Late Summer Road Trip 2019: Sequoia National Park

When I had just turned five, I went on a weekend trip to Sequoia National Park with my paternal grandparents. It was summer and baking hot. I remember eating orange flavored popsicles and feeding peanuts to the friendly squirrels that visited our cabin in the woods. For a souvinier, my grandparents bought me a wooden jewelry box that I still own. I also lost my first tooth on that trip, and much to my mom’s dismay, the “tooth-fairy” left twenty-dollars under my pillow.

Other than pictures, I don’t actually remember seeing the massive redwood trees, especially the impressive “General Sherman",” which has the distinction of being the largest single-stem tree on earth.

Dan had not visited Sequoia, and my memories of it were hazy, so we added a quick visit to our 2019 road trip itinerary.

The drive up into the mountains took us through beautiful farmland and winding curves.

We arrived at the entrance gate for park opening and paid our 35.00 car fee. The park was not crowded during our visit, which was on a Monday in early September.

Sequoia National Park has several warning signs to remind visitors to be respectful of plants and wildlife. We did not see any bears, but we did see deer!

We stopped at the Foothills Visitor’s Center to get our bearings and to make a plan for visiting the park, before heading off on the road to see General Sherman. Minutes into our drive we were surrounded by a canopy of enormous trees.

The walk to General Sherman was relatively short, taking us about fifteen minutes at a leisurely pace. There were many warnings, because the climb down is at a steep grade and the altitude is high. We had already spent a few years living at a high altitude in Big Bear Lake and did not feel affected by it, but we did see other visitors that were clearly struggling. There are many beautiful spots to rest and the path is wide, not intimidating at all, but I’d recommend bringing water and sturdy shoes.

That’s a tall tree!

and a massive trunk!

But not bigger than the star of Sequoia: General Sherman.

Here are my less than spectacular Sequoia pictures from the early 80’s, where I rock the Dorothy Hamill cut and my grandparents cut the tree out of the picture.

We briefly stopped at the Giant Forest Museum to see another enormous redwood named Sentinel, admire the cute stuffed animals for sale, and have a pee-break before driving back to Big Bear Lake.

I wish we had been able to spend more time at Sequoia National Park. I wish we had brought hiking shoes and had been better prepared to explore. I also wish that we had been able to see the tree with a hole that you can drive through the middle. How cool is that? I mostly wish that I had taken advantage of our proximity when we lived in California to visit this enchanting land of giants. Sequoia National Park is truly a magical place.

Late Summer Road Trip 2019: Yosemite National Park

After our morning spent visiting Mono Lake, we decided to cut through Yosemite National Park on our continued road trip to Portland, Oregon. Neither Dan nor I had visited Yosemite National Park previously, yet we were familiar with pictures of the famous El Capitan, an enormous granite cliff that attracts rock climbers from around the world. Yosemite National Park seemed too iconic to miss.

Prior to officially entering the park, we saw dramatic mountains and a beautiful lake.

We entered at Tioga Pass, paying a 30.00 fee. The fee is per vehicle. I think that we must have entered on the quiet side of the park, as the deeper we went, the more traffic we encountered. We visited the day after Labor Day, and many visitors had extended their three day weekends.

After entering the park, the landscape included extensive fields, tall pines, and more mountains.

We pulled over for some dramatic mountain shots.

And another stop at another lake. This one was vast, much larger than the lake near the entrance to the park. To be honest, it could have been a very large river, rather than a lake. I’m not sure. The water was crystal clear, and I felt envious of the people having a lazy day in lounge chairs on the shore. I wish we had both more time to stay in Yosemite and the forethought to have packed a few chairs and a picnic. The weather was crisp, but sunny. A perfect way to cap off the end of summer.

As we continued our drive, the rocks became even more dramatic.

We drove up into the mountains with amazing views of the valley below.

Finally, we reached Yosemite National Park’s star attraction, El Capitan. It was crowded, as if the entire population of park visitors converged into this one area. It was so jammed, that we spent an hour driving around a loop in an attempt to find parking and decided to bail on the idea. We did get to see the magnificent El Capitan, and stand in its shadow, but since Yosemite was an unplanned stop, we had to keep moving. it’s hard to see it in these pictures, but there were plenty of climbers on the mountain, which was incredible.

