Yosemite: Tuolumne Meadows and Merced Groves
Ah, Yosemite National Park--obviously (or arguably) the quintessential national park of the United States. Known for Half Dome, giant sequoias, and numerous waterfalls, Yosemite sees about 4 million people visit its extensive wilderness. Many choose to drive through Yosemite and stop to take photos at lookouts; but many still choose to plunge right in to nature and hike one of the park's many trails. We were in Yosemite for three days, which I think is the minimum amount of nights you need to get a decent taste of the park's grandeur. A lot of the trails are longer than five miles round trip, so unless you're a fast hiker, be prepared for those to take all day. On our first day we opted for a shorter hike in Tuolumne Meadows . If my memory serves me correctly, it was about a five mile round trip hike. Tuolumne Meadows has several short day hikes and is a good place to get your feet wet and your muscles primed for a longer hike during your second d