Day 31 - YNP 2/5 - Yosemite Valley & Nevada Falls

Visiting Yosemite Valley, the heart of the National Park, is definitely one of the highlights of the trip.

It is recommended not to go to the valley on weekends and to go as early as possible to avoid spending the day in traffic.

I arrive at 8:40 am (about 1.5 hours driving time) and half of the parking lot is empty.

In the valley, there are free buses that take you to different locations, but they get overcrowded after noon.

I do the tourist program and visit the visitor center and museum - where I learn interesting facts about the park's geology and history.

One of the easily accessible attractions are the Yosemite Falls, upper and lower. There is a convenient wide footpath for the general American public (asphalted).

Then I move on to Camp 4, where the boulderers and climbers are supposed to hang out (I brought my climbing shoes with me, maybe I can go bouldering with cool Californians).

You can already tell by the tone, there are indeed many beautiful large boulders, but no boulderers - just another campground (without showers). Next door, there is a resort cafeteria - you can also grab a burger here (which I do... it's America after all).

As I stand at one of the shuttle stops, my mood hits a low point, and I start thinking that YV is just another tourist attraction and there are waterfalls elsewhere too.

I meet some Germans again and I'm allowed to hike with them to the Nevada Falls. As we climb, I make jokes like "oh, a mountain stream..." and I only receive comments telling me to stop.

My opinion changes abruptly when I see the waterfall and its location. I'm not exaggerating. The series of joyful landscape impressions continue, you think - okay, it can't actually get any better, but it does.

We joke that a landscape architect secretly fulfilled their dream here, but no one believes it because it's too cheesy and unrealistic. Fact is, it happened in Yosemite Valley.

The hike passes by two waterfalls: Vernal Falls and Nevada Falls. You get very close to the wall of water and get quite wet (spray). Above the waterfalls, there is a paradise-like swimming area (no sand, only rocks, but it works).

It never fully comes across in pictures, you have to see it and walk around there.

We agree to meet again the next day.