Sarah and I are often asked “What is your favorite National Park?” and we are always quick to answer “Yosemite,” but then go on to explain that it's really not a fair contest. Besides being unsurpassed in beauty and grandeur, Yosemite National Park feels like home to us. This is because it was my next door neighbor when I lived in the Sierra foothills for several years, and while we moved away when Sarah was just a baby, we continued to visit every year. Our family has made countless trips to the park over the last 25 years —sightseeing, camping, biking, hiking and even backpacking. My son, Geddy, even spent a summer working at a youth camp inside the park. We never get tired of visiting, and a drive into the valley never ceases to amaze us. Yosemite was, after all, the motivation behind the idea for our Neil Peart Inspired National Park Road Trips.

Yosemite National park is located in the Sierra Nevada Mountains in east central California. It is our nation’s third national park by act of congress on October 1, 1890 under President Benjamin Harrison. Its 1,169 square miles include Yosemite valley, Glacier Point, the Wawona and Mariposa groves of giant sequoias, Hetch Hetchy Reservoir, Crane Flat and Tuolumne Meadows. Ninety-four percent of the park is designated wilderness.

Yosemite is open year round, but subject to road closures from late fall to early spring. The park welcomes over 4 million visitors per year (5.03 million in 2016), most of whom will visit between May and October. To avoid large crowds the best time to visit is early spring and late fall, but check weather and road conditions. Spring is popular for the waterfalls, which run at their fullest, and for the abundance of wildflowers. In the summer the high country is popular for the cooler temperatures. The crowds peak from Memorial Day to Labor day, especially on the holiday weekends. The park operates on a reservation system from May 20 to September 30, but guests may enter without reservation before 6am or after 4pm.

Yosemite is known for its waterfalls, soaring granite cliffs, including El Capitan and Half Dome, and for its giant sequoia groves. People come from all over for hiking, backpacking and rock climbing, or for bird watching, photography or picnicking. Ninety-five percent of the visitors will stop in Yosemite valley which can become extremely crowded. Neil Peart wrote in Ghost Rider, in a letter to his friend, Brutus, dated October 24, 1999, “I believe that, after Yellowstone, this is the busiest of the national parks, and it feels like it, everywhere I’ve been so far.” Still, in our opinion, the valley is a must see and based on his descriptions of “truly epic scenery of high, gray, glacier-scoured rocks, through pines and cedars” and of the Ahwahnee Hotel, “a lovely lodge to arrive at,” I like to think even Neil Peart agreed. And, with so much of the park designated wilderness area, it is possible to find solitude in other areas of the park if that is what you desire.

It is difficult to write about all of our adventures in Yosemite. We have countless memories of so many years and frequent visits, many shared with friends and family. Yosemite was to be the starting point of our Neil Peart Inspired National Park Road Trips, but as we have written previously that trip was postponed due to wildfire. On July 13, 2018 a fire was reported which would not be contained until August 19. The Ferguson Fire burned 96,901 acres and left two dead and eleven injured. Even as we made final preparations for our first road trip in 2018 it was announced that Yosemite Valley and Wawona would be closed by noon on July 25. They would remain closed for three weeks with Yosemite Valley reopening on August 3rd. Sarah and I watched and worried about our beloved park and waited until the last minute to cancel our reservation at the Ahwahnee hotel for August 2nd. The lady on the phone asked, “Did you want to cancel, or reschedule?” Of course we wanted to reschedule!

We returned the next year on our aptly named “Hold Your Fire” tour. This week-long tour began on March 16, 2019. We left the house at 5:30am committed to listening to Rush the entire week and to convincing Sarah’s husband, Jarad, who joined us for this tour, to go along with this plan. On our first day we drove over 800 miles to Stockton, CA, stopping at Lassen National Park along the way. This time of year there was only one open visitor center at Lassen. The road was mostly clear, but snow banks rising to 20 feet framed the roadway into the park. The ranger station was completely buried in a huge mound of snow. Most of the visitors that day were there to enjoy winter sports like tubing and cross country skiing and were set up to tailgate in the parking lot in between excursions. We walked and slid up the snowy path, almost a snow tunnel, to the visitor center to retrieve our passport stamps. Then we joined the crowd in the parking lot for a quick picnic lunch on our own tailgate before heading out.

The next morning we headed to Yosemite National Park. We entered the park from Mariposa, stopping there first for another picnic lunch. It was a warm, sunny day and a beautiful drive into the park. Our first stop inside was at Tunnel View where we stayed quite a while taking pictures. This was Jarad’s first time in the park and we thought this was a good place for him to take it all in. Driving into the valley I always feel overcome with emotion. The park is so beautiful and so special I feel like I might cry, and that’s something you won’t hear me say every day. Our next order of business was checking into The Ahwahnee Hotel where, as written about in our blog “A Fool’s Paradise: National Park Lodging Part I” we would fulfill a dream come true. I had wanted to vacation in this hotel since the first time I saw it in 1987. When we rescheduled our 2018 reservation we booked three nights instead of one, later adding a fourth. We checked into our room which was small, but so pretty and with the view of Half Dome we had paid extra for and never regretted. That evening we walked into the village and settled on a pizza dinner. On the walk back to the hotel we noticed a crowd gathering and knew it was an animal they were looking at. I hoped it was a bear and was not disappointed to see not one, but two young bears playing in the meadow and pond. A ranger stood by answering questions and told us about the bears, one of which was tagged and well known to them, having gotten itself into some trouble involving a garbage can. But, she said, of late it had been on good behavior. The two bears frolicked and played, sometimes standing on their hind legs to wrestle with one another. Eventually we tore ourselves away and back at the hotel, retrieved books from our room and took them to the great room to read by one of the enormous fireplaces. Checking out all the beautiful seating areas we saw our bears again outside the hotel and went out onto the patio to watch them go by before settling onto a comfy couch.

