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A32 FEATURE
Monday 9 deceMber 2019
Disturbing the peace? 5 hikes to avoid Yosemite crowds

By AMANDA LEE MYERS wildly from the bottom
Associated Press of the dome to the top,
YOSEMITE NATIONAL PARK, where there’s nothing to
Calif. (AP) — Dappled sun- block the wind. Bring lay-
light kisses the valley floor ers, 2 liters of water and
of Yosemite National Park. snacks.
Granite monoliths, gushing 2. DOG LAKE AND LEMBERT
waterfalls and giant se- DOME
quoias abound. The wilder- Another conquerable
ness is calling. dome in Yosemite is quicker
But instead of hitting the to get to from its trailhead
trails in a place John Muir than North Dome. Lembert
called “by far the grandest Dome looms over Tioga
of all the special temples of Road, jutting so seemingly
nature,” you’re sitting in a straight up, it looks doable
traffic jam, vying for limited only with rock-climbing
parking. gear. All it really takes is a
More than 4 million visitors smidgen of bravery.
poured into Yosemite in The well-marked trail to
2018, and because its main Lembert Dome is next to
attractions are concen- Tuolumne Meadows, just
trated along a 7-mile loop, 10 minutes from the east-
it gets congested. Like, 5 ern exit of the park. It’s a
p.m. in downtown Los An- haul if you’re staying in the
geles congested. Parking This Sept. 30, 2018 photo shows the trail for Gaylor Lakes on the far eastern side of Yosemite valley or the towns south
can take hours. National Park. of the park, so consider
“In general, national parks Associated Press combining the hike with
everywhere, they become other smaller jaunts to May
more and more popular so unlike any other view in in a row on the south side after 3 miles, but the high- Lake (2.8 miles roundtrip off
every year, and a place the park,” Kaiser says. “Half of the road. After park- light of the hike is hoofing it Tioga Road) and Tuolumne
like Yosemite, you can’t Dome is such an iconic site ing, look for a wooden to the top of North Dome, Grove (see below).
just show up unprepared,” in Yosemite — to be able to sign that says, “Porcupine scurrying a bit farther down Start the loop trail by going
says James Kaiser, author enjoy it from North Dome I Creek Trail Head.” Below the other side and drinking clockwise and head first to
of “Yosemite: The Com- really think is special.” that you’ll see it’s 4.4 miles in views of Half Dome. Dog Lake. You’ll pass the
plete Guide.” “It feels like a To get to the trailhead, to North Dome.The first few Climbing the actual dome junction for Lembert Dome
huge disappointment visit- take Tioga Road to Porcu- miles of the trail are easy, can be challenging but at the .8-mile mark. Stay
ing a place to experience pine Creek, about 28 miles quiet and heavily forested. isn’t dangerous unless you straight and go another .3
natural beauty and spend- east of Crane Flat and 21 Don’t be surprised if you like to court peril by walk- miles to the lake. Take a
ing your time looking for a miles west of Tuolumne see deer or even a black ing too close to the edge. few photos before moving
parking space.” Meadows. It’s easy to miss, bear (don’t worry, they’re Hikers who tackle the on, or walk around the en-
But there’s no reason any- so keep your eyes peeled more afraid of you than dome should be generally tire lake and explore more.
one’s trip to the majestic for a small building with pit the other way around). fit or highly motivated. To get to the base of Lem-
park should be so fraught. toilets and parking spaces The views start opening up Temperatures can vary bert Dome, retrace your
Going any other time than steps back .3 miles from
summer, planning valley the lake to the Lembert
activities on any day but Dome junction and take a
Saturday, getting an early left. The trail will lead you
morning start and choos- gradually up for about a
ing lesser-known trails can mile and a half. From there,
all help ensure a peaceful go as far as you feel com-
and restorative vacation. fortable.
The following hikes aren’t 3. GAYLOR LAKES
as famous as Half Dome Unless you’re a regular hik-
or the Mist Trail, but that’s er accustomed to eleva-
the point. They offer just tion, this 3-miler will make
as much beauty and a lot you huff and puff. The trail-
more serenity. head, just a stone’s throw
1. NORTH DOME from Yosemite’s eastern
Like most of the recom- entrance, starts at an el-
mended hikes on this list, evation of nearly 10,000
this 8.8-mile roundtrip trek feet. Plus the beginning of
is off Tioga Road just north the hike is up, up and more
of the valley. Everything up, a steeper climb than
outside the actual valley say, Lembert Dome.But
automatically will be less the pain is relatively short-
busy, but the views are no lived and the payoff big:
less stunning. The last quar- two beautiful alpine lakes.
ter of the hike offers a front- After climbing 600 feet for
row view of Half Dome and just over half a mile, the
the valley floor below, and This Oct. 20, 2019 photo shows Karen Tara, of San Francisco, soaking in the views of El Capitan trail evens out before drop-
from the top of Sentinel Dome in Yosemite National Park.
without the crowds. Associated Press ping down to Middle Gay-
“The view of Half Dome is lor Lake. q