Gushing waterfalls
Springtime’s snowmelt brings on Yosemite’s epic waterfall season, when
the Valley’s packed rim to rim with appreciative spectators. In out-of-the-way Hetch Hetchy, near the western Big Oak Flat entrance, ramble 2.5 miles along the edge of the scenic reservoir to the powerhouse whitewater cascade of Wapama Falls. Two footbridges traverse the pummeling spray, and hikers can cool off with views of the submerged valley - the controversial source of San Francisco’s water - framed by the granite landmarks of Kolana Rock and Hetch Hetchy Dome. Just don’t cross when the water’s raging high and risk getting swept away. Between there and the trailhead, gaze up at the seasonal ribbon of graceful Tueeulala Falls.
Classic lodging
When it to comes to historic luxury, the combination of soaring ceilings, cavernous stone fireplaces and ponderous wooden beams of the 1927 Ahwahnee Hotel have no rival. But shouldn’t the definitive Yosemite overnight be outdoors amidst the sounds of grazing deer and birds greeting daybreak? At Yosemite’s five hike-in High Sierra Camps (established between 1916 and 1961), backpacking becomes downright lavish. Guests arrive to tent cabins with real beds, prepared family-style meals, and the opportunity to slough off trail dust under a hot shower. There’s a price tag for this indulgence (and a lottery for the limited number of accommodations), but it’s pocket change compared to a night at the Ahwahnee.
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