Since moving to California in late 2018, I've visited Yosemite National Park on five separate trips. Yosemite is massive; day hikers can explore the valley, Tuolumne Meadows, and Mariposa grove, and still only cover a small fraction of the park's overall footprint. That's not to mention the three adjacent national forests and nearby Mammoth Lakes.
Perhaps the most striking thing about this region of California are the jaw-dropping vistas.
The terrain is wildly varied: from rivers coursing through deep forests, to vast open meadows, to sheer rock faces supporting huge waterfalls.
The park is also filled with wildlife - I've seen many species of bird and deer, but also, on one lucky trip, four different black bears!
And as the day passes into dusk and eventually night, the lakes and landscapes become even more serene.
© 2026 Bharath Srivatsan
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