Crowded But Awesome!
Written: Aug 22 '00
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Product Rating:
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Pros: One of the best parks in the NPS
Cons: Way too crowded in the summer
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| goclimb's Full Review: Yosemite National Park |
Let me jump straight to the bad thing about this park, and then we'll move on to the good stuff...the stuff that will convince you to visit Yosemite National Park.
It's packed. Packed with people from every country you can imagine, with every kind of camera you can imagine taking pictures of everything that you can see. They're everywhere, they're loud, they drive noisy cars, and they get in your way. Just when you thought the park couldn't hold another person, in rolls another bus crammed full of tourists. I guess we could blame the park itself for being so nice and attracting so many visitors, but that wouldn't be nice. If you visit Yosemite National Park, prepare yourself for the crowds, and make an necessary reservations long in advance. [The crowds is the only reason I gave it a 4 Star rating.]
With that said, I'll state for the record that Yosemite National Park is one of the most beautiful places I have ever been on this earth - and I've done my share of traveling. I first got exposure to the park when I was a little kid, but, of course, I don't remember that. Then, in 1990, I went to Yosemite to work for a summer. The job was terrible (cleaning up the kitchen at night at the lodge), but it freed up my days for rock climbing (which I learned there) and road racing with my bike. It was one of the best summers I have ever had.
The most popular destination at Yosemite is the valley area. This is where you'll find the largest concentration of tourists. This is also where you find Half Dome - a huge rocked shaved by a moving glacier - and El Cap - the largest granite monolith in the world. These two natural formations have been made famous by hundreds of thousands of pictures, and are very beautiful. Trails lead to the top of both - the Half Dome trail is routinely traveled by people carrying nothing but a 12oz bottle of water (not recommended). The cable ladder at the top makes for a pretty cool hike.
There is so much to do in Yosemite valley - rafting, swimming, rock climbing (Yosemite is world famous for rock climbing), biking, hiking, camping, horseback riding, eating, lounging, and more. There are three lodges that offer rooms, as well as numerous camping spots and tents for rent. Curry village is a great place to hang out at night and have some pizza, looking up the walls of Glacier Point, watching the climbers who are sleeping on its walls. There are trails of all lengths and difficulty, with enough miles to keep you walking for days and days. If you can't find something fun to do here, you must be dead. But, on the other hand, I've enjoyed spending time there doing nothing at all.
If you want to get away from the crowds, head to Tuolumne Meadows. Absolutely breathtaking! I love the place so much I named one of my cats after it. It's an alpine meadow, surrounded with huge granite domes that attract climbers from all over the world. There are trails all over the area, and a huge lake you can go swimming in (though I have to say it's very cold). There's a lodge, a store with a deli, and camping spots. It's truly a spiritual place, and I hope that many people don't take the very scenic drive there and ruin my solitude! Take the time to drive there - it's worth the trip.
All in all, Yosemite National Park is a great place to take a trip. I've been there in the summer, fall, and winter, and have loved it each time. There's enough to do in each season that it makes it worth a trip. Summer is the most crowded, but if you can handle the crowds, it makes a wonderful summer trip destination. I've found that one of the best times to go is early May - it's not too hot, and the summer crowds haven't formed yet.
Take a trip to Yosemite - you'll love it!
Recommended:
Yes
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Epinions.com ID:
goclimb
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Member: Mark Fleming
Reviews written: 12
Trusted by: 1 member
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