Central California’s Yosemite National Park was the third area to be declared a national park in the United States in 1890, properly preserved for its abundant wildlife and rugged beauty.
Yosemite is famous for its colossal granite mountain faces, frothy waterfalls and enormous Sequoia trees. The park’s serene setting is a magnet for adventurous backpackers making their way up the John Muir Trail, as well as groups visiting from around the world to camp in the Valley and see the main sites.
We visited the park in late October 2020, which had its advantages, but also its drawbacks — both of which I will detail in this article.
Here is a snapshot preview of our trip to Yosemite National Park during COVID times: the pros, the cons, and the best things to do in Fall.
Camp in Aspen Grove
We entered the park at the east entrance near Mammoth Lakes, California at an icy 9,000 feet altitude – a chilly welcome, yet with many advantages.
Right near this entrance lies Aspen Grove – a secluded campground tucked away in the quiet forest.
A rocky creek splashes beside the sites, breaking up the stillness of the cool air. Copper, orange, and rustic red trees are spiced along the stream. Fallen limbs brim the water’s edge where nature has run its course.
The weather temperature dropped below freezing that night, but the soft sunrise that peaked through hard branches was worth the extra frost.
Lounge at lakes along Tioga Pass
Majestic waters awaited us along Tioga Pass, the scenic stretch of highway through the park that stays open until snow season around November.
We stopped for photo ops of the freshwater beauties, the perfect royal blue backdrops.
I was dressed in so many layers of chunky sweaters and scarves and snowboard pants, right before the sun suddenly sneaks out and surprised us. We even saw other hikers wearing shorts as we unraveled a million layers off our body!
Trek up Cathedral Lakes Trail
This steep climb will have you ascending around 1000 feet per mile. With crisp mountain air as our fuel, the hike to Cathedral Lakes and back is 8 miles roundtrip, even with the big hill!
Spoiler alert: with a 30-pound “Phatty” the pooch in tow, we never made it to Cathedral Lakes – but mainly because the Autumn sundown creeps in early at 5PM (no worries, Phatty).
Fall in love with Bridalveil Falls
The only waterfall that still flows in Autumn is Bridalveil Falls, as all the other cascades have dried up over the summer without rain.
Currently, Bridalveil Falls is currently closed in 2020 for construction (can’t catch a break this year, can we?). However, the falls are still beautiful to glimpse from afar until the trail opens up again.
Crawl into a Hollow Tree in Mariposa Grove
At the bottom of a lonely canyon lies the Mariposa Grove of Giant Sequoias, a haunted walk of fallen leaves and silent giants.
We stumbled upon an old tree with the insides hollowed out. Though I can be claustrophobic, I can cross off my bucket list that I have crawled through a tree longways like a tunnel.
Be aware, the 2-mile hike back out of the valley grove proves quite steep!
Frolic and splash among Autumn colors
Speaking of trees, what list of Autumn moments would be complete without including jumping in a pile of crunchy orange leaves?!
Honestly, the best thing about visiting Yosemite in Fall is the spectrum of colorful shades. The contrast of dark and light shades in Yosemite’s lakes, peaks and trees is stunning.
Gaze up at Granite Domes
The most striking feature of Yosemite National Park is the epic granite domes that tower over visitors in Yosemite Valley.
These chalk-colored monsters were shaped from glaciers that swept over the granite during the ice age, along with erosion, forming huge domes.
Take the trail along Mirror Lake for protruding views of the gargantuan Half Dome, or stop in the valley meadows to look El Capitan in its 3,000-foot face.
Dance, sing, and play music in the park
With less crowds in the Fall, we often had the trails to ourselves in the late afternoons – besides for the thriving animals and plants, of course.
We danced with hula hoops through private corners and played flute to echo among the trees, listening to the sounds of the forest speaking back to us.
In a nutshell, or an acorn, the best way to spend your time in the park is by carving out your own adventure on the trails less traveled by (with less visitors in Fall) and making the most of the off season (through cold weather and COVID times).
You will find there is always something unique to discover in Yosemite National Park!
