Yosemite National Park
Last Updated: 3/28/2024
“The mountains are calling and I must go.”
Yosemite National Park you stole our hearts and quickly became one of our favorite National Parks. So today we are going to recap our short, but oh so sweet, trip to Yosemite National Park. We only had 48 hours to explore, so we made the most of the time we had.
Where We Stayed:
We explored different lodging options in and around the park. But we finally landed on glamping in a Tent Cabin at Curry Village (Half Dome Village) in Yosemite Valley. Our tent had one double bed and three twin beds, perfect for our family of 5. Each tent comes with bed linens, heavy camp blankets, fresh towels, and a safe. Really all you need to have a camp-like experience without actually camping. We also brought our sleeping bags, which was nice since it was chilly at night.
Where We Ate:
We brought our own breakfast, lunch, and snack foods—which we kept in the bear proof locker outside our tent cabin. But for dinner, we took advantage of the food options in Curry Village. The day we arrived, we had burgers at Meadow Grill. The food was really good! And the kids enjoyed sitting outside, taking in all the scenery. The second night we had pizza at the Curry Village Pizza Deck. The pizza was really good, but we did have to wait for awhile before it was ready.
What We Did:
We entered Yosemite National Park through the South Entrance on Wawona Road. Our first stop was Tunnel View for a classic view of Yosemite Valley and all it has to offer. It is well marked and easy to pull off and park.
Our next stop would have been the Bridalveil Fall Trail (the parking lot was full, so we saved it for later). The trail is a short 1/2 mile hike (round trip) down to the base of the waterfall. In the spring and early summer you will probably get wet!
From here, we made our way to the Curry Village Reservation Office. It took a little while to get checked in—there was a long line. Once we were checked in and unloaded, we headed to get dinner and explore the Curry Village area.
The next morning we started out our day with a stop at the Visitor Center. We checked out the exhibits, grabbed some maps, and watched the Spirit of Yosemite film.
Then it was off to hike to Lower Yosemite Fall. This is an easy 1.1 mile loop trail that has beautiful views of Upper & Lower Yosemite Falls. We spent quite a bit of time here enjoying the scenic views and the water.
After a quick lunch break, we repacked our backpacks and headed out to hike the Mist Trail. The Mist Trail is a strenuous, but amazing hike to the top of Vernal and Nevada Falls. If you hike to the top of Nevada Fall, it is a 5.4 mile round trip hike. It is totally worth hiking all the way! You can read more about our time hiking the Mist Trail Here.
The next morning, we spent our final hours in Yosemite National Park exploring the Mariposa Grove of Giant Sequoias. Sequoias can live for over two thousand years, and their trunks can reach over 25 feet thick.
You can read more about our time among these amazing giants HERE<<. I would definitely suggest adding this to your itinerary, if you have the time.
We had an amazing time at Yosemite National Park, and I can’t wait to get back. There is so much to see and do. Definitely add this to your National Park Bucket List. And let me know if you have any favorite things to do at Yosemite!! Happy Questing for Adventure!