Growing up as a kid I had always dreamed of going to Yosemite National Park. Inspired by all the television shows and documentaries that captured parts of the vistas on film, I wondered what it would be like to explore the park for myself. Recently, I had the opportunity to do just that…
Having camped the night before in Mammoth Lakes area, we got up and headed north on 395 just east of the Ansel Adams Wilderness to a tiny little town called Lee Vining. From Lee Vining, we took Tioga Pass up to the park entrance at nearly 10000 feet.
The view approaching Tioga Pass!
At the park entrance, you will come to a small station which is built to look like a log cabin. There, you will find a gate and someone to give your $20.00 entrance fee. That will buy you a week’s worth of access to the park all the wonders contained within. You will also receive a park guide which has a basic map of the park and listings of points of interest.
It costs 20 dollars per car for a week's access to the park.
Only a couple main roads traverse the park. We entered on 120, which winds all the way to the west side of the park, passing small meadows, snow and ice covered tributaries, rock formations, and many different types of wildlife on the way. Places like Tuolumne Meadows provide access to horseback riding trails along some of the most scenic countryside one can imagine. Coming in from the west provides many opportunities to see a cross section of what Yosemite has to offer, however the drive to Yosemite Village is a good 2 to 2.5 hour drive depending on the number of visitors. If you plan to bring the kids, they can get bored on the drive. Gas stations and rest stops are few and far between as well. Its best to fuel up and take care of business prior to entering the park or get a map of the park and plan your stops.
Looking down the valley toward Half Dome
One of my absolute favorite things in this world is being near running water. Driving east to west through the park, the elevation drops as the decent into Yosemite Valley begins. During this drive, depending on the conditions, its easy to find streams of running water that run down into the Merced River. Travelers can park along the riverbank and explore the river bottom. The scenery is amazing and the river running through it all somehow puts the experience over the top.
Enjoying a moment along the Merced.
At this point in the journey, the Yosemite Village area is not far away. Landmarks known all over the world like El Capitan and Half Dome reside just a short hike from Yosemite Village as well as boundless numbers of travelers and tourists from every corner of the globe. Stay tuned for “Yosemite National Park… Wow! (Part 2)…
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