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From Yori7 min read

Two Days in Yosemite: Waterfalls, Giant Sequoias, and Good Friends

A two-day Yosemite trip brought roaring waterfalls, giant trees, sore legs, an empty fishing line, and the kind of laughter only good friends provide.

By Yori, Fresno Forest Creations

Standing at the edge of a roaring waterfall, soaked in mist and looking out over Yosemite Valley, I realized this trip with Matt Bivens and James Gregson was going to be one I would never forget.

Every once in a while, you need to put the phone down, get out of town, and experience something that reminds you how incredible God's creation really is. That is exactly what I did with two good friends.

We were not exactly roughing it

Before anyone says we were roughing it, let me clear something up. We stayed in a beautiful Airbnb in Mariposa with a jacuzzi, a swimming pool, and even a pool table.

After hiking all day, coming back to a hot jacuzzi was about as good as it gets. Survival mode this was not.

The Mist Trail earns its name

If you are planning to hike the Mist Trail to Vernal Fall and beyond, be ready. This is not a little afternoon stroll.

You climb what feels like an endless run of stone steps. Your legs burn, the trail gets slick near the water, and a few views over the edge remind you just how high you have climbed.

Every step is worth it. Standing near the waterfalls while mist rises and rainbows form in the spray is something pictures cannot fully capture. You have to feel the sound and force of the water for yourself.

Vernal Fall lived up to the hype

Vernal Fall was incredible. The water crashes over the granite with so much force that you can feel it before you reach the best view.

The spray cools you down on a warm day, and the whole scene has a way of making everyone stop talking for a minute. It was one of those moments I know I will remember for a long time.

Matt does not know how to ride a bike

Now for the funniest discovery of the trip. I brought my mountain bike because I wanted to ride around Yosemite Valley. Then I learned that Matt Bivens does not know how to ride a bicycle.

A grown man. Never learned. I could not believe it.

So the bikes mostly stayed put. I guess that will be another adventure for another day, preferably after we get Matt a few lessons.

Fishing, sort of

We also spent a little time fishing. Unfortunately, the fish were not interested in being part of the story. We did not catch a single one.

Nobody really cared. Sometimes fishing is just an excuse to stand outside with good friends, enjoy the scenery, and laugh the entire time.

Standing beneath the giant trees

One of my favorite parts of the trip was seeing the giant old-growth sequoias. Pictures do not prepare you for their scale.

When afternoon light filters through the forest and catches the red and gold in the bark, each tree seems to have its own spotlight. You cannot help wondering how many generations have walked beneath the same branches. It is humbling.

Tiny climbers on enormous granite walls

We looked up at Yosemite's enormous granite cliffs and spotted rock climbers making their way up the walls. From where we stood, they looked like tiny dots.

Watching them inch toward the top gave me a whole new appreciation for their skill, determination, and maybe just a little bit of craziness.

More than a vacation

Trips like this remind me how important it is to step away from work now and then. Hiking waterfalls, soaking tired legs, fishing without catching anything, and laughing with friends are the moments you remember years later.

Yosemite makes you slow down, breathe deeper, and appreciate how incredible this world really is. I came home tired, sore, and with plenty of miles on my hiking boots, but I would do it all again in a heartbeat.

If you have never been to Yosemite, put it on your bucket list.