Yosemite National Park

“It is easier to feel than to realize, or in any way explain, Yosemite grandeur. The magnitudes of the rocks and trees and streams are so delicately harmonized, they are mostly hidden.” My 18 year old self may not have truly understood the profound meaning of John Muir’s words but my present day self has now truly experienced it.

Years ago when I visited Yosemite, I had very little appreciation for nature and all its wonders. Today, however, call it my mid-life crisis or rather my mid-life change, I have never felt more connected to and affected by nature. Especially, one as inspiring as Yosemite.

Ranked as the second most beautiful National Park in the world by Condé Nast Traveler’s 2024 list, Yosemite to me is nature’s artwork- a painting you can step into. Every trail, every waterfall, every giant rock, every corner is a jewel to behold. But you don’t need me to describe its beauty- you can find plenty of writers, poets, photographers, artists- who have dedicated their lives to doing just that. I’m just here to relay their message to you, if you are a nature lover or if you want to turn into one- Yosemite should be high on your list of places to visit.

Here’s a list of some of the hikes that we did and highlights of each:

Lower Yosemite Falls– it’s more of a stroll than a hike but you get to see and feel the thunder of the fall. Walking up to it, we thought we were hearing a thunderstorm, which turned out to be just the roaring waterfall. Turns out May (the time we visited) is one of the best times of the year to visit Yosemite because of all the water collected over the rainy months.

Tunnel Viewpoint– one of the best viewpoints to really take in the beauty of the Yosemite valley. Great views of the half dome (the famous rock is named for its shape. One side is a face while the other three sides are smooth and round, making it appear like a dome cut in half) from here as well.

Bridal Veil Falls– another short hike to witness this ‘veil’ of a waterfall. We were right under it and could again feel the roar and the mist on us.

Swinging bridge– stunning views all around this bridge.

Mist trail to Vernal Falls– This was probably our hardest hike but worth it because of all the views we got on the way.

Mirror Lake– The reflection of the view on the lake is your end reward from this hike, it also makes for a perfect break or a little picnic spot.

El Capitan– No, we didn’t ‘free solo’ this gigantic rock but we did spend some time just absorbing how enormous this rock formation is. There is a great spot right across from it where you can rock watch (I should coin the ‘rock watch’ term :)).

Meadow loop– We also spent some time around the Welcome Center, which is part of the meadow loop along with Ansel Adams gallery. I highly recommend visiting the gallery to see Adams’ lifetime of incredible work capturing the beauty of Yosemite in all the different seasons and timelines. The meadow loop itself is mainly flat with many shuttle stops (not all of which function during non-summer season).

Even though this trip was a last minute decision, we still ended up making some unforgettable memories. What I brought back from Yosemite was not the memories of the best accommodations or the best restaurant or the shopping; what I brought back was memories of walking 30K steps a day with my family, sitting on a tree trunk and absorbing the beauty around us, watching my husband and son dip their feet in the freezing water coming down from the waterfall and many more of these unplanned experiences that I know I’ll cherish forever. I may not have appreciated the beauty of Yosemite as a teenager but I’m grateful to my parents for giving me an opportunity to experience it back then, and I’m equally grateful for being able to pass on the same to my son now.