Dreaming of visiting Yosemite National Park? Winter in Yosemite is one of the most beautiful times of the year to go. See photos of what it looks like here.
By Jonny Conger
My neck was a little sore when I woke up in Mariposa, California one early morning. It hardly mattered though, because I was going back to
Yosemite today (just a 3.5-hour drive from the
San Francisco Escape Camper Vans rental site). My first time experiencing winter in Yosemite National Park had been the year before. The lightly snow-sprinkled valley was mesmerizing that February. The upper valley and other locations in the park were closed due to the snowfall, but staring up at the glory of El Capitan was well worth the trip, even with the neck-strain hangover that followed. The walls of granite that fence the valley, shoot straight up several thousand feet, making it impossible not to stare up at it in awe.
This day we went to Tunnel View for sunrise. The valley floor kindly greeted us with a thick rolling fog as the sun rose over the horizon, shining a short-lived spotlight on El Capitan. The valley was surprisingly empty of the famed crowds of tourists. I talked to a Park Ranger and he informed me that this was common once the snow settles down in the valley.
Campsites at Yosemite are booking up fast! Read more about finding camping in Yosemite here.
