Yosemite National Park has long been a place of inspiration for artists, climbers and nature lovers. Campers and hikers come here all the time to get lost in the park’s beautiful mountains and valleys. I’ve traveled the park and hiked from south to north.
CAMPING
If you want to have a real adventure and spend more days here and don’t want to spend too much money, there’s nothing easier than taking your own tent and camping. After all, that’s what most tourists and American families do. It’s a great way to experience the park. And it’s a bit of an adrenaline sport here, because there are signs everywhere looking at you: “Bears beware!” I’ll come back to those later, though. There are several great campsites to choose from in the park. The most popular campgrounds for visitors are North Pines, Upper Pines and Lower Pines. Climbers head to the infamous Camp 4. Tents and cabins are also available for rent at Curry Village. Most importantly, you can buy food here.
I didn’t find a campsite until the last minute, so I stayed at a campground in Wawona the first few days and Upper Pines the following days. If I had to compare the two campsites, I would have to say that the Wawona campground was much quieter and the camping spots were more distant from each other. Whereas at Upper Pines I found it to be head to head, no great privacy. Also, count on the fact that you have to book the campsite in advance, especially in high season. Otherwise, you’re out of luck.
Another thing not to be underestimated is the fact that there is no place to wash dishes or no shower. Luckily there is water and normal toilets where you can at least brush your teeth.
THE BEARS
Yosemite National Park is home to hundreds of American black bears, which have a big appetite. They’re also incredibly curious and have an amazing sense of smell. That’s why they can smell any food. Keep this in mind, because it can make them aggressive and put them at risk of being exterminated. And you don’t want that?! Food is any object with a smell, regardless of the packaging. This can include items that you do not consider food, such as cans, bottles, drinks, soaps, cosmetics, toiletries, rubbish and unwashed items used to prepare or eat food. All such items must be properly stored.
HOW TO STORE FOOD
If you’re going to be driving in daylight, it’s a good idea to keep food hidden in the car. Use the food locker after dark. Remember to remove food wrappers, crumbs in child seats and baby wipes from the car. Think about packing all your food and related items together so you can easily remove them from the car when you arrive in Yosemite. Food lockers are available in parking lots and at all campgrounds. Be aware that failure to properly store food can result in a fine of up to $5,000 or revocation of your camping permit. And that’s really not worth it! 🙂
Always keep the lockers closed. If you’re going to barbecue, only keep the food you actually use outside. If you don’t use them, put them back in the cupboard. The same goes for rubbish. Always dispose of them in a bear-proof bin. Never leave them lying around.
If you choose and have permission to camp in the wild, you are required to carry bear-proof food containers (“bear canisters”). This is the only and effective method to prevent bears from getting to human food.
MEETING WITH THE BEAR
If you get close to a bear, keep a distance of at least 50 metres from it. If a bear approaches you, startle it with a very loud and aggressive cry. Don’t run away!
MARIPOSA GROVE
My first stop was Mariposa Grove, one of the most visited destinations in Yosemite National Park. It’s the southernmost part of Yosemite National Park, just outside of Wawona. You won’t find any granite cliffs here like in the northern part of the park, but there are up to 500 giant sequoias in total. They’re called “mammoth trees”. People come here from all over the world to admire them.
They are not called mammoth trees for nothing. Some of them live for more than 3000 years. It was even the first place protected by the federal government. This place will really take your breath away! This experience can’t just be conveyed, but must be experienced firsthand. Words can’t describe the experience, but I guarantee you’ll understand what I’m talking about once you’re there.
TRAVELLING IN MARIPOSA GROVE AND FIRES
I have to say, I was pretty lucky. About 14 days before my scheduled trip, this area was closed due to fires. We had to leave our car in a local parking lot and a bus took us directly to the site. So if you decide to visit Mariposa, be sure to visit the park’s official website to read about the current situation in the park.
WHAT YOU MAY NOT HAVE KNOWN ABOUT SEQUOIAS
Sequoias reproduce by fire because the heat opens their cones and releases the seeds. Fire is also important for the survival of these giant trees because it reduces the number of competing species fighting for the water and nutrients they get from the ground. What I didn’t know was that rangers here deliberately set controlled fires again and again to simulate this process that redwoods need so much.
FOREST BATHING
The park is quiet and this led me to the idea of practicing the Japanese forest bath called “shinrin – yoku“. This ritual heals the soul and strengthens immunity. You also get a better mood, lower blood pressure and get rid of stress. But don’t confuse it with a walk in the woods. It is a kind of conscious immersion in nature and awareness of the places, sounds and smells of the forest. And how can you practice such a bath? Just turn off your phone, notice your feelings, feel the wind, the sunlight or the smells of the forest. And I have to say that the redwood forest smells really nice. You try to correct your breathing and feel yourself getting comfortable. The whole so-called bathing should take 10 – 20 minutes. So just stop for a while on your way through the forest and admire the beauty around you.
FOREST WALK
There are several trails in the park and it’s up to you how long you choose. The paths in the park are fairly well marked. They intersect, ascend, descend, but at most intersections it is marked where each path leads. So you can get your bearings quite well and shorten or lengthen your trip as needed.
On the way you can see this beauty:
GRIZZLY GIANT
It is the 25th largest tree in the world. It should reach a height of 63.7 m and the circumference of the trunk is even 29.5 m.
