Yosemite National Park

National parks need our help now more than ever-- thank you Trump. Yosemite has always been a very special park to me because I came here as a kid with my cousins once who is no longer alive. I have so many memories in this park.I've been back as an adult over 4 times and every time I get to see something new! The park is huge!!!! I have stayed at camp curry before and I would highly recommend it! I've also gone ice skating at the famous ice skating rink! Last year I got to see firefall 2024 and it was one of the best things I've ever seen!!!Please please please be kind to the park rangers, staff, and MOST IMPORTANTLY--- leave the park better than you fond it! Pick up your damn trash!!!!!!!!!

It never gets old, this is my se on time trying to watch the phenomena of the horsetail moments. It always happens the last two weeks of February and I always stay on the wrong spot to watch it because I don't get to see the real beauty of the horsetail view. Maybe next year I get to experience that. We will see. So I learned that I have to be far away from the Rock and not stay where the map tells you is there. Nevertheless I enjoy oxygenating my lungs and recharging. The drive is 2 hours and 40 min depending on the weather. This is from Fresno. We got there at 3.30 pm and we had some late lunch there. We took our own food. There is no restaurants close to this location. Come prepared because it gets cold. They have portable bathrooms and they have a whole road line for people to walk from and to the place. You get to see a lot of people walking through. Lots of people ready with tripods to capture the moment. I love to go every year if I can. So in love with Nature. If you have a chance remember don't stay where the map tells you, go farther. The view it's way better from afar. Also be ready for a good walk because parking places limited and unlessYou are there early, early the you have to park closer. Otherwise you have to park very far and walk a lot. Be ready to enjoy the view everywhere you look.

This is my happy place. I can't believe I waited 30 years to come here. Pictures do not do Yosemite justice. Its natural beauty is simply breathtaking. If there's any national park I recommend visiting - this is THE one!! You won't regret it. We spent the entire day here. Let me tell you, 24 hours is not enough time to cover each spot here. Mist trail has the most epic waterfall. See my pictures for proof. We also got the chance to hike and see a good view of half dome. Next time, I'd love to camp inside the park. Also -- love how there's no cell service. You can completely unplug and just enjoy nature. 100 out of 10 recommend

Wonderful experience!TIPS: awear sensible, comfortable walking/ hiking footwear. Layer your clothing. Take a guided tour unless you are an accomplished hiker; the tour guide we had new which sites were closed due to weather conditions, where to get the best information and vantage points for photographs, had historical insight which made the tour more interesting, and was able to accommodate my medical condition so that I could enjoy while my family took the hikes. We used Yosemite tours. Our guide was Jarrett.

Yosemite National Park is a park that everyone should visit at least once in their lifetime. The majestic views of the waterfalls and mountains is just so breathtaking and can be emotional to see in person as well - it was for me. I grew up going to Yosemite camping with family so seeing it again as an adult just brings back memories. If you are able to stay the night either camping or at a nearby lodge, do it! You need to visit the park in more than 1 day, maybe 3 days is best! There are easy to advance hikes, beautiful picnic areas, and the best picture perfect backgrounds throughout the park. Again, try to make it a point to visit this national park and take your visitors from out of the state or country here, they will be amazed by the 360 views!

Upper Pines Campground, one of my favorite spots but can definitely get really cold during the winter. Yosemite Valley food court has great food. Totally recommend this trip if you haven't been.

Majestic and stunning landscape throughout Yosemite and the National park annual pass is hands down the best deal ever for all outdoor lovers. We booked in advance to stay at Yosemite Valley lodge which you pay for mostly the location. Functional and spacious with big beds is luxury inside the park. This was well worth it to reduce the driving as Yosemite is huge. Also you don't need timed reservation to enter if you have reservation at the hotel. We hiked Yosemite falls and the upper falls was tough-ascent the whole way up and descent was no easier since the loose sand made it slippery. But the views and gratification of reaching the top was well worth it. Vernal and Nevada falls - gorgeous and easier hike than upper Yosemite. Sentinel dome and Taft point had fantastic views. We stayed for 5 days yet there was so much left unseen. Until next time, Yosemite!

