John Muir

 

Guest Post and Photo by Amy Perry Basseches 

 

I’d never been to Yosemite National Park, the first wild land in the nation protected for all-time, 150 years ago, when Abraham Lincoln signed the Yosemite Grant Act. Because it was May, we could not enter from the oft-recommended east side at Lee Vining/Mono Basin/Tioga Pass. Instead, nourished by fresh cherries roadside along the way from Sequoia National Park, we entered Yosemite at the Wawona entrance and had lunch at the Big Trees Lodge. We looked around the interesting Pioneer Yosemite History Center and drove through the park on Glacier Point Road to the end for great views of the famous Half Dome and Nevada Falls. My western yearnings were met, without a doubt. Although sad that the hike we intended to do at Taft Point was closed due to snow coverage, it was quite a day.

 

We ended at Mariposa, CA and loved that funky small town: drinks at The Alley, dinner at Savory, and a comfortable enough room at The Yosemite Inn. The next day we were in Yosemite Valley at Bridalveil Falls under a glorious rainbow, grabbed brunch in the old Majestic Yosemite Lodge, and happily hiked to Mirror Lake and Lower Yosemite Falls. We could have easily stayed another two days at Yosemite but we had plans to meet friends and family in Sacramento, Portland, and Seattle.