Monica E.
Yelp
How lucky to have been able to visit Yosemite for the day and A) not have to wait house in line, B) somehow miss most crowds and C) get a chance to see all the sights in one day.
Rare!
The timing was impeccable, early June before the mandatory reservation process began.
Driving into Yosemite National Park is like stumbling into a postcard. Literally. You ever been to the Grand Canyon? You know how it looks fake? Like it's a picture or a painting? There are parts of Yosemite that look and feel like that.
The day kicked off with the obligatory stop at Tunnel View. I am not certain what the drive into the actual park is like during peak season (when there are hundreds upon hundreds of people trying to enter the park at once), and know that there are many recommendations on when, where and how to enter to beat the crowds, but coming in through Tunnel View was a dream.
I felt an actual surge of adrenaline when the valley view came into sight upon the tunnel exit. It is a pristine, perfect view with El Capitan, Half Dome and Bridalveil Fall in view. Lucky to be arriving on a sunny day, tool. The view of full of lush trees, granite cliffs, raging waters and a big sky. This is the perfect spot for photos, and parking will be sparse.
There are two small parking lots, one on the immediate left and the other on the right once you exit the tunnel. By some chance of luck, there was ample parking on this day. Be attentive, because the shuttles run through and take up a good amount of space in the parking lot on the left side, so there are bound to be lots of people walking around not attentive to their surroundings.
I was impressed to find how easy it was to get around the park. There is a main road that basically creates a horseshoe route through the valley for more sights of El Capitan, Half Dome, Bridalveil and Yosemite Falls. And there are many, many trailheads and places for casual walking and picnics.
There is better access to the river toward the "back" of the park -- the road ends and circles back around the end of Half Dome and the camping areas.
Yosemite Falls is more popular than Bridalveil. The trail, though crowded has so many hidden nooks close to the cascading water curtains -- just perfect for rest, a picnic or meditation.
But be careful not to go off trails and avoid climbing over barriers. It's surprisingly how willing people are to put themselves (and potentially those who would then need to rescue them) in danger.
For a bit of history, the Ahwahnee Hotel is in the park. Rumor says it is haunted. The hotel is in an area called the Indian Village of Ahwahnee, located behind the Yosemite Museum. It was built right on top of what was once the largest Indian village in Yosemite Valley, where the Miwok peoples lived. The Ahwahnechee traditionally lived in the valley and their descendants still live in the region around Yosemite. Local Native and Indigenous community members still use the space for ceremonies and special gatherings.
I was eager to learn the history of how Yosemite was developed into one of the most prominent national parks in the United States. The U.S. federal government began evicting Yosemite Native peoples from the park in the 1800s, and this continued into the 20th century. The focus: resettling, and also logging, mining, and grazing. Interestingly, John Muir worked to create awareness about the damage caused to the valley meadows and petitioned for the government to create a national park to preserve the territory.
I recommend reading up on the history of the Southern Sierra Miwuk Nation, which is seeking federal recognition as of this writing.
