School was out for the kids on June 2nd, so we were really jazzed to go out on our first big trip of the Summer starting on the 3rd. But the weather (that is the rain) had other plans, so we didn’t really leave for out big trip until Sunday June 5th.

Just outside the park entrance

Our destination for our first trip of the summer was to Yosemite National Park. Ah yes Yosemite! The land of John Muir. The incredible water falls rushing to the valley floor  and the extreme beauty everywhere you look.

Early June was a good time to go to Yosemite. The meadows still had some of their Spring wildflowers, the wild life was out and visible (we saw a bear, a coyote and a lot of deer) and the waterfalls in the valley were close to their all-time high flow level (They did crest on June 16th).

We didn’t camp in the Valley though. We stayed at the Yosemite Pines RV campground (map) just above the little town of Groveland. We drove up highway 120. Going up the grade it is a windy slow process, but coming from the SF Bay Area it is the quickest way to get to the park.

Yosemite Pines was a nice place to stay. The campsites are spacious, most have full hookups and the staff were pleasant and helpful. They also had some nice kid features like a petting zoo and a hike that you could take to an old gold mine on the property (the kids loved this). Though the camp bathrooms could have been closer to our campsite and the pool could have been a little warmer. All-in-all I can recommend this campground. But if you are a member of Thousand Trails the Yosemite Lakes campground is much nicer and closer to the park entrance.

Yosemite Falls

We rode our bikes in the valley just about everywhere. This is definitely the way to go (and the preferred way the park service wants you to experience the park). We just drove in to the Swinging Bridge area. Parked our car there and road our bikes throughout the valley floor.

The kids had a blast and we saw a lot of wildlife. I think we may start making a trip to Yosemite an annual event. Especially now that we have joined Thousand Trails and can stay at Yosemite Lakes for next to nothing.

This bear looks fairly young and kind of skinny, being early in the season

The mine at Yosemite Pines. No we didn't go in. Phoebe didn't want anything to do with it.

Our kids and kids or our friends play in the snow above Yosemite Valley