On a recent trip to San Francisco, I decided I wanted to revisit Yosemite National Park, a place I hadn’t been since childhood. I really was looking forward to visiting here as an adult and getting to appreciate the scenery in a way I probably did not appreciate years ago. My trip certainly did not disappoint, my only regret was not having more time to

EXPERIENCE

I was completely blown away by Yosemite. Though summer in popular national parks is synonymous with imposing crowds, I managed to not let this bother me. Since I only had a few days, I focused my explorations on Yosemite Valley. I got in a 10-hour hike one day, and did a lovely evening hike out to Mirror Lake for sunset another night. I would highly recommend this, as seeing the sun illuminate Half Dome is really something worth the word majestic. My long day of hiking included a stop over in Lower and Upper Yosemite Falls, these are lovely but Lower Falls was running less intensely than I had imagined. My hike up to Vernal and Nevada Falls were by far the highlight of my trip. The stunning landscapes, waterfall pools, spray and rainbows made this one of the most brilliant hikes I have ever done. While somewhat challenging, especially in the summer heat, I would highly recommend doing this if you have the chance.

Other aspects of the park I enjoyed were stopping in to check out the Native American crafts and stunning interior of the historic Ahwahnee Lodge as well as visiting the on site Ansel Adams Museum (big fan!).

For next time, I’d love to plan better in advance and get the permit (and perhaps a little more upper body strength) to summit Half Dome. This truly seems spectacular and I’d love to do it someday.  I would also like to hike Bridalviel Falls next time I go, just wasn’t time for everything on this trip.

STAY

So, I’ll admit planning was poor for me on this trip. I was so busy, that the dates snuck up on me, and week before, I found myself clamoring for lodging. I found airbnb offerings (my reliable go to) to be sketchy at best near the park, and most accommodations in the park were very expensive or already booked up being July. Most, with the exception of a place called Curry Village. Curry Village offers permanent tent lodging and proved to be the perfect place for a solo hiker to make camp for a few nights. While I am not super crazy about tight quartered campsites, this gave me the feeling of being safe (from bears) and allowed me to arrive essentially unprepared in many ways.

EAT

I cannot say food was a highlight of these few days, though the park food isn’t bad and readily available to purchase around Yosemite Valley. All food must be kept locked up in a bear box while in the tent. Since I came unprepared and campfires are not allowed in Curry Village, my diet consisted mostly of Clif Bars and fruit for these couple days. These were easy to grab in the village shop. Note, there is also a bar in Curry Village, which thankfully serves some excellent local brews to round out a long day of hiking in the Sierra Nevadas.