There are only a handful of places I can replay in my mind what it was like to visit for the first time and feel the same sense of awe every single time.

Yosemite is one of them.

I’ll never forget what it was like driving into the valley on my first visit. When seeing granite cliffs from a distance quickly turned into feeling like I was sitting right up against them. I remember the trees slowly falling out of focus as the color gray became the dominant subject. And eventually a rectangle of gray was the only thing I could see as I looked out the car window and walls of granite took up every space in the frame.

I’ve yet to experience any other drive into a national park that puts you at the center of everything amazing there’s to see–an inherent and unique gift of the valley. There’s nothing else quite like seeing and feeling the magnitude of the towering granite faces as you wander around in your ‘tiny’ human form. And without the barrier of a car.

There’s always something to see at Yosemite regardless of how many times you’ve been. Whether it’s watching another sunset rest before Half Dome that’s just as exhilarating as the last time. Maybe it's standing at the base of Vernal Fall and taking a moment to watch the water race to the bottom, notice the mist particles dance in the air, or feel the sound of water emanate through you. Other times it’s going on a hike that gives you another perspective of the valley you would’ve never imagined before.

This visit was exactly that. Heading down the trail to Taft Point during golden hour and seeing the magic that happens here made it easy for me to see why this location is one of the most well known gems of the park. It’s minimal effort (only 1.5 miles in) for maximum reward. You’re met with some of the most epic sights of the valley from above. And a pretty amazing view of El Capitan where the need to bend your neck backwards to take in its large scale is gone.

But nothing gets me here like seeing the light that filters through the granite mountains as the sun bids its farewell for the day. 

It’s the kind of light that lives in my heart forever…

Whether it’s your first time at the park or you’re a frequent visitor, the magic of Yosemite never fades. There’s always another thing to explore. And a sight worth seeing for a second (or third) time. 

No other visit will surpass that first drive into the park for me…but it always comes close.

Photos taken on Kodak Ektar 100.