Yosemite National Park

Our day started with a 10am tour of the valley floor.  We were there nice and early and ready to go.  The pickup zone was right outside main reception where the internet connection was the strongest, so Emma made the most of the opportunity.

The Open Aired Tractor arrived to take us on our tour.

As I bought the tickets in line I almost forgot to exchange it for tickets but it got done.

About 9.45 we were able to sit in the Tractor.

Our tour guide was Diana and our driver was Lawrence.

The tour took us to varies locations around the park.

There was a lot of history dating back 125 years on how the park was discovered and the steps that went into making it a National Park and of course how the Americans invented the theory.

September is the driest month of the year  so there was no waterfalls and little in the lakes and streams.  There was also a fire on the eastern side of the valley which caused the hazey skies.  The view was still amazing.  

It was quite cold in the shaded parts and warm in the sun.  The tour came to an end to soon and then it was time for us to do our own exploring.  But first a hearty lunch  at the food court at the Lodge was in order.

After lunch we jumped on the free park shuttle bus.  There are 3 seperate loops that the bus does.  We hopped on the bus right out the front of the Lodge and headed to Mirror Lake #16.  It was a 1 mile hike to the lake and it was so different to any of the bush walks we have done.  Lots of rocks and trees but no lush undergrowth.

There was a little water in the creeks which is all that is left from last winter.

Umm no water, never mind the view was worth the walk.

From there we jumped back on the shuttle bus and headed the visitors centre.

Of course there is always fun to be had.  Hayley climbing through the gaint tree.

The girls with John Muir.  John Muir is a famous American and influential naturalist and conservationists and a big avocate for the Yosemite National Park.

Back on the bus we headed for Yosemite Falls.

It was a nice walk, with a slight incline, to the falls and even though we knew there would be no water it was still so worth it.

You can only imagine the amount of water that does flow through this canyon by the size of everything.

Although there was no water we were still rewarded by nature as we walked along and came across this squirrel just standing tall and still in the log while I took a photo.

After our day in this beautiful place surrounded by nature it really was time to return to the lodge and enjoy some technology.  It was 4.30 and we sat in the food court and caught up on our social media until dinner.