{"id":14513,"date":"2025-11-23T22:03:33","date_gmt":"2025-11-23T22:03:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/alwaysondafly.com\/?p=14513"},"modified":"2025-11-23T22:03:35","modified_gmt":"2025-11-23T22:03:35","slug":"mini-pearl-goes-to-yosemite","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/alwaysondafly.com\/?p=14513","title":{"rendered":"“Mini Pearl” Goes to Yosemite"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Welcome back to OnTheFly. With summer fast approaching, it is time to be out on the road again. So, our inaugural road trip for 2025 is back to the land of Ansel Adams and John Muir\u2026. Yosemite National Park and stay in the valley at Upper Pines Campground.<\/p>\n

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Typically, we are already on the road by now, so it has been peculiar to still be in southern Arizona. Deb and I sat down after the holiday season and discussed a short adventure with the new RV, a \u201cshakedown cruise\u201d in Navy lingo. We decided we were overdue for a trip to Yosemite National Park. The concept of staying in the valley at one of the campgrounds sounded very appealing. Long story short, we knew we could be on the road longer if we could take the dogs with us. Deb found a pet resort close to Yosemite instead of leaving them at our home kennel. As RV travelers with pets, this is ALWAYS part of the plan!<\/p>\n

Deb worked out the details for a 5-day stay at Elaine\u2019s Pet resort in Madera, CA which is less than a hundred miles outside Yosemite, with that etched in stone and our reservations locked in for Upper Pines campgrounds, the only thing left was to figure out how we were getting there!<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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Our first stop was Lake Pleasant Regional Park which is northwest of Phoenix. Deb and I have been here before, for hikes, for picnics and for off-road day trips but never spent the night. Several campgrounds are scattered around the lake, most with views of the water. Our site was paved, with a nice shelter over the picnic table, close to clean restrooms and plenty of space for dog walks. We were fortunate to find a site for a Friday night stay.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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We started out shortly after dawn so we could take historic US Route 80 to Gillespie Bridge, which was known as the Ocean-to-Ocean Highway back in the day. This was a major highway that predates Interstate 10 as an East\/West thoroughfare. Perfect morning light for a photo op and a puppy walk before we continued south to Gila Bend and head west on I-10.<\/p>\n

Next stop Yuma! We\u2019ve been through this area a couple of times in our travels but never considered it as a destination. Our accommodations for the next 3 days were at Lake Martinez Recreation Facility<\/a>, MCAS Yuma’s very own military campground, which is near the Yuma Proving Grounds on the Colorado River. A rather remote and small park, found about 35 miles north of Yuma off US Hwy 95.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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Our site was on a peninsula with 180-degree waterfront views, a covered cabana AND our own palm tree, an ideal spot for the Mini Pearl for our stay!<\/p>\n

In true Chuck & Deb fashion, we were out the door early and off for a day trip to Salton Sea\u2019s Bombay Beach. On westbound Interstate 10 we paralleled the All-American Canal, which was heading to the same place we were going, the Imperial Valley. It\u2019s primarily known as an agricultural hub, particularly for producing winter vegetables and dates. There was abundant activity that time of year, many fields being harvested, and others being prepped for this season\u2019s crop. As we were tooling along Highway 111 past Brawley, Deb asked how the Salton Sea was created? Quickly, she discovered that it did not exist before 1904! The current Salton Sea was formed when Colorado River floodwater breached an irrigation canal being constructed in the Imperial Valley in 1905 and flowed into the Salton Sink. A highly informative historical timeline is provided at Life of the Salton Sea<\/a>.<\/p>\n

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Bombay Beach was once a popular getaway for beachgoers until the 1980s, when the draining and increasing salinity of the Salton Sea destroyed the lake’s ecosystem and drove businesses and private landowners out of the area, making Bombay Beach a ghost town. Nowadays, it has become a quirky art location where many have left their creations on the abandoned Beach. Enjoying the moderate California temperatures, we parked the Mini Pearl on solid ground, had a picnic, and went for a stroll with the dogs to see some of the artistic creations. The return trip took us through the agriculture communities of Brawley, Imperial and El Centro, then eastbound back to Yuma.<\/p>\n

