Yosemite Without The Hikes

In some of my previous posts about Yosemite National Park, such as Hiking Vernal and Nevada Falls and Yosemite Valley Floor Loop Hike, one may get the impression that the beauty of Yosemite can only be enjoyed by those with strong legs and physically fit enough to hike. As much as I really encouraged everybody to enjoy our beautiful world at the trails where a few would get into, but it does not mean that our beautiful world cannot be enjoyed by those who may not be able to hike because of various reasons. Here are some pictures of the places that you can enjoy if you visit Yosemite National Park without the hikes, or with little very friendly walks. Friendly walks means the trail is well developed for wheelchairs, strollers and for little kids to jump around. :)

I will start from the East entrance of Yosemite moving to the Valley.

1st stop: Mono Lake South Tufa State Reserve

Mono Lake @ Dusk (shot by hubby )

Though Mono Lake is not part of Yosemite National Park, but this amazingly surreal place that looks like an Alien Kingdom of Towering Calcium Carbonate Towers ( or tufas) is only 13 miles from the East Entrance of Yosemite National Park. 

It's An Alien Kingdom @ Mono Lake

If you are visiting Yosemite, why miss this one? 

Mono Lake, Dawn

For more about Mono Lake, you can revisit my old post of Mono Lake here.

2nd many stops: Tioga Pass if open ( Yosemite High Sierra) - note: because of snow accumulation, this road is closed late fall-late spring, and usually open only in the summer.

Reflecting Pond @ Toulumne Meadows, Yosemite National Park

Toulumne Meadows, Yosemite National Park

There is no skipping Toulumne Meadows if you are going to Yosemite Valley coming from the East. Anyone will really pass the High Sierra of Yosemite National Park. Unlike in the valley, the High Sierra does not attract so much crowds. Though mostly everyone passes by here, but very few stop their cars to breathe in this beautiful and peaceful scenery. When we travel, even when we are driving, we always open our eyes for photo opportunities, and as long as it is safe to pull over for pictures, we would! So, when you are driving Tioga Pass, open your heart and eyes to the inspiration you will see. 

Toulumne Meadows, Yosemite National Park

If you see something beautiful for pictures, pull over if it is safe. The three pictures above were not popular spots in Yosemite, we simply excitedly said "STOP" to the one driving when we saw them. And there are many more of them, but I do not want to load you with pictures in one post. The next two pictures below on the other hand you cannot miss because this is where most people stop because this is a popular viewpoint in the High Sierra.

Olmstead Point, Yosemite National Park

Tenaya Lake from Olmstead Point

Jumping for Joy @ Tenaya Lake

There are many hikes here at Tioga Pass, I will feature some of those hikes we took in another post since this post is about Yosemite without the hikes or with little family friendly walks.

3rd many stops: Yosemite Valley

Yosemite Tunnel View

(left to right: El Capitan, Half Dome and Bridalveil Fall)

Yosemite Valley is where the heart of Yosemite National Park. It's not that huge, but there is so much to see. Because the valley is formed by glaciation, there are steep walls from granite rocks and cliffs. The valley offers one of the world's most concentrations of waterfalls, 

Bridalveil Fall ( shot late in the afternoon, about 5 pm, late June)

note: if you want to take pictures of waterfalls with rainbow, the park rangers at the VISITOR CENTER are very friendly and with much enthusiasm and happiness, they share with you the time of day rainbow appears in a specific waterfall ( of course with the right sunny conditions). 

Yosemite Falls and Merced River

massive granite walls, 

Half Dome

El Capitan

( each year, climbers from all over the world come to scale this giant rock)

meadows, 

Half Dome from Cook's Meadow

wildflowers, 

wildflowers @ Cook's Meadows

and giant trees.

4th stop: Glacier Point

Half Dome and Yosemite Valley from Glacier Point

Yosemite Fall from Glacier Point

For more information about Yosemite, visit the Yosemite National Park website. 

♥♥