As I drove closer to Yosemite, getting deeper into the Sierra Nevada, the landscape slowly started to shift to something very unique and increasingly beautiful.

I love how road trips can transform a drive from dense city streets and buildings to an open countryside, then through rural towns where old-fashioned homes sit on sprawling lawns dotted with vintage cars.

Every drive has its own beauty. The route to Yosemite's Arch Rock entrance took me through rural towns with sprawling lawns, past boulder-filled fields where cows grazed beneath a mystical morning haze.

I love how the scenery changes, especially when I got to the rolling green hills that gave way to sheer canyon cliffs, split by the Merced River along the 140 highway.

I always keep my eyes open for some good photo opportunities with things like a weathered sign, awesome looking mountains, or a cool backdrop that would make a killer photo.

That’s why I had to pull over at the Sierra National Forest sign. I immediately eased into the brakes and pulled over onto the shoulder. I like getting pictures of these signs to add to my memory book.

What made this stretch so captivating was the dramatic contrast on either side of highway 140. There was lush green hillsides on the left that caught the early noon sunlight, glowing like they'd been lit from within. On my right, the damp granite cliffs of Merced River Canyon rose up, their dark, water-stained faces striped with mineral deposits and lichen.

The rock formations looked incredible with layers of ancient stone stacked and tilted at impossible angles, carved smooth by millions of years of water and weather.

For miles, I drove through a natural corridor carved between the canyon walls. This drive was an experience in itself.

As it turned out, the Arch Rock Entrance had its own kind of magical appeal. The road wound through a dense forest of towering pines and cedars. To my right, the Merced River snaked alongside the paved road, with its waters roaring over house-sized boulders. Then the water would smooth into calm water pools.

The contrast was stunning with churning whitewater crashing and foaming, then suddenly calming into these serene stretches that reflected the trees and canyon walls.

The 11-mile drive from Arch Rock to Curry Village took me about half an hour, but not because of the distance. I kept pulling over at the small turnouts dotting the roadside, unable to resist stopping to soak in the views.

I was actually in Yosemite!

At one point, I parked and walked down to the river's edge, watching the frigid water surge between massive granite boulders with relentless force. The sound was incredible—a deep, rumbling that reverberated the power of the river.

This was early January, and winter had already settled into the valley. The moment I stepped out of my car, the cold bit at my exposed face, turning my cheeks red and my breath into visible steam. Patches of snow dusted the ground along the road, hinting at the winter wonderland to come.

I was grateful I'd packed my beanie, thick insulated jacket, and layered hoodie. It didn’t appear to be that cold, but as I got deeper into the park, the air in Yosemite Valley was getting colder.

I was not planning on there being any snow on this trip, so it was a pleasant surprise.

When we go about planning a trip, the destination is always the goal and it’s what we imagine where the adventure begins. It’s everything in between that most people do not count, and dismiss it as being a fun part of your adventure.

Before I got to Yosemite, I got to see the hidden rural towns that have this vintage aesthetic with old cars and old homes. There’s a lot of people out here, living at a much slower pace, not bothered by the busyness of a city life and I think that’s awesome.

Yosemite is known for all it’s natural beauty and a reconnection to nature and being in the wild. But the beauty of nature started far before entering the park, as I drove along the winding roads with the raging sounds of the Merced River. The lush green mountain sides glowing in the early noon sunlight. The geometric shaped canyon walls and the towering green pines.

I’m glad to have seen so much wonderful views on this drive. But the next leg of this adventure is now set to begin in Yosemite National Park.

See you in the next episode. Find it on YouTube here →

Until next time,

Amado Aguilar