Yosemite. Stunning, and well-visited for a reason. Here are our thoughts on the do’s and don'ts of this lovely place.
Bring. Water. Bottles. More than you think. It’s hot, and unlike Zion, there are no water bottle fillers near the trailheads. The ranger also don’t recommend using water from the falls for drinking, even if it’s filtered.
Prepare for Half Dome in case your last-minute permit snatch attempt is successful (ours wasn’t, and somebody was definitely looking out for us). This means gloves to prevent sweaty hands, day packs for carrying ample food and water, a climbing harness and carabiners if you’re scared of heights, and climbing shoes/boots.
Mirror Lake was not as mirror-like as expected.
Hogdon Meadows says it’s a 40-foot walk-in campground, but it’s a regular campsite. It is however very scary at night.
Hike the Mist Trail Hike trail in the late afternoon (4 PM - 5 PM in May) so you can get full sun exposure and maximum rainbows. Use sticks as walking poles to avoid slipping on wet rocks. Fun fact, that’s the number one cause of death in Yosemite and the reason the Mist Trail is labeled as one of the most dangerous in America.
Enter the park through the Tunnel View entrance for a stunning introduction.
Upper Yosemite Falls says it takes 6 to 10 hours, but it took us only around five, with lots of stops and an extra 1.6 miles up to Yosemite Point.
We highly recommend going to Yosemite Point for peaceful views, beautiful pee spots, and a sense of being better than all the other hikers who did not make it up there.
However, we were still left with some questions unanswered. If you know a Yosemite Park Ranger, please ask them the following and hit our line with answers.
Where do we swim?
When was the fire that took out many trees near Hogdon Meadow?
Where does the water come from to supply these waterfalls?
Is there a set time during the day when you can’t go up Half Dome anymore?
How was Half Dome formed?
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