Yosemite In A Day: A Guide To Passing Through
Make a plan:
Find a hideaway nearby to maximize your activity time within the park. There are multiple options for places to book an Air BNB or find a room for the night. Oakhurst, Bass Lake, and Mariposa are great for renting a cabin that is close and easily accessible for park access. Unless you are planning on heading out before sunrise, I highly suggest getting there the day before to explore the area and prepare yourself for a full day ahead. Since we knew we were going to be in the park the entire next day we made sure to prepare sandwiches, pack snacks, and map out our key points of interest. Now I can’t stress this enough: make sure you and your crew are on the same page in terms of what you are going to see and how much you want to hike. Yosemite can be physically grueling if you do not go mentally prepared or show up trying to do it half assed.
*Make sure to reserve a day pass for your vehicle ahead of time. This is the ONLY way you will get into the park currently due to Covid-19.
*There are a couple of places within the park in which you can buy food, drinks, and souvenirs. Regardless, take your own food and water because of the amount of activity and driving you will be doing throughout the day.
Essentials:
Good Hiking Boots - this item will make all the difference once you hit the trail. Regular athletic shoes will be fine but might cut your trip short at the end of the day due to all the walking you will be doing.
Water Shoes - I like to carry these in my backpack when hiking by a river or waterfall because I like to climb the rocks and feel the water. This is a pro tip so that you can enjoy all terrains.
Sunscreen - can’t stress this enough, make sure you apply sunscreen before and during your adventures in the park. SPF 50 will do.
Bug Repellent - we got bit up quite a bit. I recommend a good spray that you can apply to minimize contact with the little buggers or you’ll be itching longer than your stay in the park.
Offline Saved Playlists - SO necessary to enhance the drive throughout the park. I’m big on mood music and amplifying the scene with the right sounds. No service in the park = you have become the DJ (especially if you’re sitting shotgun)
Big Hat - Don’t let your scalp burn, take the biggest hat you have. You can enjoy the day longer when you protect yourself.
Water - Personal Hydroflasks for each person, plus more water for back up. Camelbak type backpacks make hiking easier but are not necessary.
Snacks - trail mix, bars, nuts, fruits, and sandwiches are great for sustaining energy and getting you through the day
Yosemite App - available to download offline so that you have access to maps and park info
You Are In!
First things first, start your day early and get into the park before most people. It will give you vast uninterrupted views and those morning nature sounds that quiet the mind and ease the soul. You go to Yosemite not only for the breathtaking sights, but also for the feelings that arise within you. It is a sensory experience full on through. One to take in with the eyes AND the heart. You can enter with your day pass as early as 5 AM and it is good for up to a week after.
Have a chat with the crew and decide your starting point. We entered through the West entrance and decided to start at Mariposa Grove which is just a quick drive to where you can hike the trail into giant Sequoia trees that are over 2,000 years old. Ground yourself in front of these giants that have withstood the changing tides. They thrive despite the weather and the state of the world, just like we should.
Expect to drive a considerable amount once you are in the park. Getting from stop to stop consists of driving slowly around many twists and turns, the scenery makes it all worth it though. If you get car sick consider sitting in the front seat or buying Dramamine to ease your time around the curves. The movement is constant and you drive at extreme heights.
After our adventure with the old trees we made our way further into the park stopping at any point along the way that called our interest. It took about 45 minutes through mountains and the Wawona tunnels to get to the most incredible overlook called Tunnel View. Yeah, Yosemite is full of them, but this one stands out because it has the perfect panoramic view of three of the most well known features in the park. El Capitan, Half Dome, and Bridal Veil Falls sit in perfect harmony forming a trio of majestic granite masterpieces formed by the creator itself. This is a great place for a photo op or to give gratitude to the universe for the moment you are experiencing. Yosemite makes you feel so small and reminds you how grand and vast the our world and everything truly is.
Keep driving past the glorious overlook until your back on the valley floor and come up at the bottom of Bridal Veil Falls. Approaching parking on the side of the road you will get a luscious glimpse of the waterfall and the rainbow prism of light that it naturally emanates from the sun. Park in designated areas along the side of the road and enter the official trail to get to the falls. It was closed so we had to off road a bit, but I don’t recommend going off the trail especially if you are a newbie hiker or with kids. You can get good photos from the side of the road. Believe me when I tell you that it’s beauty radiates through the trees and penetrates your phone screen. You should be positioned under El Capitan once you hit the road and start your turn back. The river gets wide at this point, great for getting out of the car at sunset and splashing some river water on your face. Cleanse in the Earth and let it heal you.
The Way Back
It may seem like just a few stops, but with the distance and millions of turns in between, the day will slowly pass and night will catch up to you. Especially if you are like us and stop every chance we get to see new and beautiful things at a different angle or perspective. This is as far we as we went with the time that we had. Remember that you still have to drive all the way back out of the park on a windy one way highway. This is the part of the trip where you want to make sure you have GOOD playlists saved that you can access offline. There is no service high up the mountain on the road back out of the park. The views during sunset are incredible and deserve an equally orgasmic soundtrack to highlight the infinite beauty. Time your trip and plan accordingly to start driving back before it gets extremely dark. Don’t forget to look up at the stars when you get back to where you are staying. The clarity and visibility of the stars is mesmerizing.
*Personal plea to the public: CLEAN UP AFTER YOURSELVES! Make sure you leave the park as you found it (unless you see trash, pick that shit up please) and leave NO TRACE. It is an honor and a privilege to step foot on such sacred land and we must all do our part to keep it as such. Yosemite is home to many animals that thrive off the unpolluted land, let’s keep it that way.
After three months at home and no work, the old routine is calling again. Traveling with no schedule or rush has been one of the greatest pleasures that I find myself chasing. You may be back at work already, or maybe you’re unsure of what is coming next. Get out there, even if it’s just for one glorious day.
Next stop : Big Sur
Dani D.
To live in California means having access to almost every type of terrain. In a day you can go from the city into the mountains, and back to the world famous coast, the best coast if you ask those who know. The current pandemic has slowed everything down, including access to our national parks. In addition to Covid-19, the world is on the brink of change and if you have the privilege to travel, now is a crucial time to immerse yourself in nature and dive deep into some self care in order to be the best ally in the fight for change that you can be. The nature gods have heard our prayers and Yosemite has just opened back up on reservation only. I’ve been going to Yosemite since I was a little girl. Camping overnight in the park is the best way to go, but this trip called for only a day to explore. You gotta work with what you got, and I got a day. Here’s how I made the most out of it.
