Yosemite - Trip with Arshiya

We went to Yosemite for Labor Day weekend in 2012. we went with 6 month old baby from San Diego through Yosemite east gate.

We planned to avoid LA and Bakersfield, instead went via Riverside, I-215N, US-395N and CA-120. we have not hit much traffic after we divided from I-15. after crossing Riverside, Almost till the Yosemite valley we drove on hills.

we started at 4PM on Friday evening and drove till Bishop in the middle we took rest twice, one for Gas and another at Rest Place on the highway 395. It was almost midnight by the time we reached Bishop,CA. it was very tough to get a room without reservation. we almost searched more than 10-15 hotels. finally we got one in hotel.

Bishop, village is on the highway 395. it looks very beautiful location surrounded by full of hills. espcially in winter all hills are covered with snow. we went on a full-moon day, i saw many photographers in Bishop. I understand after talking to them, Yosemite has many small lakes on surrounded hills and moutains. they wanted to capture picture of full-moon either in reflection water, hills in background and also full moon in the same frame.

next Day, we started our drive to yosemite by 9AM. we reached east gate before noon. we stopped for lunch at Tenya Lake. we went on a trial till lake. It is hot in day time and cold at nights. we spent couple of hours at the lake and took rest for some time. we watched bench of people learning rope walk learning on top of lake at one corner. lake water is very colourful. at shore light blue or light green shade and in the middle dark blue. it is very picturique with back ground blue skies and hills and thier reflection on water.

After 1st break, we drove to valley with one or two stops. we checked-in to yosemite-falls lodge, took few hours rest and took local transport to go to mirror lake. there are no water in any lakes and no water for falls. before dark we came back to hotel.

Next day morning i got up very early. i went outside to get few sun rise snaps. it is very cold in the valley. i drove one full loop in the valley. morning valley will be very pleasant, very calm. i walked few trails in valley. it was very refreshing compared to normal busy days. i saw bench of deers on meadows. playing, eating grass. i spent 2-3 hours in valley till sun is rises fully in the valley.

 

we parked vehicle at market place and took local bus to go all places with invalley. they also provide upto glacier point. in september long weekend yosemite is fully crowded very difficult to get a parking spot in all major attractions.  we stopped at many falls, But as no snow and no water falls are without water. very small water in few falls. at one falls we see water is going upward direction because of wind.

After that we drove to tunnel view for some time before go to Glacier Point. it was very clear sky, we can see half-dome very clearly no fog was there. Then we went to Glacier Point. After 10-15 mins, we got a parking spot. Glacier Point is one of the best view place to see Yosemite valley and half-dome. we had lunch there and spent some time walking on trails. Then we went to Mariposa grove, we did not spend much time there. we left the park from there.

we thought of staying there for night, then changed the mind and drove home(san diego) on the same night. it was very long, tiring drive. in the middle we took an hour or an hour and half rest near bakersfield just before sun set. we reached home just after midnight.