Posts in Mountains
Yosemite 2024 Spring Update: Waterfalls, Wildlife & Wildflowers

I spent the last week in Yosemite National Park checkout out what the waterfalls and flooding is looking like now. Check out the current conditions of Yosemite Falls, Bridalveil Fall, the Merced River, and the Spring wildflowers blooming in the park and where to find them. Read this Spring travel guide to plan your upcoming Yosemite road trip to see its raging waterfalls & abundant wildlife.

Read More
Top 10 Photo Spots in Chiricahua National Monument

What are the best spots for photography? Today I'm sharing my Top 10 Photo Spots in Chiricahua National Monument. Chiricahua has some of the most unique landscapes, rock formations, and wildlife found in southern Arizona. Whether you're looking for a great backdrop for a family picture or you're a pro photographer, this travel guide will help you find the beautiful views found in this epic park.

Read More
Top 10 Photo Spots in Yosemite National Park

Today I'm partnering with Visit Yosemite Madera County to share the Top 10 Photo Spots in Yosemite National Park. This photography travel guide shares the best viewpoints and most Instagrammable viewpoints in the park, including Taft Point, Yosemite Valley Swinging Bridge, Olmsted Point, Tunnel View, Sentinel Dome & Glacier Point. Explore stunning scenes with Half Dome, El Capitan & waterfalls.

Read More
Exploring the Waterfalls of Lewis Creek Trail - Oakhurst, CA

Read this Flying Dawn Marie travel guide to hiking the Lewis Creek Trail in Sierra National Forest. Located in Oakhurst, California south of Yosemite National Park, this hike takes you to two great waterfalls, Red Rock Falls and Corlieu Falls. This is one of the top things to do when staying at Tenaya Lodge in Fish Camp, CA. This is the perfect add on to any Yosemite road trip along Highway 41.

Read More
Yosemite Day Trip from Los Angeles to See Firefall

This week we're taking a long day trip from Los Angeles to Yosemite National Park to see Firefall, the natural phenomenon also known as the Horsetail Fall Event. This travel guide covers a one day itinerary with recommendations on driving directions, points of interest, where to park, and how to access one of my top spots to view Firefall from across the Yosemite Valley along Four Mile Trail.

Read More
Massai Point Panoramic Views - Chiricahua National Monument

Could Chiricahua be our next National Park? Chiricahua National Monument is a great road trip idea when visiting Bisbee or Tucson in Southern Arizona, and Massai Point provides the best views inside the park. Read this Flying Dawn Marie travel guide for all you need to know before you visit this Wonderland of Rocks, including hiking trail details and the rich history of this region.

Read More
12 Epic Yosemite Hikes, One for Each Month of 2024

Read this Flying Dawn Marie travel guide about the best hikes in Yosemite National Park. Today I'm providing the hiking details about 12 great Yosemite trails, one for every month of 2024. Yosemite is awesome all year, so join me in exploring what to do in Yosemite, like Firefall, Mirror Lake, Hetch Hetchy, MIst Trail to Vernal & Nevada Falls, Yosemite Falls, Glacier Point, and Inspiration Point.

Read More
Yosemite 360 Tours - Epic Private & Group Tours by Tenaya at Yosemite

Today I'm taking a private tour of Yosemite National Park with Yosemite 360 Tours by Tenaya Lodge. Tenaya at Yosemite and Yosemite 360 Tours offer private & group tours in Summer & Winter, and this is a great way to experience the best things to do in Yosemite, such as where to see Half Dome, El Capitan & Yosemite Falls. How to get into Yosemite without a reservation in 2024? Yosemite 360 Tours!

Read More
Tenaya at Yosemite & Explorer Cabins - Why You Should Visit This Winter

Read this Flying Dawn Marie hotel review about Tenaya at Yosemite in Fish Camp, CA, one of the best hotels near Yosemite National Park. Join me as I stay in one of the Premium Explorer Cabins and discover all the amenities and family friendly activities that Tenaya Lodge resort has to offer during Christmas & all Winter long. We'll enjoy dining & restaurants, and take a private Yosemite 360 Tour.

Read More
California, Food, Forest, Hotels, Mountains, National Parks, YosemiteDawn Marietenaya lodge, tenaya, tenaya at yosemite, yosemite, yosemite in winter, yosemite national park, national park, sierra national forest, national forest, fish camp, california, resort, yosemite hotel, yosemite hotels, yosemite resort, yosemite resorts, best hotels, top hotels, best hotel, top hotel, best hotel in yosemite, top hotel in yosemite, where to stay, where to stay in yosemite, yosemite weekend, yosemite trip, yosemite vacation, family friendly, family, dogs, dog friendly, dog friendly hotel, family friendly hotel, oakhurst, mariposa, mariposa county, madera county, ascent, ascent spa, yosemite 360 tours, yosemite 360, yosemite tour, best yosemite tour, private tour, private yosemite tour, yosemite valley, wawona, highway 41, wawona road, christmas, christmas at tenaya, winter, winter at tenaya, winter in yosemite, christmas in yosemite, tenaya food, tenaya dining, dining, tenaya restaurants, restaurant, yosemite restaurants, yosemite food, what to eat, what to eat in yosemite, yosemite road trip, explorer cabin, explorer cabins, premium explorer cabin, cabin, cabins, yosemite cabin, yosemite cabins, tenaya cabin, tenaya cabins, tenaya activities, tenaya amenities, ice rink, figure skating, ice skating, yosemite ice rink, yosemite ice skating, tenaya ice rink, tenaya ice skating, tunnel view, valley view, tenaya lodge review, tenaya lodge yosemite, tenaya lodge hotel, tenaya lodge resort, tenaya lodge at yosemiteComment
Echo Canyon Grottoes & Hoodoos - Chiricahua National Monument

Today we're exploring the hoodoos & grottoes along Echo Canyon Trail in Chiricahua National Monument. Chiricahua makes for a great stop along a Southern Arizona road trip, and is one of my top things to do when traveling to Bisbee, AZ. The grotto formations along this hike are spectacular and remind me of slot canyons found in other national parks. Read this travel guide for more info!

