road trip to cali

Bridalveil Fall / taken with my vintage camera from Inspiration Point

Hours after summer vacation officially started, our family (dog included) packed into the car and headed to California.  One of the stops on our list was Yosemite National Park.  We visited Yosemite three years ago, but just for the day- not nearly enough time to explore the park's many trails and sites.

This time around, we stayed in a cabin with a close family friend who knows his way around the park.  The Yosemite Valley floor is quite crazy during the summertime (crowds rivaling those at Disneyland), so he led us to more remote spots.  On our first hike, which was a rock scramble up a mountainside, we only saw a total of five people on the trail!

Climbing over loose rocks on a steep grade is quite precarious and nerve-wracking, especially for those not fond of heights (ahem, me).  But, I was determined to see the amazing viewpoint at the top where four of the five major waterfalls in the park can be spotted.  And, apparently, it was at this overlook that a 14 year-old Ansel Adams took his first photos of Yosemite.

Safely back on the ground, we saw two of the waterfalls up close- Yosemite Falls and Bridalveil Fall.  Yosemite Falls actually has its own live webcam that you can view here.  Pretty cool!

Yosemite Falls

engraved tree at Bridalveil Fall

greeted by friendly deer

My favorite time was dusk, when the massive rock walls lit up in beautiful hues of pink, orange, and purple.  In the photo below, you can see the iconic landmark, Half Dome, in the distance.

Our legs were a little soar by the end of our time in Yosemite- a sign of a good adventure.  From the Sierras, we continued our road trip westward.  Next destination: Lost Coast.