Category: California Adventure

Exploring the Hoover Dam

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Hoover Dam

The drive from Bishop to Las Vegas is straightforward for most of the way, with a challenging climb at the start. Once you reach the outskirts of Nevada’s largest city, the drive becomes increasingly exciting. Suddenly you are on a four-lane motorway through a surprisingly tidy city. As I had some time before checking into my room at the Best Western Plus Henderson Hotel, I first drove to the Hoover Dam.

After the obligatory gun check at the Hoover Dam gate, I drove to the Boulder Dam Bridge parking lot, from where you can reach the Mike O’Callaghan-Pat Tillman Memorial Bridge over the Colorado River. Not only is it a short walk to Arizona, but you also get a great view of the Hoover Dam.

I parked the rental car in the car park next to the visitor centre. A flight of stairs took me down to the Visitor Centre where, on the advice of a good friend, I booked the Guided Dam Tour, which took me not only to the massive Nevada Powerhouse inside the dam, but also down one of the inspection tunnels. All in all, a visit to this concrete giant was more than worthwhile. The museum in the upper part of the visitor centre is also very informative and well worth a visit.

Back in Las Vegas, I immediately checked into the hotel where I was to spend the next two nights. The hotel was very decent and, for me as a single traveller, had a big advantage over the big resorts on the Strip, at least in terms of price. After a short drive I reached the Las Vegas Strip where I started the evening at the New York, New York Resort and Casino.

Pictures Hoover Dam

 

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California Adventure Day 5 and 6 / Nevada

Driving through the Sierra Nevada

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Sierra Nevada

On my second day in Yosemite National Park, I had planned to do the Komoot tour from the Backcountry Parking to White Cascade along the Toulumne River, which has many waterfalls along the way. Unfortunately, it was extremely windy and cold that day, so I turned back after a short while and instead stopped at beautiful Tenaya Lake before leaving the national park and heading towards the town of Bishop.

The scenery on the way to Mono Lake was simply breathtaking. The rest of the journey on Highway 395 was not quite the same. For much of the way I drove straight through the high plains and Inyo National Forest, with a short detour via the Mammoth Scenic Loop, where the Mammoth Lakes ski resort is located.

Back on Highway 395, I stopped at Wild Willy’s Hot Springs just before my destination, where I spent some time while the cold wind blew across the plain. Well rested, I headed for my motel in Bishop, which I reached in the early evening. The Bishop Inn was OK, but a bit too expensive for the service it offered.

Pictures Sierra Nevada

 

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California / California Adventure Day 3 and 4

Hiking on the Yosemite Falls Trail

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Yosemite Falls Trail

After resting a bit the day before, I set off early this morning. After a four-hour drive, I reached Yosemite National Park via the Central Yosemite Highway, which is a highlight in itself and mostly follows the Merced River.

Around noon I parked my car at the Yosemite Falls car park to start the hike up to Yosemite Falls. The Yosemite Falls Trail itself is very well constructed, but goes over a very long stretch of winding trails. The first highlight is at Columbia Rock. From here you have a great view over Yosemite Valley. The trail now leads easily to the foot of Yosemite Falls. This is the best view of Yosemite Falls. The rest of the climb takes you away from the falls, with more hairpin bends through the forest. Once the vegetation thins out, you are rewarded with a magnificent view of the mountains. Finally, the trail climbs up through a gorge. Once you reach the top of the plateau, you are rewarded with breathtaking scenery. The view alone is worth the effort. The path continues to the waterfalls, which can now be seen from above. Meanwhile, many hikers relax on the banks of Yosemite Creek.

After I had recovered a bit, it was downhill again. As I had started the hike relatively late, I had to deal with more and more insects as the twilight approached, which made the descent more and more strenuous. I reached my car in the early evening and drove to Oakhurst, where I stayed at the Yosemite Southgate Hotel & Suites. Unfortunately, I didn’t realise at the time that I would be driving for almost an hour on a very winding road to get to the hotel. On top of that, some Americans drive very cautiously, which made the journey even longer as it was impossible to overtake properly at any point. I even felt slightly nauseous at times, so I was glad when the road straightened out again. Arriving at the hotel, I was delighted to find a huge room and a comfortable bed.

Pictures Yosemite Falls Trail

 

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California / California Adventure Day 3 and 4