Reconnecting with Nature at Yosemite National Park

I've often said that Yosemite is my favorite place on earth. Yes, I know that's something of an exaggeration, because home is where the heart is and wherever my family is has to be my favorite place, but as far as scenery goes, it's definitely my favorite.

But for someone whose favorite place it supposedly is, I haven't exactly been visiting it much. I used to visit around once a year until The Pea was born. After I became a mom, I think we visited the place two or three times, and we haven't been at all for the last 10 years.  A visit was well overdue. We took a short trip to Yosemite this summer, and I was reminded all over again why I say it's my favorite place.

In so many ways, the place hasn't changed. Yosemite Falls, Half Dome, Mirror Lake, Yosemite Meadow, all the favorites are just as beautiful as ever. In fact, after the torrential rains this winter, I've never seen Yosemite Falls so full, and the Mist Trail, well, let's just say it should be called the Tidal Wave trail with how much spray Vernal Falls was giving out!

In other ways, the place has changed. There were more people visiting than ever. To be fair, a lot of it is due to pent-up demand post COVID, and summertime is always the most crowded anyway. But miraculously, we could still manage to take photos that looked as though we were the only ones in the Valley!

The kids had a blast. They were too young when they last visited to remember much, so it was like their first visit. The boys have always hated hiking, but we hiked all day and they loved it.  I took Jammy and The Pea on the Mist Trail hike (3Po & the hubs had to leave to go back to work unfortunately) and I had a great time reminiscing about the other times I hiked the Mist Trail on the way to Half Dome (yes, a middle-aged fogey reliving her youth!). 

I can't wait to go back to my favorite place on earth!