Glacier Point | red oak lines

It had been about a year since our last trip out to Yosemite, so being back in the park was much needed. This time it was for our annual summer get together with the family. We brought the dogs; they are, indeed, a part of our family.

The next morning the dogs jumped into the The Burley, and we took a bike ride around the valley floor. The dogs love the ride!

We biked to the trail head of Lower Yosemite Falls and took the dogs on a short morning walk to the bottom of the falls.

We continued to loop around the valley and even stopped to enjoy the views of the meadows.

Later that afternoon, we drove up to Glacier Point to enjoy the view. I have to admit, the view from up here never gets old.

On the way back to our campsite, Maui and Hilo were taking total advantage of Grandma and Granpda, haha! Free love and scratches.

Last but not least, my parents were totally utilizing the Christmas present we got them, an Eno hammock. Silly parents!

Although our trip was short, it was still a fun little getaway for the weekend. Hopefully, we’ll be able to visit before the season ends because I really want to get back on the trails [without the dogs, of course]. I still want to conquer some of the more strenuous ones. Maybe one day.

Last weekend, we took our first trip out to Yosemite for the year. This time, we did a couple of hikes, some more strenuous than others. Either way, we got to see the beauty of the park.

First morning in Yosemite, we drove towards the South end of the park (the Wawona side). Neither of us had seen Mariposa Grove, so we thought it would be neat to check it out. Besides, there was an NPS cancellation stamp available at the Wawona visitor center, and we all know how I go out of my way to fill my NPS passport book, haha. We hiked a few miles around the area and checked out the giant sequoias. It’s incredibly how wide their trunks get.

While hiking around the grove, we crossed paths with a family of deer. We stayed a good distance from them at all times, but they kept veering towards us. Maybe they’re used to having human visitors in the grove?

Later that day, we drove towards Glacier Point to get the beautiful shot of Half Dome, Vernal Fall, and Nevada Fall. It’s such an incredible view up there. When I was at the top and looked down at the elevation of both waterfalls, I felt so proud of myself. I actually made it to the top of Vernal Fall last year (out of shape)! Next goal is to make it to the top of Nevada Fall one day. As far as Half Dome, I’m afraid of heights, so I’m not sure if I’ll be able to take the steep uphill climb. I’m not crazy and fit like Gloria who has done it multiple times with ease, so I might just pass. 😉

…and while we were enjoying the view from Glacier Point, we noticed a chipmunk not too far from us. They’re so cute! Can you spot the furry little critter in the picture below? 😉

After enjoying the view up at Glacier Point, we decided it would be neat to hike the Sentinel Dome trail. It was a moderate hike, but with it being mid-day, the heat made it feel more strenuous. I am, however, very proud of myself for conquering this hike. Maybe next time, I’ll be able to take Lambert Dome in Tuolomne?! Just kidding! Anyway, the views you get at the end of the Sentinel Dome trail are phenomenal. Here are some of the pictures we took during our hike:

You bet that we slept well that night. I think we were snoozing in our tent at around 8 o’clock, at least I know I was, haha! On our second morning in Yosemite, we woke up super early and walked towards Mirror Lake. We wanted to tackle a simple trail considering my body was sore from hiking the previous day.

It’s such a pretty sight, but if you plan on heading out to the lake, make sure to pack insect repellent. The mosquitoes on this walk are relentless. I think I counted around 15 mosquito bites at the end of our short hour walk to and from the lake. Yeah, I was pretty much walking bait for those pests.

After this trip, I’m even more excited for the future trips we have planned to come back to the park! Besides, I’ll be able to get more NPS cancellation stamps! It definitely pays to have an annual NPS card, hehe. 😉