Sometimes I forget how lucky I am to live so close to Yosemite National Park. It’s only about an hour’s drive from home, and it’s absolutely gorgeous.
Driving through the park on the way to the valley, there were several spots to pull over and enjoy beautiful views. Even without hiking simply driving through the park is enough to take your breath away.
We decided to hike up to Vernal Fall at the recommendation of a friend, so we started on our way, excited to get going.
Shortly into the hike, we were able to see the beautiful top of the waterfall against a bright blue sky. It was a crisp 44 degrees out, which proved to be the perfect temperature.
We climbed up the misty rocks among the other hikers, happy that the rainy forecast deterred the masses from joining us.
The base of Vernal Fall was beautiful, and I managed to find the end of the rainbow! It was such a majestic sight we decided to make the trek to Nevada Fall.
We made our way through the trees, stopping every few minutes to turn around and ensure we knew the way back. A little while later..
… we made it! Well, almost. Rounding the bend and seeing the beautiful waterfall gave us motivation to move forward.
The top of the fall proved to be just as, if not more, beautiful. We paused and enjoyed some well-deserved Sour Patch kids before heading back down. Tired, sweaty, and with sore feet, we decided to sign up for the lottery to climb half-dome. As always, onward & upward.
Yay for adventures and adventure buddies!