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On our second and final day, we drove past the Yuma Proving Grounds base Famcamp. It looked like a popular destination for the snowbird RV’ers. We continued out to Imperial Dam which is the source of the All-American Canal. We scoped out the BLM campground opportunities below the Senator Wash Reservoir, which were impressive, then followed the river downstream past the Laguna Dam project. We came upon the massive date palm groves, we checked out the local sights in Old Town, enjoyed a nice picnic at Yuma Beach and wrapped it up with a photo pitstop at the abandoned SP Depot in Winterhaven, CA. where we were fortunate to see a freight train roll past. Last but not least was a stop at Martha\u2019s Gardens<\/a> for some organic Medjool dates!<\/p>\n

Our short stay in Yuma was a pleasant surprise. It could easily be a winter destination for a long weekend, the campgrounds on the river are appealing and we could readily find things to see and do.<\/p>\n

The simplicity of traveling with the Roadtrek Zion is refreshing. A quick disconnect of power, water and the levelers can be done in a matter of minutes. A sharp contrast when you are not taking a forty-foot home with you when you travel.<\/p>\n

Leaving Yuma in the rear-view mirror, we were northbound on US Hwy 95 to Quartzsite, which is a popular boondock destination for long term RV travelers. Every winter this area hosts the Desert Gardens International Rock, Gem, and Mineral Show,<\/a> which boasts that it is one of the largest in the world and attracts thousands of visitors. We drove through town on the business loop and soon hopped on I-10 West heading for Joshua Tree National Park.<\/p>\n

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Exiting the interstate on the southern entrance to the park, the Cottonwood Visitor Center was a short 7-mile drive. A puppy walk, and a tourist stop for hats, tee-shirts and stickers, Deb and I were off to Cottonwood Spring for lunch. Unfortunately, the Lost Palms Oasis Trail was NOT dog-friendly! I walked down the trail a couple hundred yards to see the grove of palm trees. Access to the Cottonwood Spring was not allowed. The area was roped off; it looked like that part of the trail was overly used\/abused and now secured in hopes that Mother Nature can help it recover. There must have been water, though, because there was an incredible number of bees.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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Two distinct desert ecosystems, the Mojave and the Colorado come together in Joshua Tree National Park. Pinto Basin road is the main thoroughfare which takes you past Porcupine wash, Pinto Basin Sand dunes, the Ocotillo Patch, and the Cholla Cactus Garden. The landscape then changed. Joshua trees were plentiful and many unique rock formations were on display. Trailhead parking lots dotted the roadside which meant there must be exciting hiking opportunities nearby. Deb and I were impressed with the number of campgrounds and picnic areas as we continued our way through the park.<\/p>\n

We headed west on Park Road at Pinto Wye where the scenic desert roadside was covered with Joshua trees and even larger rock formations. We passed Jumbo Rock Campground, Skull Rock Trailhead, Boy Scout trail, and Ryan Campground. There are plenty of places to hike and park the Mini Pearl. We only had twelve miles to go to reach Black Rock Canyon Campground. We had a nice level site, plenty of open space to walk the puppies, fired up the grill for burgers and settled in for the night..<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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Clear blue skies awaited us as we were on the go to capture some of the morning light on our departure of Joshua Tree NP. Driving back down Park Road with bright blue skies and abundant jet trails was incredible. We detoured slightly and drove up to Keys View<\/a>, which is a scenic spot offering panoramic views of mountains, the San Andreas Fault & Coachella Valley. In the distance to the south, you could see the Salton Sea and to the west Palm Springs. A short walk to the overlook was the perfect stroll for the pups. After a couple of photo op pitstops, we said goodbye to Joshua Tree and on our way to Bakersfield.<\/p>\n

Last time we were in Bakersfield, it was during wildfires that chased us out of Yosemite in September of 2020. The smoke was horrendous, and we drove all day to see the sun poke through the orange skies as we were heading south to Los Angeles. Today, we skipped pass Twentynine Palms, the town of Joshua Tree and Yucca Valley then headed northwest to Barstow on State Road 247. A short distance on westbound I40 business loop got us through and around town and on our way to Bakersfield via California SR 58.  Purpose of our stay in Bakersfield was to get close to where we were boarding the dogs north of Fresno. We discovered an overnight gem at Kern River campground, just outside town.  Nice paved, pull through riverside campsite with trees and plenty of grass.<\/p>\n

