Yosemite National Park, in the Californian Sierra Nevada mountain range, is spectacular, one of the most wonderful trips we have made.
There are various lodging opportunities from luxury high-end to affordable.
We camped (often the easiest option with a dog). There are many campgrounds in Yosemite and due to the park’s popularity, they fill up quickly especially April through October.
What struck us (and worried us) most on arrival at our campsite was the focus on bears. Each campsite comes with a huge hook contraption in which you can put your food and lever it up out of reach of wandering bears. We did not sleep well with our ears open to every little forest crackle and images of wandering bears in our heads. Bears in Yosemite are active day and night and while most rely on natural food sources during the day, they are known to sneak around and grab unattended food at night.
Yosemite National Park is one of the more dog-friendly national parks. Here is a website with everything you need to know about taking your dog to Yosemite.
There are many wondrous sights in this National Park. A drive or hike through the valley will bless you with tumbling waterfalls, scented meadows, and other-worldly rock formations.
A visit to Mariposa Grove of Giant Sequoias is a must if you want to be blown away by the sheer massiveness of trees! For beautiful forest, lake and meadow views take a scenic drive from Crane Flat to Tuolumne Meadows. When we visited a fire had ravished the forest up there and the air was thick with smoke still.
El Capitan is one of the most recognized rocks in Yosemite. It is a sheer granite cliff that looms over and welcomes visitors to the Valley. It is one of the most popular rock climbing destinations in the world and don’t be surprised to see a little tent hanging precariously on the face. Yosemite is also famous for giant granite domes, Sentinel and Half Dome rise 3000 and 4800 feet respectively out of the Valley floor. It is another world up there with the eagles and hawks. Quiet and clear and precious.
Before arriving at Yosemite we stayed a night just outside the park in a comfortable little bed and breakfast (since we would be roughing it camping the next few nights !). It was charming and comfortable and the breakfast was amazing! www.appleblossombb.com.
We visited nearby Mirror Lake and Spike got so muddy ! Mirror Lake is a small, seasonal lake on Tenaya Creek in Yosemite, the last remnant of a large, glacial lake that once filled most of Yosemite Valley at the end of the Ice Age and is close to disappearing due to sediment accumulation.
Thoughts and Things
Visiting America’s National Parks is special and Yosemite is even more so given that it is pretty dog friendly. There are many guide books for Yosemite. It definitely is worth getting one – there are so many little trips and features that can be missed if you don’t know about them.