Yosemite - Four Mile Trail

Crossing the bridge over Merced River, I entered woodland on a narrow and well-maintained trail, albeit a bit rocky and uneven. Occasional openings between the trees afforded views of granite domes and the green landscape below. The sheer granite wall on one side of the trail was met with a sheer drop on the other with either no barrier for safety or just a very low wall separating the trail from the edge. As I progressed, the terrain became more rugged and rockier but the picturesque view of Nevada Fall’s bend and the adjacent granite dome called Liberty Cap was worthy of a break and some well thought out photographic moments.

I turned right at Clark Point and descended on a wild section of the trail down to the Emerald Pool for a dip in the cool water. The Merced River continued to move around and over large boulders until it tumbled once again down Vernal Falls. A lookout sat at the top of the fall with views across the narrow canyon. A fun sidenote, Vernal Falls was incorrectly shown on a 1932 stamp. A set of seven stamps depicting landmarks in the Philippines were produced by the US. One of the stamps was originally supposed to depict Pagsanjan Falls, but because the designer could not find an acceptable image, Vernal Falls was substituted. It was discovered when a philatelist with a keen eye recognised the falls.

I continued with my hike to Glacier Point where John Muir and President Roosevelt stood on a rocky outcrop admiring Yosemite Valley during their camping trip in 1903. Many of the park’s landmarks are visible from this viewpoint including the imposing Half Dome with its sheer cliff-face on one side and rounded dome on the other.   

Connecting to the Four Mile Trail, I began my descent into the valley. Constructed in 1872 as a toll path, the trail was very steep, with plenty of switchbacks as it wound its way down. Hard on the knees going down, I took plenty of breaks filling my camera with panoramic shots of the valley and its many landmarks.

I ended this section in the valley at the Four Mile Trailhead and turned left toward Bridalveil Falls.



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