Some of the most beautiful places in the world are right here in the United States. I’m talking about jaw-dropping, breathtaking and majestic views.
ALL RIGHT HERE!! You don’t even need a passport!
Coast to coast, from the Gulf of Mexico to the Canadian border–our country literally has it all. From a landscape of sand and vibrant walls of color in Death Valley, to mountains magnificent enough to bring tears, to cliffs dropping into the ocean, to the red rock arch formations in Arches—-you will find whatever your heart desires. There is a National Park with almost every different kind of landscape, each with its own unique beauty.
I created a National Park bucket list about 15 years ago, and together with my husband, we’ve checked off quite a few!! Some of which we’ve driven to, some we’ve visited via flights and rental vehicles. I can honestly say that not one park has been disappointing. In fact, every one of them has been fantastically surprising. I’ve loved them all and the adventures we’ve enjoyed in each one. Of course, some do stand out as my favorites. I want to start with the one I found most awe inspiring– and I don’t use those words lightly. Yosemite National Park will be forever imprinted upon my soul.
YOSEMITE
In August of 2022, we went on an unforgettable adventure through California. We flew into Fresno, drove to our Airbnb in Coarsegold, a staging area that we chose because of its proximity to the places we wanted to see. In planning our excursions, we knew that our window of time there included 7 days. During that time, in order to enter Yosemite–each touring group had to be awarded a 3-day park pass through a lottery. As luck would have it, we couldn’t do this in advance of travel, then keep trying for a winning draw if unsuccessful. The lottery could only be accessed one day before touring the park–all or nothing so to speak. We were EXTREMELY lucky to snag a 3-day pass. Those 3 days were among the most unforgettable of my life to date.
Yosemite is unlike any place we’ve ever been–the only place that has evoked such overwhelming emotions, that the eyes through which I was viewing one of the most magnificent canyons were almost immediately blurred by tears on inspiration. It wasn’t just me–after several moments of reflective silence, I turned to my daughters and husband to see their misty eyes as well. For several moments, which seemed like an hour, we completely lost track of tourists standing in the viewing area alongside. I then noticed that the emotional responses that we were quietly experiencing, were quite similar to strangers from throughout the world–most of whom also had tears in their eyes, and very few words could be spoken by anyone. To this day, no place, regardless of its beauty, has evoked the magnitude of powerful emotions that engulfed my mind, body, and soul on that blue sky morning in Yosemite. In short–it was sacred. I felt as though God’s majestic hands were nearby, and that He was with us there to share the pristine beauty of his creations.
The views, the hiking, the vast amount of landscape to explore–this makes for Yosemite to be one of my all-time favorites. To have explored this magnificent park with 2 of my daughters is something I will cherish the rest of my life. We hiked a couple of different trails, but our favorite was one that Theodore Roosevelt and John Muir hiked together. Halfway into the 8-mile hike (roundtrip) we stopped and had a picnic style lunch in the very spot that moved President Roosevelt so deeply, he declared the necessity of National Parks and how they must be treasured.
Yosemite is a great park for kids and adults. We met individuals of all ages, physical abilities, and backgrounds on our hikes. Hundreds of trails range from easy to extremely difficult. Note–hiking to the HALF DOME requires a special permit!
Everyone always asks me which park is my favorite, I don’t really have just one favorite; however, if you can only visit one National Park in your lifetime–let it be Yosemite.
After spending three glorious days in Yosemite, we headed for 2 days in Sequoia National Park and Kings Canyon. At that time, wildfires were still burning. In order to avoid the fires, we had to manage each of these park visits cautiously. Somehow by the grace of God, we did it ALL. I’ll have more details to share with you about those parks in future posts.
I hope you enjoy this new series in my blog–and stay tuned for more on my favorite parks!! For pass/park inquiries on Yosemite, search here: Yosemite National Park (U.S. National Park Service) (nps.gov I must add–it is VERY difficult to get reservations for the Yosemite Lodge. In order to stay there, you must book at least a year in advance. Happy travels!
XOXO, Valerie
GEN X FASHION 
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