Visiting and camping in Yosemite over the July 4 holiday weekend my family had no idea what to expect. 

We are camping veterans, with other trips planned this year to the Russian River and Samuel P. Taylor Park but Yosemite is an entirely unique experience. 

This summer is an especially perfect time to go because of all the rain we’ve had this year.  The waterfalls are incredibly spectacular and the Merced River is running so furiously that no rafting is being offered in the valley, it’s too dangerous.

Temperatures were in the low 90s, but the heat was never really an issue because of all the shade throughout the valley.  We were also able to cool off in the water after a fiasco of a hike to Mirror Lake. 

After taking a bus to the Mirror Lake drop off we had a choice of hiking a trail on one side of the river or a paved road on the other.  Of course we took the trail, ignoring a wordy sign that informed us deep in the second paragraph that the trail was closed ahead due to a rockslide in 2009. 

So we hiked a mile up until we could literally go no further.  My seven-year-old Sabrina was exhausted, and there was no chance she was going to hike back down the trail and up the pavement again.  So we decided to cross the river.  We found a spot where the river running only waist high and forged through it. I had a daughter clinging to each of my arms as the current tried to sweep us downstream.  Only when we started asking people, "How much further to Mirror Lake?" did we find out that we had actually just crossed it!

Another highlight of our visit was spotting a bear and its two cubs a mere 20 meters from the road into the valley.  There was a crowd of onlookers and a traffic backup from the commotion.  When we got to bears my wife and daughters hopped out of the car while I parked ahead.  Virtually everyone was doing the same thing, causing the traffic entanglement. 

We were enjoying watching the bears feast on bugs as they ripped apart logs, when some stressed out Yahoo waiting in the traffic began honking and yelling at the cars ahead.  Here we were, enjoying a natural wonder, and this guy was acting like he was trapped in an L.A. traffic jam.  I watched as he passed by us and the bears, screaming and honking while his family hid their heads in embarrassment.  It was a Hobbsian moment, one of a few that played out that day.

It being the July 4 weekend the park was packed.  The buses were overfilled and the bus drivers were having a heck of a time controlling their sometimes unruly passengers.  In one case a couple insisted on getting onto a full bus, and when the driver refused they started pounding on the closed door.  The bus driver called the police and they were apprehended.  I can’t be sure, but I wouldn’t be surprised if they weren’t the honking screamers we encountered earlier that day.

My daughter Sky had the following comments about our trip:  Bridalveil Falls was enormous, very pretty and wet.  Swinging Bridge was awesome, all but the stinky Port-a-Potty that smelled from 10 yards away.  We got wet in the soak zone at Yosemite Falls.  Rock climbing was slippery and mossy and fun but a little scary.  At Happy Isles we went on the Mist Trail and got a yummy strawberry bar.  Mirror Lake–passed it, and crossed it without knowing it and swam in it.

There’s a lot more that we could say and share about this vacation, but the best thing we could do is tell you to go and experience it for yourselves this summer.