Yosemite National Park

The last time we visited Yosemite NP was 2003, so we were overdue for a return. Getting reservations six months ago was a mess with the idiotic Republican cuts to the Park Service employees. The reservation system was chaotic, and some campgrounds were showing as closed for the summer due to staff constraints. I managed to get our three nights - at three different campgrounds. 

 

We drove in from the lesser travelled east side over Tioga Pass at almost 10,000 feet in elevation. We stopped at a few alpine lakes and even took a refreshing wade into one.

Reflecting lake near Tioga Pass.

Elena at a reflecting lake

The granite comes into view

Refreshing snowmelt lake

 The next stop was Tuolumne Meadow, where we strolled out to Soda Springs, which has been a long time water source for indigenous people and early explorers. We strolled across the high alpine meadow. Crossing the bridge seemed like a scene from Monty Python and the Holy Grail with the marmot gatekeeper.

 

Elena overlooking the meadows with distant peaks

Paul at a bridge acros the stream

For all the Monty Python fans.

Our next stop was Bridalveil Falls. The misty waterfall would shift as the wind shifted.

Bridalveil Falls

My bride in front of Bridalveil Fall.

Our campsite the first night was at Upper Pines. We took an evening hike up to Vernal Falls. This is the Merced River making its grand entrance into the valley.

Vernal Falls

Merced River (Vernal Falls way in the back)

The next morning we hiked up to Mirror Lake. While at the lake a deer came right up behind me for a drink. A coyote crossed the trail right being Bebop and me, but we weren’t fast enough to get a photo.

Mirror Lake

A deer having a drink

Bebop and Paul at Mirror Lake

Elena visited the Museum while Bebop and I strolled across the meadow. It was pretty hot in the valley that day, so Bebop enjoyed a swim in the Merced River.

Bebop in front of Yosemite Falls

Bebop takes a swim in the Merced River

Since it was hot on the valley floor, we drove up 3,500 feet and hiked to Taft Point. 

Living on the edge at Taft Point

"Back up just a little more . . . "

About 3,500 feet above the valley floor

Next we visited the breathtaking Glacier Point. It was a clear day and the views didn’t even look real. You can see how the glacier slid down and carved out that solid granite.

Sitting on a rock overlooking rocks.

Glacier carved valley

Paul at Glacier Point

Elena and Paul at Glacier Point

Paul and Bebop at Glacier Point

On our final full day we walked the loop around the meadow and up to lower Yosemite Falls. Then we drove out to a lightly visited section of the park - Hetch Hetchy. This granite valley was dammed about a century ago to provide water for San Francisco. The native people were driven out and a beautiful glacier carved valley, similar to Yosemite, was flooded. We walked across the dam and around part of the lake. 

 

Milkweed in the meadow and Yosemite Falls in the shadow.

Elena at the Merced River

Bebop, the water quality inspector

We then we drove out to a lightly visited section of the park - Hetch Hetchy. This granite valley was dammed about a century ago to provide water for San Francisco. The native people were driven out and a beautiful glacier carved valley, similar to Yosemite, was flooded. We walked across the dam and around part of the lake.

Hetch Hetchy reservoir

The Tuolumne River flowing out of the dam

Paul on the dam

Elena with a view down the flooded canyon.

That's all from Yosemite for now. We still have four weeks ahead on our road trip to other beautiful places. Here are a few photos from back in 2003 when we were last here:

Photos from our 2003 trip to Yosemite

- Paul

Read More

Spring 2025 Trip Wrapup

We enjoyed a 27-day April trip, which was planned to hit great temperatures across several states. The goal was for lows in the 30s or 40s and highs in the 60s or 70s. After a couple of long travel days and avoiding a late winter storm in the panhandle of Texas, we started the exploration at the Bisti Badlands. See this blog for more details of that area.

One of the Wings in Bisti. See the blog for more info.

 After that we made our way to Shiprock, then the Canyon de Chelly. We were at Canyon de Chelly in 2022 and a flash flood hit while we were in the canyon on a tour. Here's a blog from that trip. We had clear weather this time and completed the canyon tour. 

Elena at Spider Rock

Paul at Canyon de Chelly

Note the ancient structures in the cliff

Next, we headed toward Page and picked a new slot canyon to tour - actually a pair this time. We visited Rattlesnake Canyon and Owl Canyon. Rattlesnake is named for the shape, not for potential reptiles that lurk in the slot. Owl Canyon hosts nesting Great Horned Owls.

