Our park trips have a dual purpose: for Cameron, it’s about exploring and learning, while for me, it’s a chance to capture some stunning photographs. Cameron is a great sport, putting up with daily sunrise and sunset outings.
I had been to Yosemite four times before bringing Cameron, so I already had a solid understanding of the park. This is also why this post may be longer than some of the others.
We went in November because it coincided with her birthday and the timing worked out perfectly. We were fortunate with our timing, which I’ll detail below. While late fall and winter can be beautiful times to visit, there are also some challenges.
November can be an excellent time to visit Yosemite. Most of the crowds are gone, and you can explore the park without hindrance. If you’re lucky, as we were, all the high-country roads remain open. The downside is colder temperatures, and the autumn colors and waterfalls are mostly absent.
For this trip, we stayed at Yosemite View Lodge, just outside the park on Route 140. It’s not a bad drive to the park, and the price was right. We had a comfortable, albeit slightly dated, room. There are many lodging options in and around Yosemite, and in late fall and early winter, it’s usually not too difficult to find a room.
We had four days in the park and were fortunate that all the roads remained open. By late November, most years see the high-country roads like Tioga Pass and Glacier Point Road closed, but this time we were able to give Cameron the full Yosemite experience.
Each day, we would find a location for sunrise and sunset. After sunrise, we’d head down to the valley for a pancake breakfast, explore the shops and visitor center, then retreat to the hotel and indoor pool to rest before heading out again later. We visited the classic spots: Tunnel View for sunrise, Glacier Point for sunset (twice!), and Valley View (sunrise). However, my best photos came from the high country in Tioga Pass, where we spent considerable time exploring.
The best part of exploring the pass, even in summer, is how open and uncrowded it is. Most people stay in and around the valley, so when you venture into the trails, you’ll often find solitude.
My favorite photo from Yosemite was taken while hiking around Olmsted Point. A short trail led to an amazing and unique view of Half Dome, which we enjoyed through sunset. The only downside was the long drive back to our hotel.
On the far side of the park is Tuolumne Meadows, where we spent an afternoon exploring. We hiked to the top of Pothole Dome, Cameron’s first long-distance hike in the park. She loved it, and the view from the top made it all worthwhile. This hike gave her the confidence to tackle the Sentinel Dome hike. Although it’s 2.2 miles, it’s relatively easy until the final stretch up the mountain. The view from the top is stunning, rising over 1,500 feet above the valley. We completed this hike in the mid-afternoon, and afterward, we went on to Glacier Point for sunset.
One day, after sunrise (and by mistake before breakfast), we ventured to the Tuolumne Grove of giant sequoias. Although I didn’t capture any notable photos, it was still an amazing sight. However, it’s a deceptively long hike downhill at first, so eating breakfast beforehand would have been smarter since we’d been up for hours.
We try to keep food costs low on our trips by preparing meals in the room or opting for cheaper options like pizza. On our last night, though, we had a great dinner in Yosemite Lodge’s Mountain Room. My 10-year-old ordered a steak and declared that she wants a “steak dinner” as our final meal on all our trips—a new tradition, though not always feasible.
Right before dinner, we stopped at the visitor center, where Cameron stamped her National Park Passport, and we both picked up pins and patches—a tradition we’ve continued.
Overall, late fall is a fantastic time to visit Yosemite, but you may not be as lucky as we were with the roads. A week after our visit, a massive snowstorm closed all high-country roads for the rest of the year. We made it just in time. However, the waterfalls were completely dry. After sunrise on our second day, we hiked all the way down to Yosemite Falls, which was a bit disappointing, but you can’t have it all.
In terms of traffic, there was none. We were never stuck behind a line of cars and never had to fight for parking spaces. This is quite different from the midsummer experience when lots are often full, and finding a parking spot is a challenge.