We were on our way before dawn with our sights locked in on Elaine\u2019s Pet Resort. Their staff met us to go over the behavior screen and check-in process. Soon, Deb and I were on our way, pet free, for 5 nights at Upper Pines Campground in Yosemite National Park.<\/p>\n

We stopped for lunch and provisions in Oakhurst, then continued up State Road 41 (SR) to the south entrance of the park near the Mariposa Grove of Giant Sequoias. Now Wawona road, we drove past the Wawona Hotel, the Pioneer Yosemite History Center, and several trailheads. Unfortunately, the road to Glacier Point was still closed. Before we knew it, we were going through the Wawona Tunnel which invites you to Tunnel View and the mesmerizing view of Yosemite Valley below. Half Dome is dead center off in the distance being majestically bookended by El Capitan on the left and Bridalveil on the right, it was nice to be back!<\/p>\n

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Springtime in Yosemite is beyond words. Spring thaw brings heavy flow in the valley streams and provides waterfalls that are trademarks of the park. Upper pines campground (238 sites) is near Curry Village on the Merced River in Tuolumne Meadows. We quickly set up, had our steak dinner, espresso and dessert, then off for an evening walk along the river to catch a glimpse of Half Dome. Our first day was an overwhelming success.<\/p>\n

The trailhead for the Mirror Lake loop was less than a mile from our campsite. Our goal was to get an early start to capture the morning light and maximize the opportunities for reflections on the lake. This is a seasonal lake, meaning that water flow only occurs in the spring during the snow melt. Deb and I were in for a treat when we got to the bridge and saw the crystal-clear cascades of Tenaya Creek. We followed the southern shore of the creek through huge boulders, and the tree covered trail.<\/p>\n

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In the stillness of the early morning air, we reached the Lake to witness its trademark reflections. The trail meandered along the lakeside, then navigated over and through the remains of rockslides. Just past this rubble we met water on the trail. The Tenaya creek had spilled over into lowlands and across the trail. Not knowing how far, how deep, or how cold the water was, we removed our shoes and cautiously proceeded down the trail. In less than twenty yards of tiptoeing through debris in the water, the trail ahead was flooded, the water was getting deeper, and it was ICE COLD. Deb and I retraced our steps back to dry land and learned that today was not the ideal day for a \u201cloop\u201d trail.<\/p>\n

By the time we got back to the campsite, we had a five-mile hike in the books. We quickly broke camp, hopped in the van to find a picnic spot in Yosemite Valley along the shore of the Merced River. Lunch at Sentinel Rock Beach picnic area offered amazing views of the valley and river!  Here, we found the water much more refreshing than earlier this morning. With one more pitstop on the day\u2019s agenda, we were on our way to Bridalveil Falls.<\/p>\n

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Driving in Yosemite NP is a bit of a challenge until you fully understand the one-way roads and which river crossings you take to get you to your destination. Even with my many missed turns, seeing Yosemite Falls and Bridalveil Falls in peak flow, driving along the cascades of the Merced River, gazing up at Half Dome and El Capitan was hardly a bad thing. We added a short half mile hike to get a closer look at Bridalveil, crossing foot bridges over the cascading waters. A cool mist in the air made for a refreshing walk.<\/p>\n

On day three our plan was to venture up to Hetch Hetchy reservoir.  A 43-mile scenic adventure, the first 9 miles we followed the Merced River on Northside drive. At the Big Oak Flat intersection (CA SR 120) we began the ascent out of the valley. The views overlooking the canyon walls below were incredible. We passed the intersection for Tioga Road at Crane Flat. Unfortunately, the road was still closed through Tioga Pass, Tuolumne Meadows, Olmstead Point, and Tenaya Lake. Guess we\u2019ll have to make another visit later in the year to make it through the pass.<\/p>\n

