Yosemite Family Trip

Yosemite Family Trip

Warning Lots of Photos

Our family trip this year we went to California. We hit Sequoia, Yosemite and Great Basin National Parks. We went with Brenda and her family and My parents and younger siblings came to. The only one not there was Calista and her family. We hope they can make it next time. We were gone 9 days and 8 nights. We drove our van with the new natural gas which saved us a lot. I ordered the wrong roof racks so all of our gear was piled in the van, tight fit, but it worked. 

Some of the best views: Glacier Point, Olmstead Point, and Hodgen Meadow

Friday we drove to LV and met up with Brenda and Bart. We went swimming and got to go to the Temple. 

Saturday: We drove to Bakersfield CA, and stopped and saw Jordan's Best friend from High School. They have a beautiful new home and had just brought home their new baby boy from the hospital.  We loved seeing all the farm land on the drive. 

Sunday: We went to church in Tulare, CA and then drove up to Sequoia National Park and set up camp in Lodgepole campground. There was a stream bed near by and we had some fun playing in the water. We went on our trip during a heat wave that hit the west and so it was hot hot hot. We jumped in any water we could to stay cool. Sunday night we went and saw some of the big Trees. Monday morning we went and hiked up to Moro Rock. A 450 stair hike straight up with a gorgeous view. Our favorite in the park. The trees were pretty amazing too.

Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday  we spent at Yosemite National Park. My parents joined us on Tuesday and Wednesday. We stayed in a KOA outside the park and camped one night in the park. 

 Camping at the
 KOA  and Bridal Veil Falls












Hiking to Vernal Falls 
Best Hike, Hard, Hot and Straight Up but beautiful.

 Trying to cool off at the visitors center, which by the way I was highly disappointed in.

Yosemite Falls

 Glacier Point - you could see the whole valley!

 The whole group with half dome in the back ground

Swimming under El Capitan Our favorite thing we did.

 Dylan loved playing in the sand

 The weather was hot, and the water refreshing. There was a pool of water that was still and a rushing stream to the side. The little kids played in the pool and the teenagers and some adults went down the currents of the stream. We had no floaties so we found old logs that floated and went down on those. It was a blast. People probably thought we were crazy. The view was amazing, my mom sat and painted and we played in the water. Could have done it all day.

Random

Hodgeden Meadow

 Soda Springs - the water the carbonated, scientific mystery.

 Lunch at Tenaya Lake

 Olmstead Point

We did a lot of driving and some days were long. Here are some photos of the kids sleeping.

Josie and Della had a blast together and are best friends!

 

 Great Basin National Park - definitely a different look, but so beautiful. Jordan and I got to go on a date hike to the peak. We went inside Lehman Caves, Dylan and I only made it half way through. We got to stay in the border inn, which is a fun little motel on the Utah Nevada border. It was so much fun.

On our boring drive through Nevada we stopped at this Crater. Pretty cool, but definitely in the middle of no where.