How lucky to have been able to visit Yosemite for the day and A) not have to wait house in line, B) somehow miss most crowds and C) get a chance to see all the sights in one day. Rare! The timing was impeccable, early June before the mandatory reservation process began. Driving into Yosemite National Park is like stumbling into a postcard. Literally. You ever been to the Grand Canyon? You know how it looks fake? Like it's a picture or a painting? There are parts of Yosemite that look and feel like that. The day kicked off with the obligatory stop at Tunnel View. I am not certain what the drive into the actual park is like during peak season (when there are hundreds upon hundreds of people trying to enter the park at once), and know that there are many recommendations on when, where and how to enter to beat the crowds, but coming in through Tunnel View was a dream. I felt an actual surge of adrenaline when the valley view came into sight upon the tunnel exit. It is a pristine, perfect view with El Capitan, Half Dome and Bridalveil Fall in view. Lucky to be arriving on a sunny day, tool. The view of full of lush trees, granite cliffs, raging waters and a big sky. This is the perfect spot for photos, and parking will be sparse. There are two small parking lots, one on the immediate left and the other on the right once you exit the tunnel. By some chance of luck, there was ample parking on this day. Be attentive, because the shuttles run through and take up a good amount of space in the parking lot on the left side, so there are bound to be lots of people walking around not attentive to their surroundings. I was impressed to find how easy it was to get around the park. There is a main road that basically creates a horseshoe route through the valley for more sights of El Capitan, Half Dome, Bridalveil and Yosemite Falls. And there are many, many trailheads and places for casual walking and picnics. There is better access to the river toward the "back" of the park -- the road ends and circles back around the end of Half Dome and the camping areas. Yosemite Falls is more popular than Bridalveil. The trail, though crowded has so many hidden nooks close to the cascading water curtains -- just perfect for rest, a picnic or meditation. But be careful not to go off trails and avoid climbing over barriers. It's surprisingly how willing people are to put themselves (and potentially those who would then need to rescue them) in danger. For a bit of history, the Ahwahnee Hotel is in the park. Rumor says it is haunted. The hotel is in an area called the Indian Village of Ahwahnee, located behind the Yosemite Museum. It was built right on top of what was once the largest Indian village in Yosemite Valley, where the Miwok peoples lived. The Ahwahnechee traditionally lived in the valley and their descendants still live in the region around Yosemite. Local Native and Indigenous community members still use the space for ceremonies and special gatherings.I was eager to learn the history of how Yosemite was developed into one of the most prominent national parks in the United States. The U.S. federal government began evicting Yosemite Native peoples from the park in the 1800s, and this continued into the 20th century. The focus: resettling, and also logging, mining, and grazing. Interestingly, John Muir worked to create awareness about the damage caused to the valley meadows and petitioned for the government to create a national park to preserve the territory. I recommend reading up on the history of the Southern Sierra Miwuk Nation, which is seeking federal recognition as of this writing.

I love seeing trees so I was looking forward to visiting Yosemite National Park.   I was not disappointed.   I saw California black oak, ponderosa pine, cedar, and white fir trees.I also saw waterfalls and a rainbow.  Yosemite was established in 1864 and covers over 1,200 square miles.The sights were amazing and I loved the scent of the forest.Yosemite Valley, to me, is always a sunrise, a glitter of green and golden wonder in a vast edifice of stone and space.Ansel Adams

I can't believe I have lived in California my whole life and didn't visit Yosemite until I was 35. This place was absolutely beautiful and a must visit! It is a very crowded park and I wasn't prepared for all the traffic so if you have bikes that is one of the best ways to explore the valley. We had two young kids so we didn't do any crazy hikes but we explored a lot of areas, we definitely need to come back since we couldn't see it all in one trip!