Have you visited someplace and felt like kicking yourself for not getting there much earlier? I feel that way quite often and the last time that happened was when I was when I was standing at a view point that showed me Yosemite’s very celebrated Tunnel View. (To my defense, I’d planned that trip several times and had those plans crashed every single time, until this one time, last fall.)
Let me tell you what it was like to stand and stare at the Tunnel View. I felt like I was in a daze. I cross my heart and hope to die — I couldn’t believe I was actually seeing with my own two eyes, a sight I’d seen in pictures many, many times.
Yosemite’s popular attractions
The Tunnel View is a panorama of the granite drops that measure up to several thousands of feet, two rows of rocky walls and a conifer-covered valley in between. Of the cliffs that line ‘the tunnel’ the A-listers are: the sky-scraping El Capitan on the left, the eye-catching Half Dome on the right and near it the graceful Bridal Veil Falls that was having a quiet day when I visited. One cannot visit here and leave without seeing these sights.
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| El Capitan This cliff is over 7,500 ft tall. |
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| The Half Dome This almost-hemispherical rock is over 4000 ft. above the valley floor and its highest point is at an elevation of over 8,800 ft. |
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| A meadow in Yosemite Valley. And that’s the El Capitan on the right. |
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| Sentinel Rock This natural structure is said to be over 7000 ft. in height. |
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| Bridal Veil Falls |
If you are wondering how these behemoths came into being, let me tell you that they are believed to have been igneous rocks formed below the surface of the earth, which were later exposed by glacial activity on the Sierra Nevada mountain range.
Lying on the western slopes of the Sierras, Yosemite is known for infamous winter weather and snowfall. [If you are visiting in the winter or even in Spring, you might want to look up the weather and road conditions before you are on your way to Yosemite National Park.]
Bridal Veil Falls
The Bridal Veil Falls was not at it’s best that day; it was ‘fall’ after all. And this waterfall which is fed by snow-melt doesn’t have much water to pour down after the hot summer months. But I must say it is quite something to stand at the foot of that 617 ft. drop and watch the wind and spray put up a show.
And I accidentally shot a rainbow while I stood there clicking a few pictures. (See it here — Is that a rainbow?)
Another photograph of Bridal Veil Fall.
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| The spray at the top of the waterfall. The spray also looked like a bridal veil that afternoon. |
During our day at Yosemite, we also stopped at a few other points-of-interest that demanded attention and forced me to take landscapes and portraits.
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| El Captian from Northside Drive. |
With all this, I’ve merely scratched the surface of this National called Yosemite. Glacier Point, Tenaya Lake and Mariposa Grove (more of Yosemite’s popular attractions/must-sees), I’ll be coming to see y’all soon. And I’m sure I’ll visit again and again.
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| Tunnel View panorama. |
click here–> “Geological Attractions featured on Tipsy from the TRIP “
Great photos and nice write up
Thank you so much, Durga Prasad.
Welcome here. 🙂
I visited Yosemite recently too and I know that feeling of kicking yourself for not having explored it earlier! Its too beautiful, did you get to see the glacier point at night with the sky full of stars? It's breathtaking, for a moment I almost forgot about everything around me! It's unexplainable in words. Hopefully I should be sharing some pictures soon on my blog! Love your pictures, so glad you had a great time! 🙂
Hey Swati, first of all, Welcome to Tipsy from the TRIP. 🙂
Isn't Yosemite quite a sight? The kicking part, more so because I've been in the SF Bay Area for a few years now. I'm sure you understand what I mean. 🙂
It was just a day trip. Glacier Point and a few other POIs for the next trip. I'd like to go when Summer is behind us. I'd actually love to take the Tioga Pass and go all the way to the other side of the Sierra to see Mono Lake too.
I look forward to seeing your pics, Swati.
Stay in touch. 🙂
Beautiful photos. Amazing place. I guess, this is another must visit place after Niagera falls.
Thank you, Kaustubh. Nice to see you here.
Amazing indeed. Those cliffs are so, so, so huge, I tell you. Absolutely a must-visit place. 🙂
Awe inspiring sights beautifully captured!
They were awe-inspiring sights in the true sense, Magiceye.
Thank you. 🙂
Stunning. Enchanting. Scrolled up and down five times by now.
I have to agree it is a stunning place.
You did? Now you know why I'd like to go there again. 🙂
Thank you for stopping by, Anupam. 🙂
Breathtakingly beautiful! Loved it, Divya:)
I swear — this place can literally take your breath away.
