Yosemite Valley Loop Trail

If you are looking for a nice hike that isn't strenuous I would suggest the Valley Loop Trail in Yosemite Valley. The trail hugs the edge of the valley will take you by Mirror Lake, Yosemite Falls and El Capitan. If you do the full loop it is about 11.5 miles. The good thing is if you want to stop at any time you are close to a bus stop and you can return any time. On this hike we had 2 small children so we ended up hiking about 8 miles total. We left the trail between Yosemite Falls and El Capitan and traversed a meadow to cross the swinging bridge to get back to our campsite. The meadow is beautiful and  is now one of my favorite sites as seen in the picture above.

One other benefit is there are places along the way like Yosemite Lodge and Half Dome Village where you can take a break.

This is a great year to go to Yosemite

I just got back from a camping trip to Yosemite Valley. If you have ever thought of going this is the year. In a normal year the falls start to dry up during the summer and by late summer they are very dry. This year the falls are in full glory. A good sign is that Tioga Pass is still closed due to too much snow. What that means is the falls should be roaring all throughout the summer. I saw waterfalls in places that normally don't exist. My son hiked up the Mist Trail to Vernal Falls and came back soaked.

Even though it is late June you still have time to book a Yosemite vacation.