The next day we spent walking from the hotel to El Capitan, on the other end of the valley, via the Valley Loop Trail. We stopped first at Yosemite Falls which was running pretty heavy for that time of year. Looking up we could see that the upper falls were cascading onto a snow pack and freezing, but even so the lower falls were running heavy. It would surely be an incredible year for spring runoff. At Yosemite Lodge we found a cafeteria and Starbucks and stopped for coffee. This time of year, and following a severe winter storm which had done significant damage, particularly at Half Dome (formerly Curry) Village, many of the shops and restaurants remained closed. We continued on past Camp 4. Our trail was mostly clear, but we did encounter some mud and had to cross a few snowfields, one challenging stream and several fallen trees as we got closer to the base of El Capitan. On the way back we avoided some of those obstacles by walking along the road part of the way. Back at Yosemite Lodge we walked out to Swinging Bridge then took the shuttle back to the hotel. In the afternoon it was warm enough for Sarah and Jarad to take a quick swim in the pool and I enjoyed the sunny day poolside. Later, we joined the other guests in the great room for the Ahwahnee tradition of 4 o’clock tea and cookies. That evening we had dinner in the hotel bar.

The following day we purchased picnic lunches from the hotel, retrieved our car from the valet parking and took a driving tour of the valley. Like first time tourists we took our time pulling over at every turnout and vista to take pictures and enjoy the views. We parked at Half Dome Village and walked to the Mist trail and lower Vernal Falls. We also had a nice view of Nevada Falls along the way. It was another warm, sunny day and I didn’t need my coat on the uphill trail. I lagged behind but eventually caught up to Sarah and Jarad. Back at the car we drove to Yosemite Village where we took our sandwiches into the cafeteria to pair with another Starbucks coffee. After lunch we drove to Bridal Veil Falls and walked the short trail to the base of the waterfall. The falls were so heavy you couldn’t stand at the observation area without getting soaked. On the way back to the hotel we continued to take our time stopping at the pullouts to take pictures, but we were back in time for tea and cookies. Later we had dinner reservations in the hotel dining room, where guests are requested to don proper attire for the evening meal. It felt very luxurious dining in this magnificent hall listening to the grand piano playing in the background. We took our time enjoying three courses: Caesar salad and crab cakes to start; salmon for Jarad and pasta for Sarah and I for the main course; and ice cream for dessert.

The following day called for rain so we headed out, with our umbrellas in hand, for Yosemite Village. Here we retrieved our passport stamps at the visitor center and visited all of the open establishments including the bookstore, Ansel Adams Art Gallery and Village store. We walked back to Yosemite Falls and then to Yosemite Village for lunch. From there we took the shuttle back to our hotel and spent the rest of the day shopping in the hotel gift shop and resting. And, of course, we partook in the 4 o’clock tea and cookies. For dinner we decided to just have some light snacks in our room.

The next morning we packed up early and regretfully headed out of the park. This time we exited via Tioga Pass. After a stop in Sonora to visit family, we headed to Napa Valley where we stopped in St Helene for a little shopping and dinner. Then onto Cloverdale where we stayed the night. The following day we made a quick stop at the Redwoods National Park visitor center to claim our passport stamps before heading back through Crescent City and Grants Pass where we merged back onto Interstate 5 for the long drive home. In Eugene, OR Jarad was showing signs of wear and we finally switched back to the radio and stopped listening to Rush. He almost made it, the entire trip, to within a few hours from home. We would give him another chance on a future trip.

Sarah and Jarad returned to Yosemite in 2020. In 2021 the three of us, along with baby Peart, returned for a visit in early November. We stayed with relatives in Sonora and took a day trip to Yosemite where we practiced the art of birdwatching under their expert guidance. We had a wonderful day taking pictures and returning to iconic places like the Ahwahnee Hotel and Yosemite Falls - places we have visited many times before but never get tired of seeing. Our hope is to make it a tradition to return to the park every year.

Aside from the typical pursuits, three other seasonal activities we have yet to experience give us additional reasons to return. Sarah loves to ice skate and nothing could be better than ice skating in Yosemite National Park, with Half Dome towering overhead. Since 1928 Half Dome Village has operated an outdoor ice skating rink from December to February, conditions permitting. The rink is also available to schedule for private parties on weekdays. Another winter tradition since 1927 is the Bracebridge Dinner. Every December this festivity is held in the grand dining room of the Ahwahnee Hotel. Dinner and lodging packages are available at the Ahwahnee or Yosemite Valley Lodge. We can’t think of a better way to celebrate the holidays. Finally, in recent years one of the more popular events in the park is the Horsetail Falls Firefall. The original Firefall was held in the summertime beginning in 1872 and lasting almost a century. In the evening burning embers were spilled from the top of Glacier Point to the valley 3,000 feet below. From a distance it looked like a glowing waterfall. This man made spectacle has long been discontinued. However, for two weeks in February nature provides a dramatic and safer alternative. When Horsetail falls is flowing and the evening sky is clear, as the sun hits the eastern edge of El Capitan, the falls glow orange as they are backlit by the setting sun. Thousands will visit in hopes of witnessing this dramatic display of light.

Every visit to Yosemite National Park leaves us with a yearning to return again. Whether it is for one of these spectacular events, a day of birding, a weekend camping, or even a return visit to the gorgeous Ahwahnee hotel, we plan to return as many times as possible for as long as we are able. On every visit, like an old friend or neighbor, the park welcomes us back in all of its breathtaking majesty. There really is no comparison. It’s not just our favorite park, it is one of our most favorite places on earth.