California Trip - Day 4: Mirror Lake and Mariposa Grove

On Thursday, we decided to rent bikes so we could ride around the valley. We started by riding to Mirror Lake so we could take the 5 mile hike around the lake. Mirror Lake is very shallow and often dries up by mid summer. It is a very calm lake and reflects Mt. Watkins and Half Dome on its surface. The first part of the trail was quite easy and included crossing two footbridges over Tenaya Creek. Then we had to do a little "off-roading" because part of the trail was covered by a rockslide in 2009. We paused for a snack break under Half Dome before hopping back on our bikes. 

Our next stop was lunch in Yosemite Village and then we walked the paved trail to Lower Yosemite Falls. Then we rode across the meadow, over swinging bridge, and back to Half Dome Village where we returned our bikes (probably a 7 mile bike ride in total). 

Then we drove to Mariposa Grove which was right by the entrance to the park where we saw our first Sequoias. We walked about 3 miles of trail to see some of the 500 Sequoias in the grove. We saw the Fallen Monarch as we entered the grove and then hiked on to the Grizzly Giant which is an 1800 year old tree and the largest in Yosemite. Finally, we made a stop at the California Tunnel Tree for a family photo.

Looking for Climbers on El Capitan

Looking for Climbers on El Capitan

Bike Ride to Mirror Lake

River Near Mirror Lake

A Sandy Beach on the Way to Mirror Lake

A Sandy Beach on the Way to Mirror Lake

A Sandy Beach on the Way to Mirror Lake

Hiking Around Mirror Lake

Under Half Dome

Panorama Under Half Dome

Lower Yosemite Falls

Lower Yosemite Falls

View of Upper Yosemite Falls

The Meadow

Forest Fire Damage on the Way Out of the Park

Mariposa Grove

Root System of the Fallen Monarch

Grizzly Giant

Tunnel Tree

California Tunnel Tree

Mirror Lake

California Trip - Day 3: Vernal & Nevada Falls

On our third day of the trip, we drove into Yosemite Valley. We stopped at Tunnel View (right after passing through the tunnel) to take in the views and then walked up to Bridalveil Fall which was a very short walk. Then we parked at Yosemite Village and took the shuttle to the start of the Mist Trail. The Mist Trail takes you across the Vernal Fall Footbridge and up the "Giant Staircase" along Vernal Fall (317 feet tall) and then up alongside Nevada Fall (594 feet tall). The entire hike has a 2200 foot increase in elevation and was about 6.5 miles round trip.  We were drenched from the mist off the Merced River! After making it to the top, we had amazing views of the valley and then took the John Muir Trail back down to the bottom.

Entering the Valley

Tunnel View

Tunnel View

Tunnel View

Bridalveil Fall

Bridalveil Fall

Bridalveil Fall

Vernal Fall Footbridge over the Merced River

View looking down from the Footbridge

Rainbow over the Vernal Fall

Vernal Fall from the Giant Staircase

Rainbow near the top of Vernal Fall

After the Giant Staircase but before the Final Push to the Top

View from the Top of Vernal Fall

Resting at the Top of Vernal Fall

View from Vernal Fall

Climbing Nevada Fall

Nevada Fall

The Very Top of Nevada Fall

Top of Nevada Fall

View from the John Muir Trail

Hiking Down the John Muir Trail

Looking Back at Nevada Fall

John Muir Trail with Nevada Fall in the Background

John Muir Trail with Nevada Fall in the Background

John Muir Trail with Nevada Fall in the Background

View of the Valley from the John Muir Trail

Steep Granite Cliffs Along the John Muir Trail

The Boys Earned Their Ice Cream