The planning

The plan to visit Yosemite National Park was hatched weeks prior to departure. Discussion initially started with a plan to go to a certified Dark Sky location and observe/photograph the Milky Way – a galaxy that includes the Earth’s rotational Solar System. Plan A failed when it was discovered that this activity included a drive of over 10 hours and was devoid of any other practical leisurely activity for this particular empty nesters. Plan B was either Yosemite National Park or Redwood National and State Parks. Yosemite National Park easily won the discussion. The next phase was booking the flight and vehicle rental, making reservation for hotel accommodation, and deciding the plan of daily activities.

The arrival

The Yosemite National Park travel and adventure started as we were landing at Fresno Yosemite International Airport. It was a short flight that had a brief stop at Las Vegas, Nevada. Luckily, we didn’t have to disembark the plane. Open seating by Southwest Airlines allowed us to find new seats at the first row when flight resumed. Disembarking was quick and easy.

Retrieving the rental vehicle was easy. It was right next to the exit and there were plenty of vehicles available. We opted for a small SUV. We later realized that it was the best vehicle for driving to the national park since it was very economical in fuel consumption. Gas prices in California was expensive!

The Way to Yosemite National Park

The first destination was Island Pacific Seafood Market. We found a wide variety of authentic Filipino food and grocery items. We had our fill of food and gathered the necessary grocery items for our adventure to Yosemite National Park.

It took us an hour to reach our hotel at Oakhurst, California. It was right in the middle of town and it was right next to US 41 – the same highway that leads directly to the south entrance of Yosemite National Park. This was currently the most accessible entrance. Closing significant portions of Yosemite National Park became necessary due to heavy snow accumulation and road damage.

It took another hour of driving to reach the south entrance and Yosemite Valley. We felt like driving through the narrow and winding mountain road was a challenge. The winding road limited visibility and a lot of drivers were tailgating.

The valley

The atmosphere was more relaxed at Yosemite Valley. Driving was slower and there was parking everywhere. We later realized that we were there in the middle of the week. The weekend crowd was not there yet! We spent most of the day scoping out the areas of interest. Tunnel View was too divine to just scope out. We spent some time there to admire the landscape view of El Capitan, The Three Brothers, Half Dome, and Bridal Veil Falls.

Lunch was eclectic and just enough to satisfy hunger at Yosemite Valley Lodge Food Court.

We headed to El Portal, the west entrance of Yosemite National Park. Merced River, the main artery receiving all the water tributaries of Yosemite’s peaks was right next to town. The water was raging as I took photographs.

Our first guided activity was a stargazing tour. It was a beautiful experience. The guide told us stories about the stars and identified constellations in the dark night sky. The downside was that we had to drive through the winding mountain road back to our hotel in the middle of a pitch-dark night! We should have booked a lodge within the park!

Mariposa Grove and guided valley tour

Mariposa Grove Visitor Center had a number of people milling around when we arrived. We tried to arrive as early as possible since we knew that we had to hike to reach Mariposa Grove. We considered the approximately 4-mile round trip hike to Mariposa Grove Trailhead as moderate. We were not ready for the strenuous 7-mile round trip hike to Wawona Point. The cluster of Sequoia Trees in the grove were majestic but were not even the giants.

It was back to Yosemite Valley Lodge in the afternoon. We booked for a guided tour of Yosemite Valley floor. The experience did not disappoint us as the park ranger provided a lot of information about Yosemite.

Kings Canyon National Park and Hume Lake

Today we met the giants of Sequoia Trees at Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks. Well, the second and third giants. The number one giant was at Sequoia National Park and was currently inaccessible. We signed up for the free guided tour. It was a slow half mile hike and we got the most information while walking the half mile.

There wasn’t much to do after seeing the giant Sequoia Trees. We decided to follow the road to Hume Lake. Hume Lake was created by a reservoir and we were surprised to find a Christian Camp by the lake that was vibrant with activities. There was also a breathtaking view of Sierra Nevada Mountain Range across the lake.

Yosemite Mountain Sugar Pine Railroad and Mirror Lake

It was back driving through the mountain road as we headed for Yosemite Mountain Sugar Pine Railroad. We booked an excursion ride on a narrow gauge train that was used by the old lumber companies. The ride was historical and educational. The ride though was only half of the original route because of winter damage to the lines.

We went back to Yosemite National Park and hiked the 2-mile round trip to Mirror Lake. The hike was a steady upgrade rise of around 100 feet. The lake became popular for reflecting the surrounding peaks on its mirrored surface. The Tenaya River feeds the lake and becomes fullest during spring and early summer. It was magical watching the reflections on the mirrored surface of the water.

Hetch Hetchy Reservoir

Our last day was spent hiking the trail along Hetch Hetchy Reservoir. We reached the first of the five waterfalls that were visible from atop the O’Shaughnessy Dam but decided not go any farther. There was a variety of flowering flora along the trail. It was astonishing to see the vibrant colors of the flowers. The birds were always on the tree tops and chirping loudly.

Going Home

It was a slow drive going back to Fresno, California. We stopped at Simonian Farms to check out their produce before heading for the airport. The Farm was highly recommended by a good friend. To say the least, we carried a full bag of their produce home.