It's 2022 and we are featuring our first Court’s General Store “Adventure Babe” of the year! We hope this series continues to inspire you to explore, travel and experience the world around you more than ever this year!

Meet Adventure Babe Emma! She’ll be taking us on her winter adventures through Yosemite National Park.

What are your TOP FIVE things to do in the area?

1. Vernal Falls Trail - an absolutely beautiful hike. The trail was covered in snow but was still able to be done without snow shoes or micro-spikes. We were wearing hiking boots and were completely fine. This is, of course, weather-dependent.   

2. Lower Yosemite Falls Trail - for an easy stroll and a great view of Yosemite Falls! The Upper Yosemite Falls trail is strenuous (7.6 miles). We only did a portion and decided not to complete the whole trail - we didn’t have micro-spikes. But for the little bit of the trail that we did, it was beautiful. 

3. Tunnel View - is a must. It gives you a breathtaking view of the entire valley.  

4. Degnan’s Kitchen - Right next to the Yosemite Valley Visitor Center is Degnan’s Kitchen. There’s a Peet’s coffee inside. They make individual pizzas in a wood-fire oven and other sandwiches/food options. We grabbed some hot coffees and pizza and just enjoyed driving around the valley!

5. Mariposa, California - is about 50 minutes from the park. It's a beautiful scenic drive through Sierra National Forest to get there. If you stay in Mariposa, Savoury’s is a must. The food was so good - we ended up eating there two days in a row! Another night, we ate at Charles Street Dinner House. The restaurant was Old West themed. SO cute inside. 

Emma's Travel Tip:

Going to Yosemite in the winter was such a unique experience. You get to see the Valley with no crowds!! It truly was a winter wonderland. About a week before we had arrived, it had snowed pretty heavily. But by the time we were there, the main roads were basically free of snow and had very little ice.

The Valley was filled with families building snowmen, and there were people sledding and playing in the snow all around us. The waterfalls were roaring, and the Valley just looked so peaceful covered in white. While some of the lodging and roads were closed for the season, I still felt like we got a great taste of what the park had to offer. 

Emma's Store Faves:

What is on your list of places to visit this year? We would LOVE to feature you as an adventure babe in 2022! Whether you are at home or exploring, make sure to tag us at @courtsgeneralstore for a chance to be featured in our next blog post + on social.

Happy adventuring!

-Court's General Store Team