Yosemite National Park

Yosemite is indeed one of the most magnificent national parks in the United States. It offers stunning natural beauty and can be visited throughout the year. Located approximately a four-hour drive from San Francisco, it is easily accessible for a day trip or a longer stay. If you don’t like hike too much there are still plenty of opportunities to enjoy the park. You can explore various areas by car and take short strolls to see incredible waterfalls and rock formations. You will see lot of climbers on El Capital, you must see during evening when you will see lights. Other mountain is Half Dome and to reach the summit, you need a permit, and the park holds a lottery for permits each March. If you’re fortunate enough to secure a permit, you can embark on the thrilling ascent from May to October when the cables are in place to assist climbers

Hikes in Yosemite:

Lower Yosemite Falls

This trail is easy and loop is about 1 mile.

Glacier Point

Trail is short about 0.6 mile. It can be crowded during peak season, but worth it for this view.

Half Dome

Yosemite has very beautiful hikes and so many option. Our bucket list included Half Dome hike with cables. This year (2019) we won our permit and got ready. Hike is 16-18 miles depends on which trail you choose. We had permit for July so we knew it will be very hot. On the way up we chose Mist Trail – more steps up but shorter. On the way back we chose John Muir – 2 miles longer.

Before you go, you need to start preparing by doing long 10-16 miles hikes with good gain elevation. Very useful will be gym and exercises for hands. You need be prepared for long hike and then on cables you need strong hands to lift yourself on smooth wall of granite where only you have cables to hold. For Half Dome if you are in good shape you can do it in 9-10 hours but if not, you need to be ready for 10-16 hours hike. It seems crazy and it is with no stairs and no holes in wall to keep your feet, and every few feet just wooden strap. Take good shoes with grip and gloves!

Vernal Fall and Nevada Fall

Beautiful but difficult hike when first fall trail has only 1.5 miles (2.4 km) one way but it is really steep. There can be lot of water so you can be wet. It is a good place to relax and enjoy view. You can do just this part of hike and go back.

To Nevada fall you have 3.4 miles (5.5 km) more and on the way back you can choose John Muir trail.

Firefall

Firefall it is a beautiful effect when sun light hit the waterfall for few days in mid February each year. You can always check online when is the perfect time to see it. When we went, there were lot of people and we needed to park our car very far. If you are planning make sure to reach earlier to have parking spot and also good place to see.