Read More
Top 15 Spots for Yosemite Valley Fall Colors - Visitor's Guide

Check out my top 15 best spots to see the Fall colors in Yosemite Valley. Read this Flying Dawn Marie travel guide for seeing the Fall colors in Yosemite Valley. Yosemite National Park typically peaks later than the Eastern Sierra Fall foliage, but late October is the perfect time to see the Autumn leaves pop with color along Southside Drive, Cooks Meadows, El Capitan Meadow, and Tunnel View.

Read More
Sonora Pass High Sierra Adventure - Fall Colors & Favorite Stops

Read this Flying Dawn Marie travel guide to driving Sonora Pass Highway 108 in the Sierra Nevada Mountains north of Yosemite. Autumn is the best time to drive Sonora Pass, as aspen trees show off the Fall colors throughout. Check out my top spots along this steep and windy road, which include a waterfall, a geological wonder, abandoned cabins, river views, and Fall foliage photo spots.

Read More
June Lake Loop - Eastern Sierra Fall Colors

Read this Flying Dawn Marie travel blog about driving the June Lake Loop north of Mammoth Lakes in the California Eastern Sierras. If you're looking for places to see Fall colors, the Autumn foliage along this drive pop every October. Along this scenic road trip you'll discover 4 lakes (June Lake, Silver Lake, Gull Lake and Grant Lake) surrounded granite peaks and groves of quaking aspen trees.

Read More
Eastern Sierra Fall Colors 2023 Complete Guide - Top 25 Spots

Read this Flying Dawn Marie travel guide to the 2023 Eastern Sierra Fall colors. This complete visitor guide will take you to my top 25 spots along highway 395 on where to see the California Fall colors. We'll take a road trip up into the Sierra Nevada Mountains and discover places to go like North Lake, Bishop Creek, Sonora Pass, Mammoth Lakes, Tioga Pass, Conway Summit, and June Lake Loop.

Read More
Twin Lakes - Eastern Sierra Fall Colors

The Twin Lakes area is a great spot to see California's Eastern Sierra Fall foliage. Comprised of two main lakes, Upper and Lower Twin Lakes, this area is often referred to as “California’s Alps” where the Sawtooth Ridge and Sierra Crest divide the Twin Lakes Basin from Yosemite National Park and the scenery is nothing short of stunning. Enjoy trout fishing, hiking and nature photography here.

Read More
Virginia Lakes - Eastern Sierra Fall Colors

Virginia Lakes basin is a wonderful spot to enjoy California's Eastern Sierra Fall foliage. Hidden just six miles off Highway 395 near Conway Summit (in between Lee Vining and Bridgeport), Virginia Lakes consists of nearly a dozen alpine lakes located at 9,000 to over 11,000 feet high in the Sierra. For hiking, fishing and outdoor adventures in nature this is a can't miss area during autumn.

Read More
Lucia Lodge in Big Sur - Honeymoon Cottage

Read this Flying Dawn Marie hotel review on Lucia Lodge along the Big Sur coastline. Located along Pacific Coast Highway 1, aka Cabrillo Highway, this Big Sur hotel is a great place to stay when taking a road trip along California's central coast. This week I'm reviewing the Honeymoon Cottage, Room # 10, which is one of the original cabins built 100 years ago with a panoramic ocean view.

Read More
Hiking up Pothole Dome along Tioga Road - Yosemite National Park

Read this Flying Dawn Marie travel guide about the hike up Pothole Dome in Yosemite National Park. Located along Tioga Road in the Tuolumne Meadows near the Tioga Pass Entrance, this is a great family friendly hiking trail and one of my top things to do in Yosemite's high country. Atop this granite feature we'll have spectacular views of Unicorn Peak, Cockscomb Peak, and the Cathedral Range.

Read More
First-Timer's Guide to Tioga Pass - Yosemite National Park

Read this Flying Dawn Marie travel guide to exploring the top things to do along a Tioga Pass road trip, one of the most underrated sections of Yosemite National Park. When Tioga Road opens for the season, there are so many places to go, including Olmsted Point with views of Half Dome, Tenaya Lake, Lembert Dome, Tuolomne Meadow, and multiple waterfalls that flow in late Spring / early Summer.

Read More
Columns of the Giants along Sonora Pass

Read this Flying Dawn Marie travel guide to exploring Columns of the Giants along Sonora Pass Highway 108 in the Sierra Nevadas of CA. Hiking this family friendly trail is one of my top things to do on a road trip through Stanislaus National Forest. The short paved path takes you over the Middle Fork Stanislaus River to basalt rock formations formed by volcanic and glacial activity long ago.

Read More