Evergreen Road was in our sights and only 18 miles from our destination. We discovered many disbursed camping areas along this road. Many opportunities along the banks of the different branches of the Tuolumne River. The road was paved and narrow as we drove along the canyon walls as we neared the dam and Hetch Hetchy reservoir. Thankfully there wasn\u2019t any traffic because at times the vegetation growth made staying in our lane somewhat of a challenge.<\/p>\n

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We were fortunate and slid into the last parking place at the Wapama and Rancheria Fall Trailhead<\/a>.  A five-mile out and back hike which took you across the dam and through a tunnel in the first half mile! The trail followed the Hetch Hetchy reservoir shoreline and we experienced some elevation gain as we progressed through the trees, rock and small rivulets of spring thaw creeks. We left the parking lot with overcast skies and distant thunder. We noticed the weather front was heading our way.  We continued our hiking quest between light showers hopeful that the weather would pass. No longer under the cover of the trees, we were out on a solid rock area, the size of a football field, an enormous clap of thunder was quickly followed by nearby lightning strikes. Being the tallest object in the vicinity, we quickly assessed this was NOT the place to be. The light showers had turned to rain, so we wisely chose to abort this day\u2019s adventure and returned to the trailhead after logging in 3.5 miles out of the 5-mile hike!<\/p>\n

Fortunately for us, there were now peeks of blue in the skies on our return to Yosemite Valley, we had a picnic stop at Dimond O campground on the Middle Tuolumne River in the Stanislaus National Forest. The drive back with scattered clouds and sunshine was a welcome relief from our soggy hike.<\/p>\n

In the past, our adventures to Yosemite were ALWAYS day trips. RV parks and campgrounds outside the park are at least a 90-minute drive to get to the Yosemite Valley floor, which affects your length of stay in the park. Staying in the Upper Pines campground gave Deb and I opportunities we had only dreamed of. Daily breakfast at Yosemite Falls Vantage Point, morning hikes to Yosemite falls, El Capitan Trail, Bridalveil Falls, Mirror Lake, Fern Creek wildly exceeded all expectations. With the spring thaw and morning light, we had incredible photo opportunities.<\/p>\n

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After 5 incredible camping days at Yosemite, it was time to pack it up and head home. The morning drive out of the park following CA SR140 down the cascading Merced River was wild. Spring thaw showing its power boiling over the rocks down through the canyon, past El Portal and Incline. The Central-Yosemite Hwy would take us out of the valley through Mariposa, a short drive down CA SR 49 \u201cThe Golden Chain Highway\u201d would get us to Oakhurst, our destination to pick up the puppies is now less than an hour away!<\/p>\n

Elaine\u2019s Pet Resorts Madera<\/a> is highly recommended for those that travel with pets and seek a quality boarding facility to fully enjoy Yosemite National Park. Excellent staff, impressive facility and quality care. With Odie and Zeus safely onboard, we were officially heading home.<\/p>\n

Deb and I didn\u2019t dawdle, we were anxious to be home. The drive to Barstow looked the same as it did a week ago. Our short stay in a military lodge in Nebo Annex Marine Corps Logistics Base Barstow was a bust. We arrived after office was closed. The room had bed sheets from the earlier tenant!  We got a full refund, spent the night in the van and at least enjoyed the creature comfort of a Hollywood shower caught up on laundry.<\/p>\n

 After a good night\u2019s sleep and peace of mind having our puppies under foot, we were off for the last leg home. East bound Interstate 40 is a long lonely road! In Needles, we had plans to take US 95 south to get to Interstate 10. Google Maps had the road closed and showed red blocks on that route. In a matter of minutes Deb discovered that route was closed in several places to flashfloods from the previous day\u2019s heavy rains. We were rerouted to Arizona State Road (SR) 95 which took us down through Lake Havasu City and Parker. We did a short detour to cross Parker dam, then continued south easterly, SR 95 to SR 72 to Vicksburg Road which ultimately got us to east bound I-10! We stopped for lunch at the Bouse Wash Eastbound rest stop and soon were in familiar territory cruising through the outskirts of Phoenix taking the \u201c202\u201d to avoid as much city traffic as possible and then taking I-10 eastbound to complete our journey back to Tucson.<\/p>\n

Our maiden voyage with the Mini Pearl was complete.<\/p>\n