A few weeks ago, our family received a last minute invitation to join some friends and their kids for an adventure in Yosemite. Having never been to this local national park, we packed up the car and headed out for a surprisingly short, five hour drive from Santa Barbara.
One hundred degree weather and traveling with four children aged five and under didn’t discourage our two families from exploring one of California’s golden treasures.
Thanks to advice from friends and patients who have also enjoyed Yosemite with small children, we successfully managed a few short hikes in and around Yosemite Valley and the Mariposa tree grove.
While the adults marveled over glacier polished domes, carved jagged peaks, plunging waterfalls and giant sequoia trees, the kids were enamored with climbing on rocks, traversing toppled tree trunks and hunting for the perfect walking stick.
Wildlife was abundant with drinking deer, cheeky chipmunks, squirreling squirrels, jazzy jays and even a bathing bear. At times, focusing our four young children to walk down a trail together felt like we were herding our own pack of cats.
My favorite excursion was the hike to see Earth’s largest living organisms, the 2000 year old giant sequoias in the Mariposa tree grove. The boys used their walking sticks to lead us on the two mile lower loop to see the iconic Grizzly Giant and the tunneled out California Tree.
During our hike through the sequoia grove, I kept picturing myself returning on a cool Fall morning, lacing up my Brooks and going for a trail run through nature’s towering giants.
Even though the vacation felt brief, our first visit to Yosemite piqued our interest to come back for more family adventures. As the kids get older, they will be able to participate in many of the activities offered by Yosemite National Park, such as the Junior Ranger program. In addition to trail runs, I’d love to do more exploring with the family, try out a photography hike and finish each day with an inner tube down a lazy river.
It took me 38 years and five hours to get to Yosemite for my first visit, but I’m determined not to wait another 38 years to go back. As a family vacation destination, Yosemite rocks!
Dr. Dan Brennan is a board-certified pediatrician and Santa Barbara native who enjoys outdoor adventures with his wife and two boys. His column can be found in the Daily Sound on alternating Fridays. Please contact him at 563-6211 or visit www.SBPediatrics.com.