Sunday, December 13, 2009

Wawona Hotel in Yosemite National Park

Tracy and I had a little 'get-away' trip the week before Thanksgiving. We drove into Yosemite via Mariposa on Highway 140. It's been a long time since either of us has driven in through the El Portal entrance station. It's a beautiful drive. There was still a little Fall color, and we had the Park to ourselves!

El Capitan was still there! They're just getting ready to decorate it for Christmas.


There was just a little bitty dribble of water trickling over the edge of Yosemite Falls.





We hiked around The Valley and enjoyed the views. We had lunch in the Cafeteria at the Yosemite Lodge. Then we hiked up to the base of Lower Yosemite Falls.


Then we drove to the Wawona Hotel and checked-in to our dinky little room. This picture pretty much shows the entire room. We thought we would try a room without a bath this year. It wasn't too bad (it cost a lot less). There wasn't anyone there, so we had the 'shared bathrooms' all to ourselves whenever we showered, etc.


It's a grand old hotel that was built in 1879. There's a lot of history to enjoy if you're into that stuff.



On Thursday morning we hiked around the meadow Loop trail. In the afternoon, I hiked up the Chilnualna Falls trail. It didn't take long to find some very pretty scenery.



At the end of Chilnualna Fall Road was this little mountain cabin. Wouldn't you love to live there!?!