Yosemite Valley can be an uncomfortably crowded place, but there are ways to find quiet and tranquility. One is to avoid summer, with its heat and oppressive crowds. All three of the other seasons are more interesting, in my opinion. Another is to get away from the prime iconic sights and sites. Often it takes little more than a few minutes of walking to find yourself in a place with barely one percent of the number of people you would see in the crowded places.
I have a few favorite such places, typically along quieter trails in less busy parts of the Valley. This one tracks along a quiet section of the Merced River, and for a week or two in autumn it is filled with subtle autumn colors and the ground is covered with fallen leaves. Yes, there is a trail in this photograph, but you may have to look closely to spot it under all of those leaves!
G Dan Mitchell is a California photographer and visual opportunist. His book, “California’s Fall Color: A Photographer’s Guide to Autumn in the Sierra” is available from Heyday Books, Amazon, and directly from G Dan Mitchell.
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