Our drive through Yosemite National Park took a few hours, longer because of the traffic near El Capitan. We thought that it was stunning, but it Yosemite didn’t pack the same punch as some of the other national parks that we have visited, such as Bryce and Zion.

I am happy that I finally visited Yosemite National Park. It had been on my “California Bucket List,” and visiting was especially sweet, as I moved to Colorado a few months later. I always think of the things that I should make a point to see now, things somewhat close to Colorado, for example, the Black Hills of South Dakota or Yellowstone National Park. In her early 20’s, my mom lived in Virginia for two years, and one of her biggest life regrets was not visiting Washington DC. I want to make sure that I see it all!

We drove through the Stanislaus National Forest and into the charming town of Groveland for lunch. in Groveland, we went to Dog Gone Good, a hot dog stand set up in the front yard of a person’s home. It was odd and delightful. The hot dogs were delicious and a good value. We would definitely eat here again, if we ever found ourselves in the area. I highly recommend it.

I’ll end this post with a beautiful sunflower that was in the garden of Dog Gone Good. I can’t think of a better symbol for the last days of summer.

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Late Summer Road Trip 2019: Panum Crater and Mono Lake

After leaving our cabin at Glacier Lodge, we headed to Mono Lake. Dan had previously visited Mono Lake, and it was one of the places in California that he really wanted me to experience. He had hyped it up for years.

On the way to Mono Lake, we pulled off to see the Panum Crater: a Rhyolitic Plug-Dome Volcano. This detour took us off the highway for a scenic drive through the desert, ending at the Panum Crater. We took a short trail for a closer view of the crater and to snap some pictures. If we had wanted exercise, there was a much longer hiking trail (we walked for about ten minutes) and even guided tours offered later in the day. Yellow wildflowers were everywhere!

Back on the highway, and just a short drive down the road, we came to the Mono Lake Tufa State Natural Reserve, which is part of the California state parks system. We started at the visitors center to look at the exhibits. The visitors center also has a great observation deck and it is the starting point for several tours, including the tour of the Panum Crater. We didn’t take any of the tours, but I think this would have been a excellent experience if we had more time. I always enjoy learning more about the places that we visit.

I think it was within walking distance, but we drove to a parking lot closer to Mono Lake, where we paid a fee of three dollars each. The payment was cash-only, which is common for the state parks, so if visiting or planning a road trip, make sure to have some cash ( small bills/ no change given) on hand.

Mono Lake has some unique features. It’s a saline soda lake, making it incredibly salty. We didn’t swim in it, but apparently you are allowed, and if you try it, you will easily float due to the salt content. Also, local legend states that the water in Mono Lake is restorative and will cure ailments.

The other unusual thing about Mono Lake is the Tufa’s, which are large columns made of limestone. They are all over the lake. The Tufa’s reminded me of the Hoodoo’s of Bryce Canyon National Park in Utah. Both Bryce and Mono Lake have an otherworldly vibe. They are exquisite and unexpected.

Several walking trails were located just off of the parking lot, trails that took us both into the desert environment and to the lake shore. These trails were an easy walk that most people could enjoy and we even saw a person in a wheelchair. Don’t climb or collect the Tufa!

On the water, we spotted several groups of kayakers in the distance. Although it was a holiday weekend, Mono Lake was not crowded and it was a serene visit. I was delighted to hear birds chirping and to feel like we were alone as we traversed this bizarre landscape.

i’m thrilled that Dan insisted on taking me to Mono Lake. I spent nearly my entire life living in California and I had never experienced this local wonder. I guess sometimes it takes a person from another country to make you appreciate what you have in your own backyard. I’d love to visit again and actually get out on the lake.

We refreshed ourselves with lattes and muffins from Mono Cup Coffee.

Mono Cup Coffee is a wonderful local spot and it was near the entrance to our next stop: Yosemite National Park!