We finally made the journey to Yosemite and Sequoia National Parks, locations that had eluded us for several years.  Both parks were still busy in mid-October, but less crowded than during the high season.

To see more photos from this trip, please visit the Yosemite & Sequoia 2015-10 location gallery here.  Click on any image below to see a larger version.

During our drive across Nevada, we were met with a significant thunderstorm.  Out on the desert, you can see a storm coming from quite a distance, and this one looked serious.  The rain was heavy enough to cause the roadside ditches to flow with several inches of water – in the desert.

In Yosemite Valley, we visited the oft-photographed favorites.

Yosemite Valley from Tunnel View	Half Dome from Sentinel Bridge
Yosemite Falls	Lembert Dome on Tioga Road

For most of our short visit, the skies were clear, with few clouds to make the sunsets interesting.  But we were able to capture some good evening color on the valley walls.

Yosemite Valley from Tunnel View

El Capitan from Valley View

From Yosemite, we visited Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks.  Kings Canyon was open, but the only road into the Clarks Grove area was still closed due to mop-up efforts following the Rough forest fire.  But the Grant Grove of sequoia trees was open, and it gave us our first good look at these huge trees.

We continued into Sequoia NP where we were even more impressed with these cinnamon-colored giants.

We were glad to finally see these iconic locations, and equally glad to get back home after long drives across Nevada and Utah.  Of the two parks, we found Sequoia more interesting and more peaceful.  We will make an effort to return, possibly when there is snow on the trees, or in the Spring when the dogwoods are in bloom.

To see more photos from this trip, please visit the Yosemite & Sequoia 2015-10 gallery here.   

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