12/30/16 – Friday
There’s nothing better than a spontaneous Yosemite trip with good friends. This adventure was planned the day before when I sent out a group text saying, “Yosemite tomorrow. You guys down?” The next morning we all met up at my house and took off for the hour and a half drive to the gate and then the forty-five minute drive to the tunnel. The drive up was quiet and breathtaking. The moment we saw snow we couldn’t contain our excitement and began yelling like little children.
There’s no way to describe the feeling of driving out of the tunnel and adjusting your eyes to the sight of Half Dome, Bridalveil Falls, and El Capitan all in one. Be sure to keep your eyes on the road if you’re the driver though! You can stop at either a small parking lot on your right or left where you can park, hop out, stretch your legs, and take some nice photos. Once you get back on the road you have a couple minutes until you get down to the valley floor where you can park on the side of the road where indicated. There you can see Yosemite Falls, walk across a bridge, take more photos, and like we did, have a little picnic in the park. If you do go during the winter, I highly advise packing boots, warm socks, comfy pants, a couple coats, gloves, and even a wool cap.
If you get in your car and drive a couple more minutes, you’ll come across a small church on the right that’s hard to miss. Depending on the time of day, you can go inside and check it out. If you continue on the same road, you may stop at the Yosemite Village Store and get some more refreshments, snacks, and souvenirs.
Yosemite at this snowy time is so beautiful and very different from what it looks like in summer. However, be sure to check the weather before going to make sure it’s not going to snow and that the roads are clear! Safe travels and enjoy!
Exploring the World 