Yosemite: Yosemite Falls
One of Yosemite's many highlights is Yosemite Falls, said to be the highest waterfall in North America. The combined height of the Upper and Lower Falls is the equivalent of Chicago's Sears Tower plus the Eiffel Tower.
We visited the falls on the second day of our trip to Yosemite. The trek to the bottom of the falls begins at one of the park's many bus stops:
It's an easy hike; part of the path to the falls is beautifully framed with trees, presenting a stunning preview:
And then the falls are right in front of you, in all their glory:
The Upper Fall:
The Lower:
Those who are adventurously inclined can scramble over rocks in order to see the pool of water at the foot of Lower Yosemite Fall.
Fair warning, though: we saw a medic putting someone on a stretcher near the rocks. I suspect that happens fairly often.
Related posts: Mariposa Grove, Vernal Fall, and The Ahwahnee Hotel.
posted by Laura @ 8:40 PM
3 Comments:
Beautiful! Would love to see this for myself. My wife (having grown up in CA and WA) visited as a kid and twisted her ankle once going to that very spot. I have a fear of heights myself- how did you fare overall on the trip?
What a coincidence that she had a problem on those rocks, J.C. Hope it wasn't too bad an experience for her!
Heightswise I was fine. (Nothing like the Grand Canyon, where I was regularly saying "Move back from the edge" to the kids, grin.) There are a couple of the more challenging hikes which I've read have very steep drops right next to the trail which wouldn't be a good idea for someone who has a fear of falling. It's also very important to stay on the trails; last year someone hiking to Vernal and Nevada Fall went a few yards off the trail, fell into the Merced River, and drowned.
We left the park by Tioga Pass Road, the highest driveable pass in the state, and it has a couple steep drops right next to the road that made me a bit nervous, but that was a very tiny part of the overall road, which is a gorgeous drive.
I was surprised that an acquaintance of my 13-year-old daughter just made the Half Dome hike. As noted in a post last year (bottom entry), it's a dangerous hike; there were three fatal falls in 2006-2007.
Maybe you can combine a visit to Yosemite and Disneyland one day!
Best wishes,
Laura
Maybe you can combine a visit to Yosemite and Disneyland one day!
As the song goes..."I'm wishing...I'm wishing..."
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