The next stop on our west coast tour. As with the Grand Canyon leg, we planned the trip with two nights at a lodge just outside the park so as to be able to have a full day exploring. So glad we did as I drove over 200 miles in the park alone & even with a full day there, we still felt as if we'd only scratched the surface!
Driving the park is simply stunning with elevation changes of around 4-5000 feet between our lowest & highest points, switchback mountain roads with hair-pin bends & regular changes of camber, and staggering views coming & going through tree lines.
Our first breath-taker was "Tunnel View" - we emerged from a tunnel in the road to find a small car park to our left & at the end of that, a large crowd of visitors. Adopting the strategy from our safari some years ago - " if there's a crowd of people, there'll be something worth seeing" - we parked & joined them, and what a view! (2nd image) The tunnel wasn't just that which we had emerged from - the view was like looking down a tunnel with rocky peaks to either side, including El Capitan (3rd & 5th images) & Bridalveil falls (4th image, although through lack of rain, it was more like a trickle) to name but a couple.
We moved on, stopping for brunch along the way, to explore some of the higher ground (heading up towards 9,000 ft above sea level - images 6,7,& 8), which spends much of the year under frost/snow etc.
Next on our list were some of the huge trees in the park and they didn't disappoint either!In image 9, if viewed full screen, you'll just see Val at the foot of the tree to give some indication of scale - she's just over 5ft tall & I must have been 30-40 yards back to get the top of the tree in using the widest angle lens that I had - 24mm
Our final stop, as we headed towards the end of the day was a viewing point opposite Half Dome - the peak just breaking the horizon in image 10 - and once more, simply breath-taking!
Driving towards "Tunnel View" Yosemite National Park, California
Tunnel View, Yosemite National Park, California
El Capitan, Yosemite National Park, California
Bridalveil Falls, Yosemite National PArk, California. more a trickle in 2018 through lack of rain
El Capitan in all it's grandeur, Yosemite National Park, California
Rivers, Pine Trees & hills, Yosemite National Park, California
I can see for miles! Yosemite National Park, California
Lakes & Mountains - it is California, right? Yosemite National Park, California
Small trees in Yosemite National Park, California. The lady at the foot of the trunk is 5ft 3!
Half Dome, Yosemite National Park, California
"Eagle Point"? Across the canyon from Half Dome, Yosemite National Park, California