TREE WAWONA
The tree is 69 m tall and has a trunk circumference of 27 m on the ground. Due to fires, a tunnel was cut in the tree, through which horse carriages and later automobiles passed. It became a popular tourist attraction. Unfortunately, it fell during a snowstorm and was renamed the “Fallen Wawona Tunnel Tree“. The park is now home to only the remnants.
TUNEL CALIFORNIA TREE
This is another tree in the park that has been touched by fire. However, this tunnel can only be walked through. It is currently the only living tree with a tunnel.
WAWONA POINT VIEW
The viewpoint is located at an altitude of 2,070 metres, from where there are magnificent views of the valley and the opposite hills. I have to say that visiting Mariposa reminded me a lot of visiting Sequoia National Park, but that didn’t bother me at all. When else will I get a chance to visit here again.
WALKING TOURISM
It is hard to imagine visiting Yosemite Park without visiting one of the hiking trails. The park offers a variety of hikes, from short and easy hikes, including some with handicapped-accessible trails, to full-day or multi-day hikes. The most popular trails include hikes to waterfalls or high overlooks, but you can also hike to alpine lakes and meadows.
Just keep in mind that the shorter trails in the valley are always the busiest, so you’ll never be alone.
Places that you should not miss on your wanderings through the park:
TUNNEL VIEW
You should not miss this view. It offers the most classic view of the Yosemite Valley. A view that will look very familiar to most visitors. You can see El Capitan on the left, Bridalveil Fall on the right, and Half Dome in the distance. My experience is that if you drive like I did towards Wawona, most of the granite rock walls will be in shadow in the morning. This vantage point is best appreciated more in the afternoon when everything is nicely in the sunlight.
Just beyond the tunnel is a parking lot that can be accessed by entering Yosemite Valley from Wawona Road. If you head towards Glacier Point from the valley, you will pass Tunnel View just before entering the tunnel.
ONE-WAY STREET
As you drive through the park, keep in mind that it is a one-way street.
YOSEMITE FALLS
This waterfall falls over a granite wall and crashes against the rocks at the base of the cliff. It is one of the most spectacular and striking in Yosemite Valley.
At the beginning of the hike to Yosemite Falls, you will be presented with one of the most complete and best views of the waterfall.
HALF DOME
Half Dome is one of the most famous sites in Yosemite and is known in the climbing world as one of the first “big climbs.” This granite icon looks very different depending on the angle you look at it from. Looking up from the valley onto the sheer rock face, its massiveness is obvious and one can understand why it has attracted climbers. The dome shape is clearly visible and it is easy to see why it is called Half Dome.
EL CAPITAN
Among climbers, El Capitan is a legendary 3,000-foot rock face on the north side of Yosemite Valley. Although it may not seem like it, El Capitan is actually much taller than Half Dome. It gained attention thanks to Alex Honnold’s solo ascent, which became the first person to climb El Capitan without ropes and completely unaided. The ascent took three hours and 56 minutes.
If you want to get closer to the wall, or even touch it, you can park behind the El Capitan picnic area and walk up to the wall.
WALK THROUGH YOSEMITE VALLEY
This walk is very nice. However, don’t be surprised that you will walk in the shade and much of the route is along the road uncovered by trees. At least that was the case in our case, because many of the trees were burned down. So it’s better to take something on your head. But don’t worry, the path runs along the road, and if you can’t, buses run regularly.
GLACIER POINT
Glacier Point, located at an elevation of 7,000 feet (2,199 m), offers a magnificent view of the entire valley and many other places beyond, providing a completely new perspective. It is one of the most stunning views in Yosemite National Park and a must-see.
FOUR MILE TRAIL TRIP
The Four Mile Trail leads to Glacier Point at an elevation of 10,000 feet above Yosemite Valley. Despite its name, the trail is almost five miles long. The trail is quite steep and climbs steadily and relentlessly with many switchbacks. Because I suffer from vertigo, there were a few times during the trip when I couldn’t look down. But honestly. It’s doable! Soon you’ll see El Cap and the valley through the trees.
About halfway up the climb, you’ll get a view of Half Dome. I have to admit, I was pretty tired when I reached the top. The view was definitely worth it! About a mile below Glacier Point is the Union Point Lookout. I was already pretty lazy on the way down and a little afraid of heights, so I skipped this point.
The remaining three miles down to the valley floor went by quickly. And most importantly, I didn’t get lost! 🙂
And at the end you will be greeted by an incredibly beautiful view. 🙂
MY TIP:
If you decide to visit the park and walk the trail in the summer, go early in the morning. This way you will avoid other people on the path, but especially the heat and the flies that will be flying around you.
SODA SPRINGS IN TUOLUMNE MEADOWS
This hike is located in the eastern part of Yosemite National Park, near the Tuolumne Meadows Visitor Center. Since very few people travel over Tioga Pass to this side of the park, you will be almost alone here, unlike any hike in Yosemite Valley.
Soda Springs begins just across the street and east of the visitor center entrance. The hike is unshaded, but flat and easy. The distance is only 1.0 mile round trip. You will cross three different streams as you walk. You can spot a few small fish just under the footbridges. After crossing a meadow, the trail turns left and follows an old road. It then climbs uphill for a very short distance to some old buildings. You can then watch the bubbling water bubble to the surface.
Yosemite National Park is definitely worth a visit. For me it was quite an unusual experience – tall trees, sleeping in a campsite where a bear could come at any time and above all breathtaking views all the time. In short, unbelievable!
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