Don’t get me wrong, I’m not in any way your typical outdoor-lover passionate about hiking, camping, fishing, etc.. But never in million years could I visit California without seeing one of the biggest and the oldest (some of them more than 3,000 years old!) trees in the world! I must confess Yosemite National Park charmed me to such an extent that I’m dreaming about going back for a camping trip! It’s that magical.
Located in Central California’s Sierra Nevada mountain range, Yosemite National Park encompases an incredible 1170 square miles of breathtaking natural splendor. This unparalleled parkland is famous for its plunging waterfalls, massive granite faces and the gigantic sequoias and sky-reaching redwoods. Nature lovers and thrill seekers can enjoy countless pursuits: hiking, rafting, biking, golfing, snow sports, gold panning, rock climbing, fishing, birding, wildflowers, horseback riding, Zip Line and Aerial adventure, ranches, and more (here is a great reference for all the activities you could plan there). Similar to our trip to California’s wine country, we decided it would have been efficient to book a day tour via a tour company because we had only a day to spare. While spending a day in this massive greenland is not nearly enough to cover and enjoy all its majestic sights, the tour was well-organized and we managed to visit four gorgeous sights in the park.
Tuolumne Grove of Giant Sequoias
Considered to be the most massive living thing on earth, Giant Sequoia trees can live from 1,000 – 3,000 years.
Yosemite Valley
This 4,000-foot/1,220-meter-deep trough, lined by towering cliffs and glacially sculpted, polished rock left us completely breathless. It felt like we were looking at a painting.
Bridalveil FallS
Ribbon Fall flows off a cliff on the west side of El Capitan and is the longest single-drop waterfall in North America. Unfortunately, due to August heat it was nothing but a barely visible thin string of water flowing down the cliffs. However, it was still breathtaking to look up at this massive cliff.
El Capitan
Rock climbers from around the world come to this Yosemite mountain to challenge their abilities on its granite face giving visitors an excellent opportunity to view this unique sport. We tried to spot the rock climbers but didn’t have any luck.
While I’m no good at rock-climbing, I made sure to channel my inner yogi by doing some arm balances on the rock.
And also attempt to fly…
Even though we barely managed to scratch the surface of the beautiful scenery that Yosemite has to offer, we were in awe at the uniqueness of this place. It was truly a spectacular trip and one we’ll never forget!
Which national park(s) in U.S. have you been to or would like to visit?
Link your inspirational stories for me to read. :)
Catch up on part one of my California travel series featuring San Francisco must-see attractions here; and part two of our tipsy adventures in California’s wine country here.
xoxo