I'm so glad you liked this place just by seeing the pics, Amit. This place deserved that. 🙂
WOW!!! Thanks, Divya, for jaw-dropping views. Your description of Tunnel View made a picture in front of my eyes. An awesome presentation.
Hey Ravish, long time. How have you been?
These really are jaw-dropping sights, Ravish. Especially that of the Tunnel View. My having seen several pictures of the place and the longing to see that sight for myself only made that moment even more precious.
Thank you so much, Ravish.
Awesome read, fantastic shots, very nicely written.
Thank you so much, Jyotirmoy. 🙂
Such a magical place.. I have been there long ago just as snow has started melting and the scene was very different. The images are so inspiring me to go there again.
And not many remember a scene of Star Trek was filmed here at the very rock you show 🙂
Yosemite could look different every season, Prasad. I really hope you have the opportunity to see these sights again. And soon.
And you'll catch up with me when you are in CA, won't you. I'd love to have some coffee with THE desitraveler. 🙂
A great blog with nice write & beautiful pictures
Thank you so much, Easwar. 🙂
Absolutely stunning photos. I visited Yosemite many years ago but had 8 children in tow and although I have wonderful memories I have no photos so was delighted to see yours.
Thank you so much, Kalpana. I really hope you get to see Yosemite again. I'm sure the next time you are here you'll return with a tonne of pictures. 🙂
Thank you so much for coming this way today. 🙂
Awe-inspiring… very beautiful place and equally amazing pictures!
It truly is a one-of-a-kind of a place.
Thank you so much, dear Maitreni. 🙂
Stunning captures dear….such a beautiful place 🙂
Thank you so much, Purba.
Yosemite really is a very unique kind of place.
Yosemite is nature at its virginal best, untouched, unpolluted by virulent species of the planet. Thank you for taking me there: those exposures are all I'll ever have the valley.
Despite the large numbers people visiting here, Yosemite it pretty much a virgin. It's so nice to see it so well kept.
The pleasure is mine, USP. And looks like I'll take you there a few more times and then you'll want to come and see it for yourself. I really, really hope you'll be able to visit this side. 🙂
so beautiful 🙂
Isn't it so beautiful?! 🙂
Thank you for coming by, Joshi.
A lovely read with stunning pics:)
Thank you so much, Mr. Bhatia.
I was stunned seeing those huge cliffs in Yosemite.
Absolutely majestic and breathtakingly beautiful! Awesome post, Nambiare.
Indeed.
Thank you so much, Nomad. Tell you me you are adding this to that US list. 😉
I loved Yosemite. The formations are marvelous and so are the falls – especially bridal veil!
I did hike to Vernal falls too, pretty steep it is though.
I guess early April is the best time to visit…the falls were in full flow and everything was open.
Marvelous indeed. You saw Vernal too? That's so cool. I'm yet to see that one didn;t want to take those trails that were not quite kid friendly. I will try to to that on my next visit there. I see myself returning there many more times. 😉
Yeah, around this time of the year it gets pretty dry around here.
I look forward to your travel story from Yosemite National Park.
Have a good week, Alok. 🙂
Yep, but the path to vernal is very steep. Yosemite is coming up next in a few days…
I look forward to it. 🙂
I get to see US from yours and Alok's posts 🙂 awesome account and amazing pictures. I tried finding the rainbow didn't see it Dee 🙁
I hope these posts make you want to see these places for yourself. Yosemite is a natural wonder, really.
Thank you so much, Shweta.
You didn't see the post? 🙁 Let me get you the link.
Here it is. The link seems to work fine, now. 🙂
https://dnambiar.com2015/10/is-that-rainbow.html
Ah such majesty, captured so well by you!
Majestic indeed.
Thank you Mridula. 🙂
WOWOWWOWWO….
glad i got time to come over and see these beautiful pictures ,…
Bikram's
This is another place that has to go into that list of yours, ok.
How have you been, Bik?
Yosemite sounds like an amazing place and the pictures hold testimony to it. Great write-up… 🙂
It is Maniparna. I'm definitely going to see more of this place. So, hopefully I'll soon have more pictures to show you.
Thank you so much for stopping by. 🙂
Beautiful trip in the footsteps of Ansel Adams – a master of landscape photography 🙂
He was the best!
He made Yosemite so famous and it deserves to be. Just look it. 🙂
It's so nice to see you here, PhotoGeographer. 🙂
Such magical place!
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