Yosemite National Park, California

Yosemite National Park is located on the western side of the California Sierra Nevada Mountain Range and boasts a size of approximately 1,200 square miles. This video below by Expedia is very informative if you are planning to visit. We utilized our fabulous Roadtrippers app cross country from the Monterey Coast trying to stay off the major freeways, venturing thru all the farm towns – beautiful drive and barely any traffic. Yosemite campgrounds have to be booked so far in advance, and it’s very hard to get something, so opted for staying in a Yurt at Yosemite Lakes Campground about 10 minutes from the park gates – they offer yurts, cabins, tent sites by the river very clean campground, well maintained). 

Yosemite Valley is only 8 miles long and 1 mile wide, packing in fantastic jaw-dropping views. Make sure you don’t miss the massive cliff faces like El Capitan (the granite monolith standing 3,593 feet) and Half Dome, rising 5,000 ft. This video link to hiking Half Dome it is really informative.

Yosemite got its name from Yohhe’meti (Southern Miwok) or Yos.s.e’meti (Central Miwok) originally referred to the Indian tribe that lived in Yosemite Valley. Yosemite means literally “those who kill”. John Muir​ discovered the vast meadows surrounding Yosemite Valley and there were many books written about his Yosemite travels.

As parking can be difficult, the best option is to ride theYosemite free shuttle,  to all the stops in the valley. Try some of these: the Yosemite Theater with inspiring films-plays; enjoy an art workshop with a professional artist; visit the Yosemite Museum; take a photography class with an expert from Ansel Adams Gallery; adventure  out with Yosemite’s Mountaineering School; take a ranger-guided tour; ice skating in winter at Half Dome village – are only a few suggestions but plan ahead! Watch this video for some ideas what to expect. 
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We traveled the east side of the park on highway 41 to Wawona…passing thru the Wawona Tunnel, a mile long built in 1937 by blasting dynamite thru 10 foot sections. It offers an amazing view, call “Tunnel View” of El Capitan, Half Dome, Three Brothers and Bridalveil Falls.

Wawona-Mariposa Grove: In 1857, Galen Clark built a cabin (now located to the north of the main lodge) which just happened to be midway along the two-day trip by horse from Mariposa to Yosemite Valley, charging room and board for his services. As tourism increased, he had the idea of protecting Mariposa Grove and Yosemite Valley through federal legislation, which passed in 1864. In 1867 Henry Washburn purchased a transportation company providing Yosemite tourists with fully stocked saddle-trains, professional guides and horse-drawn stages. Back then, tourists travelled from San Francisco by river, transferring to stagecoach from Stockton to Mariposa. By 1872, they could take the train to Merced and transfer to stagecoach.  In 1874, Washburn purchase Clark’s Station renaming it “Big Tree Station”. In 1882, Washburn’s wife named the Big Tree Station to “Wawona Lodge” which is similar to “wocoba” – the Indian word for Big Tree. In 2018 it was changed again from the Wawona Hotel to Big Trees Lodge (check rates here if you want to stay).  The hotel was modernized later between 1917-1932 with tennis courts, swimming pool, golf course, steam heat, fountain and major building remodeling. In 1932, the hotel was sold to Yosemite National Park who runs the other two hotels in Yosemite Valley as well. Heads up pet owners – none of them take pets.

Thomas Hill, a famous artist who painted all parts of Yosemite, lived and worked at the Wawona Hotel from 1884 until his death in 1908. His studio was built to the north of the main building. An artist myself, I really wanted to see his original studio which is now under the preservation of the Yosemite Conservancy.