Driving from Bridalveil Fall along Wawona Road, the first famous spot you will encounter is Tunnel View. It is called Tunnel View because this viewpoint is located at the eastern exit of the Wawona Tunnel. If you are heading to Yosemite via Highway 41 Wawona Road, you will see this breathtaking view as soon as you exit the tunnel. From this angle, you can clearly see El Capitan and Bridalveil Fall, with Half Dome in the background, offering a very expansive view. The sign at the entrance of the national park is made with the scenery of Tunnel View.
Bridalveil Fall
Bridalveil Fall is the first waterfall you will see when entering Yosemite National Park. It has a height of 188 meters. Although the water flow is not very large in summer, due to the height difference and strong winds, the water of the waterfall is blown into mist by the wind, often creating beautiful rainbows under the sunlight. In winter, the cliffs on both sides of the waterfall are covered with ice and snow. As the waterfall rushes down, large chunks of ice occasionally fall off, resembling the spectacular collapse of a glacier.
El Capitan is a massive, 900-meter-high, gray-black granite rock. Its name is derived from a translation of an indigenous term, indicating that it is the leader among rocks. To the average person, El Capitan is an insurmountable giant stone, with few rocks able to rival it; but to rock climbing enthusiasts, El Capitan is the ultimate challenge in their quest to conquer peaks.
Lower Yosemite Fall Trail
Yosemite Falls is the most famous waterfall in the park and the tallest waterfall in North America, ranking sixth in the world with a total drop of 2,425 feet (739 meters). Yosemite Falls is divided into upper and lower sections. The upper Yosemite Fall has a drop of 1,430 feet (440 meters), which alone makes it one of the 20 highest waterfalls in the world. The lower Yosemite Fall has a drop of 320 feet (98 meters) and can be reached via a simple trail that takes about half an hour to reach the base of the waterfall with almost no elevation gain. Therefore, it is a very easy trail, perfect for a family outing. Visiting in winter offers a different scenery.
Sentinel Bridge, located on the Merced River in Yosemite National Park, is a small bridge but offers stunning views, especially in winter when it is covered in snow, adding a touch of elegance.
Valley View Yosemite
Yosemite Valley is a glacial valley in the western Sierra Nevada mountains of Yosemite National Park. The valley is approximately 7.5 miles (12 kilometers) long and about 3000-3500 feet deep, surrounded by towering granite peaks and dense pine forests. Yosemite Falls is the highest waterfall in North America, especially during the spring when the water flow reaches its peak. The valley is renowned for its natural environment and is considered the heart of Yosemite National Park, attracting visitors from all over the world.
Yosemite Ski & Snowboard Area
Yosemite Ski & Snowboard Area is located on Glacier Point Road in Yosemite National Park. Driving here, you will first pass through Tunnel View, where the view of Half Dome is even more spectacular. Leaving Tunnel View and continuing along Wawona Road, when you turn onto Glacier Point Road, you will start to see some snow on the ground, and you need to drive very slowly to prevent slipping. Glacier Point is not open in winter, and this road is only open up to the Yosemite Ski & Snowboard Area.
Swinging Bridge
To put it simply, it's a wooden bridge with a small river underneath. However, if it snows in winter, the scenery there becomes quite artistic and beautiful, surrounded by mountains and covered in snow. The gray and white tones make the entire landscape look very serene and majestic.
