Yosemite National Park
By Rachel Puryear
Yosemite is a gorgeous national park in the Sierra mountain range, and is such an iconic place in California.
El Capitan is immediately recognized in photos, and is a favorite of rock climbers worldwide.
The many waterfalls give off refreshing mist on a warm day’s hike, as well as stunning sights.
Plenty of meadows and lakes offer a tranquil place to read or picnic. An abundance of trees and flowers bring shade, oxygen, and beauty.
Wildlife is also awesome to watch in the park (please remember to not get too close to wildlife, and to abide by park rules to protect them).
Winter can be a beautiful time to visit Yosemite, as it’s blanketed in snow and has fewer visitors than in summertime. Just remember that it’s frequently icy and below freezing then, so plan accordingly.
After dark, the night sky in Yosemite offers views of the cosmos that you won’t get in urbanized areas. Glacier Point is one of my favorite spots to watch the stars.
See here for information from the National Park Service about visiting Yosemite. Even if you’ve been there before, it’s always a good idea to check current conditions before you go.
Did you know what items people forget most often when they’re going camping? Here’s a quick reminder, with links in case you need to pick these up before you go:
- Suitable heat source: camping heater, extra blankets, portable campfire (no wood needed, but needs a match to light). If it will be chilly, see here about camping in mildly chilly weather.
- Wet wipes, toilet paper and extra towels.
- Extra batteries. If you’d also like to plug in without a power outlet, you can do that easily with a jackery (my husband uses one of these to camp with a c-pap machine).
- Duct tape in case something rips, tools needed to set up tent, and a hatchet if you’ll be cutting wood.
- Cold packs. These can double to keep food cold, and in case of injuries. Packs are less messy than ice, and can be refrozen later. Just don’t forget to grab them out of the freezer before you go.
- Trash bags (see here for compostable ones).
- Can opener/bottle opener combo, ziploc bags to reseal food (see here for excellent reusable ones that we use). There’s nothing like sitting down after setting up camp to pop open a cold one, and…damn. Or carefully picking out canned food to be…unable to open it. Don’t go hungry or thirsty.
- Birth control (if you need it). If the bears and squirrels won’t be the only ones getting frisky in the woods, and pregnancy is possible, be sure to include protection on your checklist.
- Menstrual products (if you use them). Note that if you have a tween or teen child (8+) who might need these, be sure to pack them.
- Extra shoes, extra underwear, a poncho for rain.
Thank you, dear readers, for reading, following, and sharing. Here’s to great public parks.
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