A Hazy Weekend Drive Through Yosemite Valley

I took a quick trip out to Yosemite National Park over a weekend in early October. The drive in was timed perfectly with the sunset, but the sky was thick with haze, likely from wildfires burning elsewhere in California. It created this intense, diffused orange glow over everything as the sun dropped behind the mountains. I pulled over at a viewpoint to watch the light change across the valley.

The next day, the haze lingered. It wasn't a clear, crisp day, but the smoke gave the landscape a soft, almost painterly feel. I drove through the valley floor, stopping to see the views of Half Dome and the other massive granite formations. Their sharp edges were softened by the atmospheric conditions, making them look a little less real.

It was mostly a driving trip, just pulling off the road wherever a view opened up through the trees. The car against the scale of the mountains felt like a good summary of the weekend. It was a different way to see the park — quieter and more subdued than I'd experienced before.