California

Cathedral Rocks reflected in the Merced River

Tuesday, September 23, 2025

Yosemite Valley & Mirror Lake

I can’t imagine what Yosemite must be like during peak season. We decided to get up early and head into the park, and I’m so glad we did. We were up at 6:00 a.m. and on the road by 7:00. We arrived in the valley around 8:30 a.m., listening to our Guide Along audio tour along the way about the Park’s history and how it was formed.

Our plan worked — traffic int eh park wasn’t backed up and the park was quiet and peaceful — though the early light wasn’t the best for photos. I decided to focus less on taking pictures and more on simply enjoying the stillness of the morning.

Our first stop was Bridalveil Fall. It was a short, pleasant hike, and just as the Guide Along tour mentioned, the wind constantly shifted the direction of the mist, making the falls seem alive and ever-changing.

Driving around Yosemite Valley can be a little confusing with all the bus lanes and roundabouts. I’d read that they offer free shuttles, so I found a map and parked near one of the stops. The shuttles came every ten minutes, and while there wasn’t any tour narration, the drivers were helpful and would announce visitor centers, restaurants, and restrooms along the route.

Next, we stopped at the meadow in front of El Capitan. We scanned the cliffs looking for climbers but didn’t spot any — though, to be fair, we didn’t have binoculars. From there, we hopped back on the shuttle, did a full loop around the valley, and then decided we were ready for a hike.

We chose the Mirror Lake Trail. The path itself was beautiful, shaded, and surrounded by tall granite walls. I was looking forward to the classic view of Half Dome reflected in the lake — only to find when we arrived that the lake had mostly dried up. What remained was more of a sandy flat with a large mud puddle in the center. It was still scenic in its own way, but not quite what I’d pictured!

By lunchtime, the shuttles had become much busier, so we decided to head out of the park. On the way, we stopped at Tunnel View — one of Yosemite’s most famous overlooks — for one last look at the valley before having a late lunch back in Oakhurst.

As we drove back, I thought about how different the park feels early in the morning compared to midday — calm, quiet, and almost sacred before the crowds arrive. Even though some sights weren’t what I expected, the peacefulness and scale of Yosemite still left me in awe. It’s the kind of place that reminds you to slow down, look up, and just be present.

El Capitan

Bridal Falls

The Yostemite Valley taken from Tunnel View

North Dome from Mirror Lake

The path to mirror lake

September 22, 2025 – Glacier Point

After we visited the Marioposa Grove, we continued to Glacier Point, one of the most scenic overlooks in Yosemite. From there, you can see Half Dome, Yosemite Valley, and even Yosemite Falls in the distance. This is a place that doesn’t feel real and as with my first visit, every time I looked around, I saw something different.  I could not help but wonder, would this ever feel old?

From there, we planned to drive down into the valley, but roadwork had traffic backed up, and I didn’t want to deal with the crowds. We decided instead to get up early the next morning and visit when it would be quieter.

For dinner, we went to South Gate Brewing Company — a familiar favorite from our last trip. It was just as delicious as I remembered, the perfect way to end the day.

September 22, 2025 – Yosemite National Park – Mariposa Grove

We drove to Yosemite the previous day and stopped in Visalia to visit Sophon’s aunt. It’s always such a treat to see her. We had lunch at a Mediterranean restaurant and then headed up to Oakhurst, California.

We’ve been to Yosemite before — it’s an enormous park, spanning more than 1,100 square miles with five different entrances. Oakhurst is near the South Entrance. On our previous visit, we stayed in Oakhurst but came up Highway 49, which was very windy. This time, entering the South Entrance and driving through the park was much easier.

There isn’t a lot going on in Oakhurst, and only a couple of restaurants are good, but it’s convenient and there are a few fun spots.  We stayed at the Fairfield Inn, the same hotel as last time.

Once in the park, we parked the car and took the shuttle to the Mariposa Grove of the Giant Sequoias, home to some of the largest trees in the world — many over 2,000 years old. Standing among them, I found myself thinking about how peaceful and timeless this place feels. Photos can never quite capture their size or the sense of awe they inspire. We saw the Grizzly Giant, the oldest tree in the grove, and it was truly magnificent.

The Grizzly

Me in the Tunnel Tree

Sophon in the Tunnel Tree