Rattlesnake canyon

Elena emerges from the earth

At the end of Owl Canyon

Paul & Elena at the end of Owl Canyon

Between Page, AZ and Kanab, UT we visited the old Paria town site and took a tour of White Pocket. Here's a blog with details and photos from both areas. 

The bentonite hills near Paria, UT

Paul Hanging on at White Pocket

We headed up to Bryce Canyon NP next - and I do mean up. The campground is at about 8,000 foot elevation. On our way, we took a quick stroll through the Belly of the Dragon just north of Kanab.

Belly of the Dragon

Paul & Bebop at Bryce Canyon

Tunnel to views

Elena down in the hoodoos

Colorful Bryce Canyon

We initially planned 2 nights at Bryce, but there was a winter storm approaching with freezing precipitation and temperatures in the teens. We enjoyed a mild day of hiking, then headed down 2,200 feet to Escalante where the temperature would be milder. Escalante dropped to around freezing, and we had some light snow and graupel, which quickly melted. 

In Escalante we rented a Jeep so I could get us close to a shorter trail to a most unusual feature, the Cosmic Volcano (also known as the Cosmic Ashtray). This unusual feature has been sculpted out of the side of a mountain with wind and sand. It's over 300' across. The wind was blowing about 40mph when we hiked up to it - and the temperature was in the 40s as well.

Paul at the Cosmic Volcano

The full Cosmic Volcano

We also visited Devil's Garden and some local Dinosaur tracks while we were down the Hole in the Rock Road.

Paul & Bebop on a big stick under a large arch

Bebop examines a delicate arch

Bebop in Devil's Garden

Devil's Garden

Bebop near a 3 toed dinosaur track

We drove across the Devil's Backbone and over the edge of Boulder Mountain toward our next destination - Capitol Reef National Park. There was still a fair amount of snow on Boulder Mountain. In Capitol Reef, we hiked along Sulfur Creek to a small waterfall and enjoyed the scenic drive along the uplift.

Capitol Reef NP

Bebop at Capitol Reef NP

Paul & Elena at Capitol Reef NP

Elena at Capitol Reef NP

The next stop was Goblin Valley State Park. We hiked among the formations and also visited the Wild Horse Window Cave - a cave with a skylight.

Goblin Valley

One of many formations in Goblin Valley

Bebop looking for Goblins

Goblin Valley

Wild Horse Window Cave

Cave with a skylight

The skylight

Paul in the sunbeam

We next headed to Arches National Park, which was quite busy as usual. We hit a few of the highlights, culminating with a hike to Delicate Arch.

Paul & Elena at Delicate Arch

Landscape Arch

Paul is being watched by the rocks

Paul & Elena at Turret Arch

We camped for two nights at Dead Horse State Park. We hiked in Dead Horse and the adjacent Canyonlands NP Island in the Sky section.

Elena with the La Sal Mountains in the back

Elena taking in the scenery

Bebop overlooking the Colorado River

Above the sculpted floor below

An artistic tree

Paul & Elena at Mesa Arch

Elena at Upheaval Dome

Next, we headed to the less visited Needles section of Canyonlands. We're approaching the 4-year anniversary of our Winnebago Travato. We call it the Bebopabago, because Bebop thinks we bought it for her so she can travel with us - and she's not totally wrong. We have taken 13 road trips, with 299 days on the road, and almost 38,000 miles of adventure. For stats and info on our van see: https://enerjazz.com/travato/

Our Needles camp site - the van, not the teepee

A few years ago, I hiked the beautiful Chesler Park loop. This time I took on the challenging hike to Druid Arch. Here's a blog covering that segment of the trip.

Paul at Druid Arch

Here was our trip route and our trip data.

Trip Route (final leg to/from DFW cut off)

Trip Data

Days driving: 27
Miles Driven: 3,140 miles
Average miles/day: 116
Time Driving: 68 hours
Avg Speed: 46 mph
MPG: 16.6 (vehicle calc); 15.8 (actual)
Gas Used:  199 gallons, average of 7.4 gallons/day
Gas Cost: $579 ($21/day) - avg of $2.91/gallon

- Paul

Read More