American treasure hunt
Larina Arrowsmith is awestruck by the magic of Yosemite National Park
A visit to Yosemite National Park in California’s Sierra Nevada Mountains offers a chance to step into one of nature’s greatest wonderlands. Following a four hour journey from San Francisco, I awakened in our minibus to the theme tune of Jurassic Park as we completed the winding drive into this glacier carved canyon.
I was totally unprepared for the sheer magnitude of beauty that was in front of me… and I’m left a little teary-eyed as a result.
Described by the legendary John Muir as ‘the incomparable valley,’ Yosemite is a painter’s 
paradise with its harsh mountain lines against the backdrop of massive sequoia trees. The shimmering light from the water illuminates the landscape and provides golden halos for its peaks as it touches the snow-white icing on top.
I loved reading stories about teenagers at American summer camps when I was young and always wished to go to one myself. As we arrived at our accommodation, I felt as though my wish had been granted. The pine cabins overlooking the lake surrounded by fir trees are exactly how I imagined they would be and I couldn’t wait to begin my own camp adventure.
Many visitors choose to explore either on bicycles or hike along one of the many trails such as the Nevada Fall or Mirror Lake via Valley Loop Trail. There are also many other organised attractions such as ranger-led tram tours and nature walks, evening theatre performances, photography seminars, art classes and rock climbing lessons.
There’s a guarantee for whatever you choose to do; it is that the humbling views and sublime tranquillity, which you find in Yosemite, will be souvenirs that you’ll retain forever.
YOSEMITE FACT FILE
- Its granite rock formations glow like fire at sunset
- The park is home to over 400 species of wildlife
- It’s also home to Yosemite Falls – one of the highest waterfalls in the world
- Some four million people visited the park in 2018
- This is one of the few places in the US where it’s possible to see a rainbow at night
- It is revered as the birthplace of rock climbing for sport
- Yosemite’s most famous hotel was once used as a wartime hospital
- Buffalo soldiers were some of the park’s first protectors
