is a different route if you want to have this view. There is only one way in and one way out here. From above at Glacier Point, you soak in all the beauty of nature. They have a few trails for you and a small shop. If you follow the trail up to Glacier Point which is not very far. You can observe different angles of the park and if you have good vision, you can see the famous sites. At night, I would drive up here to star gaze. It is extremely beautiful. The air, sound of waterfalls, and the numerous stars. It is amazing! It is a unique experience of its own. When the sky is clear with no moon, you can see the clusters of stars forming a large linear plane that gives a unique view point looking out of the Milky Way galaxy. If you have telescopes, this is the place. Try bringing warm clothes or even a sleeping bag to lie on your back while watching the stars. There are plenty of paved concrete. I stayed at the Bridal Veil campsite a 15-20 minutes away from Glacier Point which is located above the Yosemite Valley. It is a first come, first serve site. Up here you can see the bottom of the Yosemite Valley which is really neat. You can also see people, cars, streams, waterfalls, campsites, and stores. It's fun to see different viewpoints. I highly recommend it.

This area was taken at the Tuolumne Meadows location north eastern part of Yosemite National Park. We went on the Tioga Pass, a winding road that goes eastward towards Nevada. You''ll also be able to see large coniferous trees, lakes, rock climber and meadows like the one shown above. It's a little less crowded than the valley. I didn't spend much time here, just look around and take a quick shot. I had my little puppy, Teddy, and since the park does not allow pets on unpaved trails, I can't take him on certain hiking areas.