Our latest travel adventure in Howie (our Home on wheels) was a trip to Yosemite National Park.  Although we had driven through many years ago, we decided to visit again and spend some time hiking and exploring.  It’s about an eight-hour drive from our home which makes it the perfect destination for a weeklong getaway.

It can be difficult to secure passes during the summer so we reserved them early. We then purchased a membership to Thousand Trails and stayed at one of the campgrounds located near the west entrance. Originally our trip was scheduled for May but with a new grandbaby on the way, we postponed it to July, which meant the temperatures were between 90-104 degrees.

Our first stop was Bass Lake (about 30 miles away from the park). We were hopeful it might be a bit cooler near the water but this wasn’t the case. It was still pretty toasty which provided plenty of inspiration to enjoy the lake. We lazily waded in the water and rented a small boat for sailing.  There’s something special about being on the water. It feels like time slows down and everything becomes quiet. It’s wonderfully therapeutic.

On our final evening at Bass Lake, my husband made reservations for us to ride the Yosemite Mountain Sugar Pine Railroad. It sounded a bit touristy but we decided to give it a try and I’m so glad we did! We chose the moonlight special which included dinner and entertainment, a nighttime train ride through the Sierra National Forest, and a sing-along around a campfire. The sunset filled the sky with blues and purples, followed by a lovely halo of stars. I felt like I was in the middle of a children’s book as we chugged through the forest at night. So cool!

We then set off for Yosemite which is one of the nine national parks in the state. Because it was crowded, we got an early start each morning to find parking and hit the trails before the heat and congestion. One of the highlights was a hike to Vernal Falls. The trail is only 1.3 miles but it’s all incline. We took our time and before long, reached the base of the waterfall which offers beautiful views and a refreshing, cool mist.

One of my favorite days was spent traveling along Tioga Road.  The higher elevation brought cooler temperatures and far fewer people than the valley. The first stop was to Olmstead Point which offers amazing views of Half Dome and Clouds Rest. We then made our way to Tenaya Lake which was simply beautiful. The water was crystal clear and I found myself wishing we had brought along our paddle board. It was one of those moments where I was filled with gratitude for these wide-open spaces.

Our final stop was Tuolumne Meadows which was filled with an assortment of wildflowers. We trekked to the soda springs to see the bubbling mineral water and enjoyed the trail along the way. Every direction offered photo-worthy opportunities with blue skies, mountain ranges, grassy pastures, trees, and wildlife.

When we returned from our trip, one of the questions we were frequently asked was about the wildfire. The Washburn Fire started on July 7^th in Mariposa Grove where the giant sequoias are located. Unfortunately, it was caused by careless humans, and by the time it was contained in early August, nearly 5,000 acres were burned. During our visit, it was about 60% contained. And while we heard the daily updates, we did not see nor smell the fire. It’s heartbreaking to think of the destruction of the land and wildlife. And of course, there is much gratitude to the firefighters who worked tirelessly for containment.

Nothing is better than visiting the national parks and I can’t wait to see them all. It always does my soul good to breathe in the fresh air, absorb the beauty, and explore these sacred places.