This year marks the 100th anniversary of the US National Park Service, an institution in charge of the conservation of the most splendid landscapes in the United States, ensuring that millions of visitors each year have a chance to experience the great outdoors. So it was about time that I became one of them, and there is no better place than Yosemite National Park for that.

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Getting to Yosemite
Having the opportunity to go to California on a business trip in September 2016 and having recently watched one of the most inspiring documentaries I had seen in a while (Valley Uprising), I did not need any more reasons to extend my stay and drive tirelessly the 500km toward what many consider one of the greatest of the National Parks, and probably one of the most photographed places in the US.

Yosemite is easily accessible from Dubai, with direct flights to both San Francisco (the closest) and Los Angeles, followed by a few hours’ easy drive through California. My itinerary lead me through a significant portion of the State (2000km on the road) and gave me a good overview of what it has to offer: starting from Los Angeles, I drove along the coast through Santa Barbara, Pismo Beach up until McWay Falls in the Big Sur. I then drove inland to Fresno, through the Sierra National Forest and finally arrived at Yosemite National Park. I flew back from San Francisco (4-hour drive from Yosemite) after a day visiting the city. Taking with me about 15 kilos of photo equipment (I like travelling light), both digital and analogue, my main objective was clear: to make the best use of it. I ended up with about 190GB of RAW files and 6 film rolls, so I’d say the objective was indeed met.

Budget-wise, the round-trip airfare is usually below AED 6,000, the entrance to the Park is $30 for the week by car, and the campsite can be as low as $6/night! No need for a 4WD (unless you plan to sleep in it). An RV might also be a good option in case the campsites are all full.

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Staying in the Park
There are various options for spending your nights in the Park, from the luxurious lodge to the rough night spent trying to fit on the back seats of your car in a deserted parking lot in bear territory. This is exactly how I spent my first night and was indeed a very special experience which I do not recommend, although it did offer plenty of occasions to enjoy the views from Glacier Point at sunset, during the night(waking up every 2 hours trying to find an non-existent comfortable position) and at sunrise, with only a 2min walk from said parking.

One thing I did not expect is how busy the Park is, mostly from April to September. By the time I planned my trip (two days before departure) all lodges and campsites were full. They fill up quickly and booking three months in advance is recommended; I did not know that. A permit should also be booked to stay overnight in the wilderness (called the Wilderness Permit), and to do one of the most famous hikes of the Park to the top of Half Dome (called the Half Dome Permit, the NPS does have straight forward names for its permits). Last minute travellers, like myself, have however a few options available: on site application for a permit the day before the hike (limited numbers) and a campsite without prior reservation: the legendary Camp 4 (a must for all climbers). This however means that you should arrive as early as 7 am to the site and wait an hour in line to get a spot. I did arrive at 10am (not being able to miss the opportunity of shooting sunrise) and got lucky by getting the very last one-person spot of the camp (next to the bathroom obviously).

Points of Interest
There are too many to make an exhaustive list but here is a list of top 10 of my must-see for photography purposes, which do not require a long hike to access:

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1) Tunnel View, which might very well be the first sight of the Park that most visitors experience.

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2) Glacier Point, which is worth visiting for sunrise, sunset, during the night and pretty much any time of day. From April to September, a group of Hang Gliders start their flight from Glacier Point around 8 am – worth a look (and a picture) if you happen to be there at the right time

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3) Taft Point, best visited at sunset when a couple is having their wedding photo-shoot on site (I got lucky…)

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4) Pretty much anywhere in the Valley along the Merced River, such as Cathedral Beach, which offers stunning reflections of the rock formations on the surface of the water

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5) Vernal and Nevada Falls, which have nice accessible hikes to some of the few waterfalls that are still active after spring (and also happen to be on the way to Half Dome);

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6) Olmsted Point, a 1-hour drive from the Valley but worth the view (and also located on the way to 8 and 9)

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7) Tuolumne Grove, for an experience of the giant sequoia trees (Mariposa Grove is currently closed to visitors)

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8) Tenaya Lake, for a refreshing swim or some kayaking

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9) Tuolumne Meadows, offering a quieter visit of the Park and impressive landscapes

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10) El Capitan Meadow, to observe climbers on a challenging 3,000 feet ascent of the Nose (I also hiked to the base of the Nose for some closer views of the climbers during their feat).

Outdoor Activities
Again, too many to list, but a few jump to my mind, photography being my personal favourite. Walking in the footsteps of Ansel Adams is quite exciting and daunting at the same time. As he accurately said: “Landscape photography is the supreme test of the photographer – and often the supreme disappointment”.When you have seen so many images of the place, under every angle and light, it indeed feels like a test to finally be there,with a camera in hand.

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Hiking is one of the most common activities in the Park, and the number and variety of hikes available is pretty much unlimited. Guide books dedicated to Yosemite hikes describe these in detail, and there are a few safety tips you should consider prior to going out there. I did the 4-hour (round-trip) hike to Nevada falls, which was very enjoyable and challenging enough that I felt I finally deserved a hot meal that evening (I had also had enough of my classic combo of beef jerky and granola bar).

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Less adventurous but equally scenic, walking or biking through the Valley itself is nothing short of inspiring. It does get quite busy after 9 am, especially on weekends (not Dubai-Mall-on-a-Friday-evening busy, but still more than you would hope for when trying to get out of crowded cities).

Climbing is another great activity. As said above, watching the movie ‘Valley Uprising’ before going to Yosemite is highly recommended (warning: you might want to buy a ticket to San Francisco immediately after though, so check your account balance beforehand). It does feel like Yosemite was made for climbers: the rock formations, smooth big walls, are just perfect for it. Courses are available, but staying in Camp 4 and meeting other climbers can be an opportunity to learn a few tricks as well.

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My time there went fast and those five days in the Park were equally filled with activities and wandering around aimlessly, camera in hand, and just appreciating the surroundings, which was all very satisfying. It is one of those places to which I will go at least 4 times in my life: once for each season.


Words + Photos by: Romain Loubeyre